Beauty in Architecture

Category: Aesthetics, Architecture

Last Updated: 21 Mar 2023

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Art has been around for so long that it has become an integral part of a human being's life. A thorough observation of all forms of art speaks of one common significance - art as the so-called "universal expression of the soul. " The ancient carvings in an Egyptian cave, the soothing melody of a harp, the beautiful words of a poet, and the abstract objects in a painting all define art as timeless, pure, and perfect. But how far can a universal language serve mankind? Can an old fine-tuned guitar or a gold-textured jug stand as a man's ally in his lifetime?

It is somewhat ironic to admit to ourselves that we have gotten so used to the notion that the most beautiful will never be the most useful. One form of art though that has stood apart from this irony is architecture. In its most basic explanation, architecture is both a combination of a work of art and science to build and erect buildings. For a builder and designer called the architect, architecture is a monumental task. First, because it is an art that speaks of meaning; and second, because its completion will serve more than man's desire for beautiful things.

Architecture stands so unique from the rest of all artistic forms. A building will stand tall and proud for the entire world to see long after the beauty of the most expensive painting loses its appeal for the eyes. Architecture has a dynamic role to play and to sustain. One vivid example of its difference from all arts is a home. Inside a house are walls with paintings in every corner, an elegant piano in the living room being played by well-trained hands, and a long hallway lined with slender China vases about a foot tall.

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Over time as the family living inside the house grew up and changed physically and mentally, so is their treatment for all these pieces of art. The hands that once played the piano may later find other interests to pursue, one or two of the vases gets broken into pieces because of carelessness or accidents, and the paintings may one day be moved to another room where no one can eventually look at them. Helpless and unhappy ways for these arts to retire. But not for the house.

Children go to school, attend college, and get married but they always come back to the house that has been there since their birth. A few repairs here and there over the years, fresh interior and exterior paints, and an installation of new household technologies may be a part of the family’s growth but the house remains a house. A shelter and a fortress for mankind. It has protected the family from vicious storms and heavy rains, from the terrible heat of summer, from the freezing temperatures of winter. Above all, it has become a symbol of the family’s traditions and cultures.

It no longer portrays a spacious neat place where children, parents, relatives, and friends can gather around comfortably. It has grown into something the inhabitants can be proud of because its structures and textures have been transformed into a representation of status, wealth, achievements, educational degrees, and even religion. This is only a brief and simple example of the importance of architecture in ordinary life. Moving on to a broader and global view of the existence of architecture, we find buildings and establishments housing larger groups of people.

From the family who lived in the house with occasional visits from friends and relatives, we shifted our eyes towards the cathedral or mosque in the city that symbolizes its flock of followers that goes in and out to worship and pray. There is also the hospital that is structured to accommodate as many sick patients as possible and the palace or mansion that epitomizes the actions and behaviors of a certain type of government and ruler. Bridges made of wood or steel provide a passage for fast and accessible transportation.

The St. Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican became the seat of Catholicism in the world. Buckingham Palace symbolizes the royalty as the reigning ruler of Great Britain and the White House the powerful effects of a nation’s unity. The Chrysler Building exemplifies a wealthy businessman’s passion for automobiles. Not only does architecture speaks of religion, government, and education, it also evokes feelings. The Great Walls of China was both a protection and defense from enemies in ancient Chinese times.

Taj Mahal was a man’s undying profession of love for his wife and The Statue of Liberty was a gift of one nation to another. Architecture is more than an expression of our joys, anguish, rage, victories, and problems. Architecture must follow a strict set of guidelines before expressing man’s varying emotions. Tradition and culture lead the guidelines and principles in erecting and building. A man must design and create in accordance to the period or backdrop a piece belongs. Through architecture, the community and its inhabitants can speak to another generation their beliefs, rights, and traditions.

When a building, a bridge, or a church has served its function, when we have declared architecture as more lasting than the rest of the arts, and when we have given the establishments too much credit for serving us loyally, we seek and desire for something more from them. As we evolved mentally and emotionally, we develop dissatisfaction for simplicity, plainness, and mediocrity. We use our common senses to start discerning that which is not plain, simple, and mediocre and the greatest tool for this task is our philosophy.

