An Ever-Changing Concept

The word architecture comes from the Latin wordstructure, texture, shadow, light, ingredients, plan, along
architectura which roughly translated, means master orwith other factors like price, restrictions, labor, and
chief builder. Today, the primary connotation of themachines needed, etc for the intended creation.
term relates it to building structures, while secondaryQuite distinctly different from the process of
imports can pertain to the basic idea behind the buildingengineering design, architecture has its own privileges
plan of any entity or organism.of also being experienced by our senses of seeing,
The ancient Roman architect Vitruvius was the firstfeeling, smelling, and touching. Though most of us would
one to treatise about architecture as early as in thebe culturally biased to think about architecture as
first century A.D. Correlating from his work, Demerely a visual treat, the other sensory functions
architectura, the builder of a decent structure or a fineactually dominate the way we react to various
architect should be the one who sees that his creationenvironments, be it man-made or natural.
conforms to the basic three tenets of durability-- thatWorks of architecture are taken as more than mere
is, it should remain good and strong for a long time,structures, useful to mankind. They are treated as
utility-that is, it should come of good utility for thesymbolic entities standing for culture, politics, and
people using it, and beauty-that is, its aesthetic plansociety, as well as forms of sheer artistic expression.
should bring joy to the users and make them happy.Architectural accomplishments of the past have been
The philosophy behind architecture has been moldedthe key to the way we have been able to decode
later by approaches of rationalism, empiricism,historic and prehistoric life, lifestyle, and progress of the
structuralism, post-structuralism, phenomenology aparttwo. Additionally, architectural marvels such as the
from various other philosophies, one of which was thatEgyptian pyramids and the Roman Coliseum, or much
of Louis Sullivan, the father of 19th centurylater marvel of the Indian Taj Mahal are not only
skyscrapers, who believed that form should alwaysbeautiful works of art, they are also signatures of the
follow function.cultures that created them, apart from being the
But apart from buildings and structures, architecture asbearers of significant symbolism in the imagination and
a line of work, relates to the jobs of people orconsciousness of people.
technology that provide architectural functions, while asThrough the ages of the Classical civilization of
documentation, the word points at the manner or formGreece and Rome, the Medieval architecture
of any entity that is to be created.approaches of the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, the
The main function of architects is to cater to spaceRenaissance influence of increased importance on the
and refuge requirements of their clientele in a familyhuman and humanity, to the Modernist view of purity
home, a learning place like a school, a religious havenof form and structure through to the current trend of
like a church, or a trade center for business. Theytechnological expertise blended with environmental
perform this by the resourceful, innovative, and artisticsustainability, architecture and the world around it, is an
association and utilization of components needed forever-changing concept, that brings in its trail, if not
the process, that involve an incredible number ofanything else, newer unmistakable sources of wonder.
concepts relating to form, space, mass, volume,