WHAT IS ARCHITECTURE?

 WHAT IS ARCHITECTURE?

Architecture has no particular definition because it just couldn’t be described in a few words or lines. It is very subjective as it varies from what architecture means to each individual. It is not something you just study or learn but you experience in the process. Architecture is a powerful combination of art, science and technology, history, etc. altogether. But it is also about many more things than that like people, culture, traditions, food, etc.

I think architecture is something that we make for the people and experience the space they should have or will have in the building space. Each edge, corner or side should be able to connect to the people for whom it is going to be built for. The spaces should not just be made as usable but should be made like in order to make a special place in a person’s heart, which can be a balcony/gallery, a beautiful patio, even a corner of a room, etc.

When a person feels connected to the space it starts to create a sweet loving memory of it gradually in the back of your mind. For e.g. I like to sit the balcony of my home, having a view of the gorgeous green garden with fresh smooth grass, children playing and being carefree (reminding me of my own old good carefree days when I was of their age), hearing the chirping of the little birds, that slow cool breeze touching my face softly, cats and dogs being sleepy as ever, neighborhood aunties gossiping about something very irrelevant to me, etc. whenever I think about all this it eventually reminds of my home and I love fact that every time it does.

A space becomes so special which turns out to be your own comfort zone as you feel connected to that space which you have your memories attached to. That is how a house is turned into a home. Because it is always the people who make that house into a home and not your fancy décor.

Every space is different and is approached, used and experienced differently according to the user. A space you look out as a comfort zone may be not at all comfortable for another respective user. Every space has the emotions, sentiments, experiences and memories related to it which make them eventually special for the user.

Architecture is an art we live but I think it is more about the people and how they relate, experience or approach it. 

THE PROJECT DESIGN BREIF 

Design a programme that includes a structure that you will build from the perspective of a user like their experiences, memories and imagination of an “MY SPACE”. It would be reconstruction on the place where the user’s old residence. Also include any additional landscape details if your programme needs it or would be incomplete without it. The programme should show what sentimental or experiential values you are going to put in order to relate to the given design brief. Build the programme on your own imagination as being user yourself and think about the same.

THE PROJECT DESIGN BREIF (FOR Eg.)

The project mainly focuses on the experience the user wanted to have for himself and his family and not just a random organization of spaces come together in order to make a space. Starting from the corner of the room to the material everything has a special connection to the user and everything is design considering what the user wanted to experience in the newly rebuild home.

The old structure had to be deconstructed (because of being unsustainable and in a bad condition) in order to build new one. Even though it was going to be a new modern structure the user does not wanted to lose the sentiments, memories and experiences connected to his old sweet home which used to remind of his old sweet days. The user wanted to experience all those things even in his new house in order to keep them alive forever. 

For the project, a lot of elements that are inspired from the user's old house which were so dear and close to him, had a very sweet personal memory attached to the space like the huge courtyard in the middle of the house since the earlier house was a traditional Wada, louvers which were important element for the user and also was a must have in the new structure – the user was fond of the louvers as he was fascinated by the opening and closing system of the louvers and also how they created a play of shadow and light, a big wide and green backyard from the purpose of drying papad and making pickles in the summer as these activities were very much enjoyed by the user with the cousins and grandmother in the summer holidays

The things restored from the old house of the user were also used as a nostalgic element for the user and his family as well like the family jewel the old huge porch swing made out of best quality timber restored from the old house, etc.