And what better way to apply philosophy in architecture than to criticize a structure for its beauty or ugliness. Once we have applied this philosophy, we discover how sad our evolution has become. As our societies change forth into what we call a modernized world, our “modern” minds would dispose or discard slowly and gradually the old ways and traditions. There is no longer that appreciation for the artistic sides of things. They have been dismissed as impractical, costly, and useless, turning everything we create into mere thresholds of function (McElwee, 1996).

With this realization, we go back to our dissatisfactions. Plainness and ugliness cannot stay visible forever, we consciously decide. It is no longer enough for a church to be just a place of worship. It has to speak through its design, color, and texture the religion of the people. To build a bridge is not only to nail pieces of wood and steel together and cover them up with solid cement. It has to be shaped in elegance and style. Monuments are not only a plain sculpture of a legend’s bust or body. It could be a palace or a beautiful arched tower. A business establishment is not merely a tall building.

Its concept of design could be stemmed from a businessman’s view of a successful life. Even a house or an apartment is not at all roofs on our heads and walls on our sides. It could be an outstanding structure among its surroundings. This is a tremendous challenge for architecture. It has to serve its basic purpose and function and at the same time pass the critical judgment of philosophy, in this case, the philosophy of art and beauty called aesthetics. Of course, there are always exceptions from judgments and scrutiny. Poverty and economic instability are one.

In modern America, the poorest have to live in dilapidated housings where shelter is the only option to survive the cold and the heat. The lower-class struggle every day to earn a penny for food and clothing. An idea to build a beautiful and spacious home is too bleak to consider. Some might just dwell under the bridges or lie down on the side of the streets. However, modernization has almost found itself among the groups of the poor. It has created, too, a concept that a structure that serves a role other than functionality is simply preposterous. Style, color, and beauty are not among the plans of the design.

They are costly and time-consuming for the owner. Architects are distressingly left with no choice but to build a cheap establishment that takes fewer amounts of time and effort. The concept of architecture has solely described the kind of life a man has with technologies around him. There is no longer a place for art and beauty in a vehicle and mobile revolution. A house or an apartment in this period is no longer designed with curves, arches, and elegance, but with dull straight lines that accommodate enough appliances and technologies, the dwellers have in their life.

Aesthetics can help our modern minds get back to the original fundamentals of architecture: that beauty is included together with function and structure (Gatto, 2002). There is so much more in architecture than anything found in a painting on a wall, a sculpture of a goddess, a song of an opera, and a rhyme in a poem. But one should never forget that architecture, too, could stand beside these forms of art and be functional and beautiful at the same time. What then are the criteria for beauty? Do we build houses, towers, and bridges the way we paint a picture or write a song?

In a way, we do but, along with the history it represents, there are aesthetic values to consider. There has to be art and science in architecture. It is the aesthetic value of a piece of architecture that separates distinctly its function and purpose from the beauty and art in its form. It involves a calculative thinking of a mathematician and an expressive feeling of an artist. Beauty in architecture competes with beauty in nature. While nature has been the most beautiful and timeless piece of art ever created, architecture, too, has a responsibility to play as nature to man.

A construction of an object has to make the nature in the background looked more beautiful and appealing. It does not destroy or diminish the surrounding to where it stood. Considering the background was a barren piece of land, the object doesn’t make the whole picture look uglier, boring, and dry. It has to stand out as a distinction from the place, like a garden in a dessert or a lighthouse in a terrible storm. And of course, its beauty has to sustain its purpose. To design and to build is also to preserve its function and appeal.

It takes a specialty and an education to criticize a piece of architecture according to its beauty. According to Scruton, as cited in A Weekly Dose of Architecture website (2006), calling a painting or music beautiful is different from calling architecture beautiful. Only the keenest of eyes equipped with aesthetic knowledge can understand architecture’s details of structure, function and beauty. Beautiful for man is what he perceives as pleasurable to his senses. The colors of a painting, the sound of music, and the grace of a ballerina catches the eyes, the ears, and the sensations.

