Celebrating the past and designing while protecting the future!!
What is India? India is a very unique country, like no other in the world. It is world’s largest democracy and republic. It is the only country in the world that is merger of innumerable cultures. It is the only country which has varied climates. India has always had a big impact on the world. This is because we are the oldest living civilization of the world.
As FLW has rightly said “Architecture is that creative spirit which from generation to generation, age to age, proceeds, persists, creates, according to nature of man and his circumstances as it changes.”As the time changes, as generations keeps moving ahead the mindset of one changes. This change in the mindset of people is seen in the environment, the surrounding.
The culture and traditional values of a particular era is seen through the architecture of that place. The myths, the beliefs of people can be imagined and visualized by the architecture. The climate of a particular place plays a great importance while talking of architecture.
The built and un built places are designed by keeping in mind the ‘need’ of that hour. All places are generally designed thinking of privacy as a major concern. The built and the un built together forms the architecture. The culture is reflected in this built and un built places. All these built and un built places show the regional difference. This built and un built places get the feeling when people live with it. The people at that place make the spaces lively. The content of one’s heart i.e. the values and beliefs can be seen in the space which in turn turns humane and a heavenly feeling is brought out.
The structures of the past reflect the religious and cultural history of India. Structures of the past were designed taking the ‘vaastu shastra’ and the functionality into consideration. All structures by default are built to functions. All structures by default have form otherwise the society does not function. The caste system, ashrama system brought about with the various kinds of structures built in the past. All these structures existing today show the great and glorious past of the nation. These structures show us the rich Indian heritage. They relate to the social, economical and political conditions at that time.
Man perceives a space the same way man perceives other things : - through senses! Haptic spaces are defined by touching and bodily interactions, Pictorial spaces are understood by visual experiences and Trans perceptual spaces are learned through inference. Man binds himself to the society through these spaces. Life space known as cognition in space; which involves about the world which one lives in. Physical space known as cognition about space and involves how world works. Intellectual space known as cognition with space and involves thinking with or through the space of medium.
Is the culture still reflected in the designs? Structural features and cultural features are two opposite things when it comes to design but both cannot be separated from each other. The culture always influences the design. The strengths and weaknesses which amalgamate in the design are far beyond to be noticed.
By studying the past and its influence on architects the present is formed. The future is dependent on how the present influences and also the need today. The function that was needed a century back does necessarily be needed today. The structure and culture speaks what was FOR the people; BY the people. Hence, I conclude “ARCHITECTURE” is FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE.ALL ARCHITECTURE IS BUILDING; BUT NOT ALL BUILDINGS ARE ARCHITECTURE. ARCHITECTURE FOLLOWS PEOPLE.
-JANKI.VENKATARAMAN
