A person willing to study architecture should brace himself for three things. To familiarize with the construction of buildings, designing them and planning them. Architecture also deals with the construction of other physical structures such a bridges, roads and railways. In a layman’s term, architecture can be referred to the science and art that is concerned with unifying structures. Scholars will tell you that architecture has been in existence since the Roman Empire. The earliest architect whose work is referred to today is Vitruvius who lived in the first century. More information about architectural schools and the courses they offer is linked here.
Qualities of a good structure
A good architecture student will tell you that there are requirements that a good building should meet. These three qualities are durability, utility and beauty. With durability, it’s a requirement that a building stands strongly and stays in good condition for a long period. Utility is concerned with determining whether a building is suitable to house people. Finally, beauty is concerned with determining whether a building is aesthetically pleasing. Most architects should strive to see that these requirements are met.
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture
Notable architects of the past
Other than Vitruvius, there are notable architects who have graced the field in the past. They include Leon Battista Alberti, Vasari, Augustus Welby Morthmore Pugin, John Ruskin and Le Corbusier. Other notable ones are Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Nunzia Rondanini and Louis Sullivan. All these architects have their ideas about how buildings and structures should be designed. Like any other field of study, philosophy has also influenced architecture. Some of the areas of philosophy that have been key to this include phenomenology, poststructuralism, as well as structuralism. Empiricism and rationalism have also been key in influencing architecture. These are the interesting stuff that architectural students get to learn.
Today’s architecture
Buildings today are very complicated. This is in regard to technologies, energy, structural systems and services. This complexity, on the other hand, has led to the field of architecture to become multi-disciplinary. This means that it’s possible for the architects to specialize in a certain area. What this means is that they handle specific projects and at the same time specialize in specific delivery methods. The complexity has also led to the rise of two breeds of architects known as project architects and design architects. In short, modern architecture is referred to as contemporary architecture or modernism.
More about architecture
Modernism has led to the rise of various moral issues. For instance, some architects have pursued the field on a personal drive in the name of making a name for themselves. Opponents of this idea feel that such individuals should engage in behaviors that support good design, environmental sustainability and social sciences. Another issue that is having an influence on the architectural profession is the environmental sustainability. For instance, there is the need to adopt solar panel buildings, construct buildings using biodegradable materials and emphasize on saving the energy and the environment. Architects who pioneered environmental sustainability in architecture include Sim Van der Ryn and Frank Lloyd Wright.