It is man’s most basic instinct of his judgment of beauty. That which delights and pleases him is beautiful. That which irritates and disgusts him is ugly. What makes certain things labeled as the opposite of beauty? A look at the surface of beautiful objects evokes timeless joy and appreciation. But to understand why it has delighted us takes a thorough observation and scrutiny of our eyes and minds. Beauty is an association and combination of the aspects of art – color, structure, shapes, texture, etc.

A right combination of colors, a perfect variation of lines and angles, and a precise proportion of each shape constitute a very attractive model of beauty. As mentioned earlier, man’s mentality evolves and changes. Our judgment for beauty deepens together with our intellect. Our feelings towards pieces of architecture vary over time depending on the type of piece. We may have an understanding tolerance for a house or a store lacking in repairs but we don’t give considerations to a government hall, a church, or a huge commercial building to become less than what they were originally created for.

There are certain levels of judgment applied to different degrees of art. An architecture that houses, sustains and encompasses a great number of dwellers requires greater attention and care for beauty and its preservations. Judgment is not only based on evolving intellects and mentality. So, too, can our emotions and beliefs towards certain things affect our taste for beauty. Religious biases, political dissents, racial and intellectual discriminations among other things provide a pre-conceived notion of how we view and react to things and objects.

The grandeur of the Vatican may look commanding and dominant for others who see Catholicism as not entirely the perfect religion around. The White House may disgust other countries because of the government’s overbearing tactics in war. Even the handsomely restored Germany may forever be treated with dread and despise by the Jews affected by the nightmares of the holocaust. This is what the great German philosopher Immanuel Kant pointed out (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2006). The man simply has this idea inside his head about a certain object. Through these ideas, he forms his judgment and reactions to it.

So when the object has been made visible in front of his eyes, he already discerns it as beautiful or ugly. There is none of the hard work done in a careful assessment and scrutiny of every tiny detail. According to Kant, there are at least four factors to consider in making a judgment of beauty. A man has to experience joy and delight in something he sees as beautiful. The perfect blend of colors in a rainbow makes him smile that is why he calls it beautiful. Our judgment has to agree with almost everyone else, in fact with the whole universe, making the object universal.

The object has to have a role to play other than for display and viewing and creation simply has to serve its purpose that it has been designed for. In Kant’s Critique of Judgment, he emphasized the importance of an experience of observing beauty before judgments as to how and why it is called beautiful are being set up. In Christopher Alexander’s Nature of Order, Book 1: The Phenomenon of Life, he pictures the present generation of architecture as lacking in life (Mehaffy, n. d. ). He blamed architects for the sluggish attitude in designing and constructing buildings.

Architects have developed a similar attitude with the people, that in a technology-ruled and fast-paced world we lived in, we neglect to put details in architecture that breathes life. According to him, life is the most fundamental foundation of a structure. Life is breathing and moving. Architecture should be based on this and not on the robotic and mechanistic way our technologies convey. In our modern scientific way, the use of art has slowly been diminishing. Before it happens completely, let us bear in mind that without beauty in it is like a lonely statue of a hero standing out in a cold hard rain.

The statue has no life and it no longer feels cold or heat. But architecture is an essential part of our life. So its essence and foundation must breathe life. We must take comfort not only for the roof it provides above our heads but also for the pride it makes us feel because of its beauty. Architecture is both a responsibility and a privilege to provide and attract. It has to welcome and not to frighten anyone away. It has to project a remembrance of its existence and not to kill all the memories forever. Even an old uninhabited castle’s haunted feeling depicts the lives of the powerful family who once lived there.

But in our time today, the ugly unoccupied building gives us the shivers not because of the memories left there but of the hideous structure of the place. Architecture should never lose its beauty. After all, its ability to be the symbol of both science and art is what sets it apart. A house, a church, a store, a town hall, and a community that is devoid in beauty lack the true essence and purpose of life – creation. If we are indeed too practical, busy, and perhaps too frugal to incorporate art with our dwellings, then we are better off to live in cold hard unshapely caves.

