Architecture as an Era…
“Architecture” the word that you hear often, has made its way into every industry and many keep wondering about the origins of this age old profession. The word is derived from Latin “architectura” and from the Greek “arkhitekton ” meaning “Architect” translates to the “Chief Builder”. The earliest surviving literature on Architecture dates back to 1st Century AD “De Architectura” by Roman Architect Vitruvius. If one starts to dig deep into finding the fundamental definition of this phenomenal word, they come across few basic definitions down to Planning, Designing & Building of Spaces. Well, by perception of today’s world where specialization seems to be everything, one can’t deny it. The most acceptable definition among community of Architects would be “Architecture is Art, Science and Technology of Built Environment”
Now, like many other professions of the ancient world, Architecture has got its own glamour; creativity and technicality being the integral value it sums up to. So, if it’s just a profession why it is so highly ranked and looked upon by scholars, thinkers and Philosophers. Well, it’s all about “legacy” this profession imprints in time. Analysis on any work of Architecture from any era gives you an understanding of that era in terms of Art forms, customs, traditions, values, social context, radical changes in society and many more. There are other works that can give you similar insights into the past, but Architecture gives you an integrated understanding and cross referencing as Architect’s works stand as a test of time. Now it’s not just about past, it also gives an index in time for what it caters for the needs and demands of the future. Doubtless to say, it is a Noble profession and forms a basis for many other industries to prosper.
We just started to scrape its Architecture edge in this blog. In coming blogs would like to describe each era in detail with examples. Please leave your comments, for me to know your area of interest so next one can be more focused.
