Modern Architecture

Architecture is the practice of design buildings and other physical structures. It is often considered a form of art and science due to the massive amount of technical knowledge required to implement a design that has been created from nothing.

Architects have many factors to consider when constructing a building such as mass, texture, materials, light/shadow, cost, construction and technology. All of these factors are manipulated in order to create an end design that appears both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

A very important part of modern architecture is that it is not merely a visual art form. Complete architecture takes into account all of the human senses as well as the environment around the structure, and management of power, water and other utilities. There is also a common concept among architects that the art cannot exist in a vacuum and that it must have context, surroundings and contrasts to be complete.

Although architecture is not widely recognised as an “important” and “popular” profession it is in fact one of the most influential and widely recognised jobs throughout history. Almost everything we know about ancient civilisation is based upon what we have found in and about it’s architecture and there are countless political and cultural symbols known primarily for their structural achievements such as the Pyramids of Egypt and the Roman Coliseum. Even modern cities and locations are both visited and known by architectural landmarks such as the Opera House of Sydney and the Empire State building of New York.

The history of architecture is also extremely interesting, as human technology and scientific and mathematical understanding increases, so to did our ability to build wonderful buildings. Architecture was born out of a combination of needs, such as shelter, security and worship and means, mainly the local building materials and physical ability. Early architecture was mainly vernacular architecture, a special type of architecture which is based around local needs and means. As it evolved the classic civilisations were born and great time and effort put into crafting areas of religious or political significance and even back in these times architecture was more than just a visual product. The roman Coliseum was designed so that all of the thousands of crowd members could see and hear the action at the centre and the way it amplifies sound was no accident.

As time passed architecture developed more and more with medieval structures like the castle and fort proving architecture had a place on the battle field as w ell as he city floor. During this period architects, especially in Europe, began to form guilds (as many craftsman did then). These guilds were design to help architects work together and achieve more monumental things, a practice that is still in society today in the form of architect partnerships.

In the renaissance architecture became a very personal affair and moved quickly away from war and religion. Many famous architects are from this period as this marked the start of buildings recognising their architects with individuals such as Palladio and Brunelleschi going down in history.

Today architecture is everywhere, almost any public building is professional designed and many compete for recognition inside their respective cities. There is massive emphasis on certain elements such as energy efficiency, environmental blending and the use of environmentally friendly construction materials. Design is also becoming increasingly advanced with superstructures like the Burj Al Arab 7 star hotel.

By: Frank Woodford

Architecture is the art and science of scheming out and construct buildings and other physical structures by a person or a computer, primarily to provide shelter.  It is the art or science of building; exclusively: the art or practice of designing and building structures and especially livable ones.

For your architecture dissertation you are required to do methodical research work. Architecture is all about originality where as dissertation writing is all about research on a great topic.

Architecture dissertations have a lot to do with the topic. If you choose a good architect dissertation topic it would be much easier for you visualize how your dissertation is going to be. It is like visualizing a building before it stands up. A good topic gives your architecture dissertation a sound platform.

Some great architecture dissertation topics can be:

1. Earthquake design in architecture

2. Building wonder bridges

3. Organic architecture

4. Non rectangular building science

5. The wonder that is Sydney Opera house

6. How architecture affects the environment

7. Form more important then function?

8. Eco-friendly type of architecture packed with state-of-the-art technology for energy conservation like photocells, quantum mechanics, fusion technology, etc.

9. Ultimate design of eco/modern living and why people won’t buy such a house and why builders won’t build and how easy/difficult it would be to get planning permission etc.?

Architecture is the art and science of scheming out and construct buildings and other physical structures by a person or a computer, primarily to provide shelter.  It is the art or science of building; exclusively: the art or practice of designing and building structures and especially livable ones.




By: Eva Mason