Five Points of Architecture

Le Corbusier is one of the most important designers from the twentieth century. He is known as one of the innovators of modern architecture due to many of his thoughts and‘recipes’within architecture. One of his most celebrated was ‘The Five Point of a New Architecture’that he had explained in ‘L'Esprit Nouveau’ and the book ‘ Vers une architecture’, which he had been developing throughout the 1920s.

Le Corbusier’ development of this thought altered the architectural promenade in a new manner, which was presented in 1926. [ 1 ] The five points are as follows: pilotis, the roof garden, free program, free facade, and the horizontal window. Le Corbusier used these points as a structural footing for most of his architecture up until the 1950’s, which are apparent in many of his designs.

The essay‘Les Cinq points d'une architecture nouvelle’by Le Corbusier focuses on inquiries that are raised within architectural design, proposing a foundation and agreement in it. Similar texts for illustration the advancement of‘cellule’and figures of the Maison Standardisee, do non hold relation to the design procedure of the five points.

The Modulor, which is the survey of proportions of the human organic structure graduated table that is used as a system to be after a figure of Le Corbusier’s edifices, is another theoretical effort, which did non accomplish a proper relation to the design procedure and besides the architectural hunt for signifier that personifies the five points. On the other manus, these thoughts can be portrayed more freely as ‘merely theoretical ideas’ . [ 2 ] One exclusion is the construct of the tracis regulateurs ( modulating lines ) , which uses proportions of geometry in edifices. It predicted certain thoughts behind the five points in a figure of facets.

The first point is the piloti, which are columns or wharfs that elevate a construction off the land. The fact that the construction is lifted provides many functional advantages. As the pilotis raise the edifice off the land, it allows circulation beneath the house, which frees the edifice site, and allows a private road, parking infinite, or a garden to be placed beneath the house. The pilotis provides many advantages, and besides new constructional possibilities. The artistic minutes every bit good as the drawn-out utility are the consequences of those‘recherches assidues’and those‘acquis de laboratoire’[ 3 ] . The same country is besides gained on the level roof. This country is known as the following point, which is the roof garden. This is to equilibrate the green country that was already used by the edifice and substituted it onto the roof, which is so used for domestic intents.

Free program is the following point, which means the floor infinite can be arranged freely without the concern for back uping walls into suites. Replacing interior supporting columns from walls spliting the infinite, and traveling the construction of the edifice to the outside is a manner to accomplish this. Le Corbusier designed an unfastened floor construction called the Dom-ino house in which the theoretical account removed supporting wall and the back uping beams for the ceiling. This innovation was most unexpected at clip ; it was a‘forecast of the potencies of strengthened concrete, of mass-production, of human graduated table, of the modern mill.’ [ 4 ]

The frame did non depend on the floor programs of the house, giving the designer freedom when planing the inside. Free facade is another point. It is the ability of planing the facade freely as the walls are non-supporting, which is the consequence of the free program. The following point is the horizontal window. This allows the facade to be cut along its full length. By making so it allows maximal light, better airing and besides gives positions of the environing pace, which is apparent in the Villa Savoye.

The five points were demonstrated in many of Le Corbusier 's architecture throughout his calling. One of first designs that Le Corbusier attempted to include the points in was the Maisons Citrohan. The house was developed through different versions. Numerous elements of the houses design turned out to be indispensable factors, which make up Le Corbusiers manner. Certain features of the Maison Citrohan can be detected in most of the Villa in the 1920’s. [ 5 ]

Maison Citrohan introduced the‘five points of new architecture’ .The house was elevated by pilotis leting free circulation on the land, and besides consisted of a reinforced-concrete frame construction, which was achieved from the Dom-ino’s constructional system. The unfastened infinite created by the pilotis and the level roof increases the little country that already exists. It besides had a roof garden/terrace. Le Corbusier voiced himself on the topic of the Maison Citrohan in the first volume of the‘Oevre compldte’:“Stuttgart, c'est I'occasion enfin! `` .Le Corbusier did non talk of single objects or designs ; he talked about the changeless development of an thought stretched over many instances. [ 6 ]

Le Corbusier studied the indispensable doctrines of Egyptian, Hindu, Byzantine, and Grecian architecture in‘Vers une architecture’ ,which is a aggregation of essays that supports survey of the construct of modern architecture. [ 7 ] Egyptian and Grecian architecture were peculiarly of import for Le Corbusier 's application of the five points. From Egyptian architecture, Le Corbusier acquired the thought of symmetricalness and repeat.

In add-on, Le Corbusier obtained the impression of motion and reverses from Grecian architecture. The lesson of regular repeat from Egyptian architecture, as mentioned above, provided the thought of utilizing repeat in perpendicular supports that Le Corbusier would subsequently use to his architecture as `` a changeless graduated table, a beat, a reposeful meter '' .

Le Corbusiers design theories were put in pattern to a certain degree within a figure of his designs such as the Maison Cook, the Villa Stein, and besides at the Villa Savoye. In these edifices‘the regular grid of columns served as a foil to the organic forms of the curving walls and stepss, which together combined to form a pleasant architectural promenade with unsymmetrically balanced views’harmonizing to the lessons of Grecian architecture. [ 8 ]

Similar to the Citrohan House, the Villa Stein had a roof, which became a patio garden ; on a regular basis spaced structural wharfs, which allowed freely curved interior dividers, and besides horizontal Windowss that extended across frontages. The Maison Cook was a patio house. The upper floors of the house were supported by concrete piloti, and the land floor consisted of a unfastened program which had a parking infinite, entry, and a patio. The roof was besides used as a garden patio. Le Corbusier wanted to demo that the dividers of the suites on each floor were independent of structural supports, therefore the dividers were curved. [ 9 ]

The Villa Savoye follows the five points best purely, and can be considered as a reinforced program of Le Corbusier’s five points. The exterior maintains the thought of symmetricalness as all four lifts are truly similar, which consist of horizontal Windowss and gaps running the breadth of the facade at the 2nd floor degree, supported by on a regular basis spaced pilotis. [ 10 ]

Within the points, the free program is the most of import in the design, where the big wall curves freely between the pilotis on the land floor, which reflects the thought of the ‘free plan’ the strongest.

Equally much as the five points have contributed to the development of modern architecture greatly, some points such as the horizontal Windowss are non necessary in footings of the designing of good architecture. Besides the thought of the roof garden has been criticised over the old ages for leaking, it besides would be considered really unusual in domestic houses in states such as the UK, as they use the more traditional pitched roof as it seems more homely.

Furthermore, Le Corbusier abandoned the thought of the piloti shortly after some point ; his ulterior work does non purely follow the points. Le Corbusier’s‘Five Points in Architecture’pronunciamento, as explained above, has had great influence on modern architecture. This is apparent in The Villa Savoye, which summed up the five points, which turned out to be a chef-d'oeuvre of the twentieth century design and one of the greatest plants by Le Corbusier. The five points have allowed a broad assortment of thoughts and possibilities within planing architecture even to this twenty-four hours such as the usage of free facade in Zaha Hadid’s Performing Arts Center in Hague ( 2010 ).

Modern architecture and traditional architecture

Modern architecture and traditional architecture Nowadays, as we known the architectural community has had a strong and continuing interest in traditional and modern architecture. Architecture, this word possesses an immense creativity in itself. Usually, when we hear this word, picture of creative design of physical structures flashes in our mind. Integral to the identity of any country is its architectural heritage, combining modern and traditional architectural designs or product of the blend between splendid modern and traditional architecture.

Based on what have found, architecture has been Rosen down into many categories to fit the lifestyle of people in a particular place at a particular time. There are basically two types of architect which are modern architecture and traditional architecture. According to architect Eric Spry, the word "modern" provokes such strong reactions in the world of residential architecture. Some people might imagine wonderful homes of steel and glass with open, flowing floor plans; others might imagine sterile homes that feel like museums, complete with men in red suits watching carefully that nothing is touched.

Strong pinions abound about modern architecture, as they do regarding the wide variety of other architectural styles. Five hundred years ago, Native Americans was built with adobe and Europeans built with stone. Homes had thick walls, small and deep- set windows, and small interior rooms. Technologies such as steel later allowed large expanses of space and large expanses of glass. In our lifestyles today are considerably different than the lifestyles of 50 years ago, let alone the lifestyles from 100 or 200 years ago. Architecture must represent the way we live today, not the way we lived hundreds of years ago.

Remember parlors? Not many would. These were sitting rooms common a hundred years ago where guests were greeted. Our lifestyle changed, and parlors were weeded out. (Discover Modern Architecture's Appeal . Eric Spry). What is a modern architecture mean? Modern architecture is known as the movement of architecture that began in the 20th century, it is also architecture that is characterized by the simplification of forms and subtraction of ornaments, modern architecture can be some of the most futuristic, colorful, innovative designs ever. Traditional vs. Modern Architecture' (Ranches . 011). Modern architecture these days there are so many materials that architects can use to create different effects on buildings. In history, Modern architecture developed during the early 20th century but gained popularity only after the Second World War. For decades, modernism became the dominant structure for institutions and corporate buildings even up to the recent period. Architectures of this type exhibit functionalism and rationalism in its structure. (What is the difference between post-modern and modern architecture?. 000). Characteristics of modern architecture include he functional requirements of the structure, lesser ornaments used and eliminations of dispensable details, and the application of the concept of "form follows function". 'Comparative investigation of traditional and modern architecture' (A. S. Delia, M. A. Ensnare, T. Zachary Beverages . 2011). Generally, modern design is simple, sober and features minimal accessories. The modern design is characterized with angular frames, low profiles, geometric and abstract patterns in textiles, upholstery as well as in artwork.

Natural materials like linen, leather and teak wood are mostly used. The lines are unembellished as well as straight. In modern design, the furniture is often raised from the floor with the help of legs in order to create an airy and open atmosphere. Colors used in modern design are neutral shades that are highlighted with splashes of color. Walls are generally cream and white in color. Floors are mostly made of cement or bare wood. In addition, sculptures and paintings are used as an integral part of modern design.

If you are in the process of designing or renovating your home, you may be wondering whether to include modern design in the design layout. Well, the terms - modern is closely related and people tend to use the terms interchangeably. However, in the world of design and d©core, both the terms represent distinct and different styles. To be modern a building should be light and airy, it must push technology to its limits even effecting new invention in the process; to be architecture it must provide utility, stability, commodity and delight and all of this done in sympathy with Nature.

Being novel is not to be confused with being modern. 'Sustainable systems in Iranian traditional architecture' Avid Iraqi , Sabina Kabuki Madman . 011). As result, architecture has been going backward since the mid-20th Century because the technology available at the time still has not been fully utilized, for example, space frames, and especially the engineering concepts of Businessmen Fuller, such as geodesic domes large enough to cover entire cities and his lightweight temerity towers; such technology is essential to conserve scare resources in order to assure economic growth, as well as to provide for increases in population. Modern & Traditional Houses' can Weiss. 2009). Basically ,a modern home should represent how we live today. It should reflect current construction methods and materials. It should have integrity by avoiding trends. Modern architecture offers an opportunity for an original beauty, not by imitating another style from another time or place, but by considering the present and, with imagination, creating a fresh aesthetic. Secondary, we might ask what is traditional architecture?

Traditional architecture is that way of building which makes serious use of the familiar symbolic forms of a particular culture of a particular people in a particular place. It is different from modern buildings because of their method of construction, to because of their age or their listed status. Traditional buildings have an appeal due their special character, history and location. Furthermore, when looking for a property to buy it's easy to fall in love with an old building. 'Architecture - modernism vs. traditionalism' (Lance Baker . 2011).

Traditional architecture is the term used to categorize methods of construction which use local anesthetically available resources and traditions to address local needs. Some believed that, by using local practices, such as using local materials in construction, building costs will decrease, hence being economically more advantages. By the professor Lucien Steel, traditional architecture requires a high ethical commitment to the people, their places, their beliefs and their particular traditions. This commitment is not a slavish one, nor is it a servile opportunism.

Ethical attitudes are not reducible to the uncritical acceptance of dominant sets of values and moral conventions. They require the distinction between civic and private virtues on one hand and willful customs and obsolete practices of false morality and corrupted policies on the other. So if modernity in some way would contribute to discern the most appropriate and the cost efficient, the most human and the most ecological aspects of the contemporary potential, every traditional architect and city-builder couldn't be but a committed modern.

Traditional architecture and city-building are based on a positive philosophy of life, on faith in humanity, on respect of environment and historical cultures as a common heritage of mankind, and on an inviolable legacy of genius and know-how from proceeding generations of craftsmen and committed citizen. Traditional architecture and city-building imply a sense of modesty and humility of he individual creator within the sacred creation of the universe, as well as the powerful intuition that concepts of beauty, harmony, Justice, truth, rightness are embedded in permanence and universality.

Tradition forwards a selected knowledge, a tested experience as well as an heritage of models, types, techniques and formal vocabularies. It is a dynamic process, an on-going effort and development, not a static heritage of dogmas and immutable recipes. Tradition shoulders the responsibility of carrying on an inherited culture beyond the contingencies and improvisations of the moment. In order to remain vital, alive and relevant it needs to be earned, consolidated and enriched by each single generation in the perspective of universal ideals of civilization.

It implies a constant effort of appropriation of knowledge, experience and cultural values, a permanent effort of intellectual, artistic and material reconstruction. (Tradition and Modernity in Contemporary Practice. Lucien Steel). Traditional architecture are mainly classified as historical buildings that have a lot of character and culture incorporated into them and artists were commissioned to put some color into the building giving each one an individual stamp.

Now a day's traditional architecture is the widespread form of building since many years, constructed through traditional way of building methods by local builders without using the services of a professional architect. Due to western influence, architects are not using traditional architecture techniques now that are based on climatic conditions. Building materials has different categories from mud- plastered to reed-thatched to timber-framed in accordance with the availability of local material. Some houses are built to withstand earthquakes, while others can be built quickly if washed away by heavy monsoon rains.

In some areas where there are limitations of building material, natural materials such as mud, grass, bamboo, thatch or sticks are used, instead of transporting materials from far place which is a blot on sustainability practices, for semi-permanent structures which require regular maintenance and replacement. The advantages of such traditional architecture are the construction materials are cheap and easily available and relatively little labor is required. As the needs and resources of the people change, traditional architecture evolve to include more durable materials such as tones, clay tiles, metals etc.

Though they are more expensive to build, they are very durable structures. In Asia climate has a major influence on traditional architecture. High thermal mass or significant amounts of insulation characterize buildings in cold climates. Lighter materials are used to build buildings in warm climates and designed for sufficient cross-ventilation through openings in the fabric of the building. In areas which have high levels of rainfall, flat roofs are avoided, even in areas with flat roofs, water harvesting techniques are being used. (Traditional Architecture In Asia . 2010)

The overall effect of traditional houses is like walking through a well-curates art exhibit, where people can admire the buildings. The density of different buildings and stores satisfies the pedestrian's need for visual interest. It is a key part of what we call "walkabout'. This is what made historic downtowns beautiful in a way that no government or philanthropist could recreate today, and why historic preservationists nurse a broken heart with every lost structure. Traditional and modern architecture have mostly been seen as antitheses, impossible to reconcile, especially in Africa.

They appear to belong to efferent ages, utilize different materials and methods, and encourage or support different lifestyles. This essay aims at seeking points where a merging of principles may be attempted between the two positions. Compare from both of them, modern building has very good facilities including toilets, kitchen etc. And more over the design is very different. They are designed according to the requirements and also the life would be much easier there in the modern building. (Traditional vs. Modern Architecture 2011). But on other hand, traditional house have great design too.

It is graceful and warm and inviting. It is also beautiful. Of course traditional house can't guarantee that the roof isn't going to leak, the windows are properly sealed and the kitchen appliance is in the working order. Traditional house cannot guarantee for it. 'Modern apartment building or traditional house ? (Teenage. 2011) The fact that modern buildings are prevalent proves modern style has its own advantages. In my country, population explosion has been a headache and the following problem is where to settle those extra citizens.

Since the land is limited, one good solution is replacing those old buildings which occupy large space with tall and thin modern buildings. Also, modern buildings usually have the same and simple structure so that they can be finished in a relatively short time, compared to the traditional ones. As a result, modern buildings augment the efficiency and make it possible to meet the increasing large demand of house nowadays. Furthermore, as modern buildings are always applied with advanced technology and theories, people can gain more security when living in such environment.

But, there are many people still strongly recommend the traditional style. Specifically, unlike the modern style which can be seen everywhere, traditional buildings representing unique cantonal culture only exist in certain countries. In this way, those building can be built for special use like tourist attractions. This would bring a great profit and earn the country a good fame. In addition, buildings with traditional sense are a good way to memorize the past history and display the ancient scenes. As a result of this, some new buildings are necessary to be built in traditional style but not all the buildings.

Modern buildings still play the key role in today's society and will gradually expand its affect zone. 'Some people think all the new buildings should be built in traditional style? (Elise. 010). However, modern buildings often use steel infrastructure, where the interior columns carry most of the loading. Since this type of construction is lighter per floor, they can be built higher, cheaper, and quicker. What are the differences between ancient and modern buildings? Monsoon. 2008). For the opposite, most ancient buildings had load bearing walls, which limited their height, and accounted for the thicker walls.

This also resulted in a lot less available window space. In fact in today society, one of the most significant problems accompanying with the population exploration is house problem, so more and more KY-scrapers instead of traditional buildings are built. As far as this phenomenon is concerned, some people think that we should construct much more buildings in traditional styles. Admittedly, there are some reasons for those people who stand for constructing building in traditional way. First of all, the traditional buildings may possess more aesthetic values and historical meanings.

Compared with the modern ones, the traditional buildings contain paintings or characters relating to the past certain age or dynasties; which endow more value to the buildings. Secondly, he traditional buildings often provide more spaces to house owners or renters; thereby making the living condition much easier and more comfortable. (Modern and traditional architecture 2010). However, maybe we do not think that we should build our building mainly in traditional way. Firstly, it is decided by the present social phenomenon that the number of population living in the planet nowadays has never appeared even before.

Correspondingly, we have to build most our living houses in a way that never come before. Besides that, constructing our building in a modern way is also an integral part of sustaining ecosystem. Let us try to imagine that if we all build our house in traditional way, take china for example, which traditional buildings are usually one or two layers, and can it accommodate the present 1. 3 billion population . The might be a possible we could build a few numbers of buildings in traditional style which in order to hand down the traditional culture.

But based on the social condition, most of our buildings should still construct in modern way. But , can modern and traditional architecture coexist? In today's world anything is possible for example Instead of painting beautiful designs on the wall, en can Just use wall paper instead which can be replaced or removed at any time. The thin line between modern architecture and traditional architecture is that Modern architecture explores mainly with the interior features whereas traditional architecture is mainly worked on the exterior features.

Therefore modern architecture and traditional are definitely able to coexist. 'To what extent do you agree or disagree? -modern & traditional building(Cathy. 2009). There is also a vast difference between modernity as an attitude and modernism as an architectural style. Modernity as an attitude, according to me, can co-exist with tradition. Modernity deals with transformation and change in the present and tries to incorporate it in buildings. Thus, it keeps changing with time. The standard steel frame and glass construction which was 'modern' during the early 20th century is no longer modern today.