DEBRE MARKOS
UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
CIVIL ENGINEERING (3rd year BSc)
FUNDAMENTALS OF ARCHITECTURE
Feb 2012 EC
CHAPTER-1
INTRODUCTION
THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF ARCHITECTURE
What is the term ‘Architecture’ mean?
1.1 Introduction to Architecture
People need places for their activity and safety.
• These activities take place in buildings
Architecture
• The Art and Science of designing
buildings and habitable structures
Art
• is a creative human activity in
which materials are shaped to
convey an idea, emotion, or visually
interesting form.
• The use of skill and imagination
in the creation of aesthetic objects
or experiences that can be shared
with others.
Science
• is the systematic
observation of natural
events and conditions.
• to discover facts about them
• to formulate laws and
principles based on these facts
• No creativity in science
• based on research and
discovery
Design
• is a rational, logical, sequential
process intended to solve
problems.
• It involves making a detailed
plan of the form or structure of
something.
• includes emphasizing features
such as its appearance,
convenience, durability and
economy.
Teams participated in construction industry
The main players in the
construction industry are:
The Client/ owner:
The Consultant/ design team:
The Contractor:
Insurance Companies:
Banks:
Suppliers:
Permitting Agencies:
Public:
Who is ‘Architect’?
-Is a person who
participate in the
preparation of
architectural
design
-In a design team
his basic role is
coordination &
leadership
1.2. Related Disciplinary courses with
Architecture
A. Civil Engineering
• Practical application of science and
math in the design of structures like
road, bridge, dam etc.
Civil (Structural) Engineer
• prepare a design for structural parts of a
building /structural design/
B. Electrical Engineering
Design and manufacture of
systems and devices that use
electric power and signals such as
Switches, sockets, light points,
water pump
Electrical Engineer
A person who prepares a design
for all Electrical installation
system.
C. Mechanical Engineering
Design and prepare all types of
machineries & mechanical systems
for a building
It includes mechanical systems like
Elevators, escalators, heating, cooling,
ventilation ducts e.t.c
Mechanical Engineer
who prepares a design for
mechanical installation system.
D. Sanitary Engineering
Prepare and participate in the design of
water supply, drainage and sewerage
installation systems in a building.
Sanitary Engineer
who prepares a design for all sanitary
installation system.
1.2 Basis for birth of Architecture
A. Basis for the Birth of Architecture
There are Four basis mentioned below for the birth of
architecture.
1. Fear
2. Love
3. Hope
4. Death
1. Fear: related to self protection and
safety
From primitive times the human has been
trying to protect them self from the attack
of wild animals and also from harsh
weather.
For this he created his dwelling which kept on
changing in time and need.
With advancement in his intelligence desires for
safety, comfort and luxury increased which
resulted in development of various structures for
various purposes.
2. Love: internal feeling
expression to give respection
and great acceptance for some …
•Instinct (skill) of love gave birth
to many monumental works.
Example
•Taj Mahal in India is one of great
architectural monument
constructed on the basis of love.
3. Death:
The last natural obligation
for life to be end.
So the thinking of placement of
dead body grows up.
•Then death has been
responsible for many
architectural constructions.
Example
•So many historical monuments
like Tombs and Mastabs
4. Hope:
Is the internal strong expectation
for something to be performed &
acted!
Especially places of Worship
Example
•Pyramids,
•temples,
•churches,
•Mosque
B. HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
History of Architecture is the study about art and science of design
and construction for the typical period of history in various places
in the world.
Some countries contributed
For architecture
Greece America
Rome China
France Britain
Indian Japan
Japan Spanish
Paris ……
Egypt
Ethiopia
Italy
NEED TO STUDY HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
History of architecture helps us
the various periods of stage of historic development.
way of life,
nature of construction,
type of building materials,
development of built forms,
Ornamentation styles,
structural solutions,
constructional methods,
organization in relation to technological, environmental
factors, sociological, aesthetic, and artistic influences
C. Architectural thoughts and victims
Professional known Architects in the world has their
own architectural philosophies and criticism based on
their architectural perspective.
This helps for the architectural development in a
qualified manner through the time.
Specially, it is visualized in the modern architecture.
What does the term „architectural criticism‟ ?
i. Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1969)
ii. Le Corbusier (1887…)
• Is a Professional known
Functionalist Architect and
Theorist
• He uses 1st the principle of
golden section and Fibonacci
series for his architectural
proportion
•“Form follows function”
•He influenced by the futurists.
•“House is a machine to live in”
D. AIMS OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Architecture has three basic aims
a) Function (better specious),
b) Aesthetics (satisfying the sense of artistic.)
c) Structure (strong structure )
We will discuss
this THREE terms
in detail in CH 3
1.3 Quality and styles of Architecture
A. Quality of Architecture
It is the specialty or uniqueness of architecture to be
progressed and developed passing through different challenges
historically.
These are;
•Strength – continuity of architectural works
•Vitality – to be existed forever
•Unity – inclination to be considered as a whole
•Restraint- keep some limitations and modifications
•Response- problem solving
•Grace- oddness
•Scale- size and proportion
•Pictorial setting- visualization arrangement
•Background- frames or boundaries of the figure ground
•Expression of progression- transmission of messages
B. Styles of architecture
Architectural style is a way of classifying architecture
mostly by the morphological characteristics.
Such as;
◦ Form
◦ Techniques
◦ Materials
1. Neolithic Architecture(pre-historic
architecture)
known as “Stone-Age” architecture
contains some of the oldest known
structures
used mainly mud-brick & stones to
construct houses and villages.
2. Neoclassical Architecture
have the following features:
•Symmetrical building treatment
•Tall columns that rise the full
height of the building
•Triangular Pavement
•Dome roofing
• Clean, elegant lines
• Organized appearance
• Free standing columns
• Massive buildings
3. Roman Architecture
Adopted from Greek classical
architecture.
Constructed with new
structural principles like
development of the arches,
vaults & a new building
materials, concrete.
4. Gothic Architecture
Pointed arch was introduced for both
visual and structural reasons.
Have stained-glass window styles
Channels weight onto the bearing
columns at a steep angle.
Gothic cathedrals could be highly
decorated with statues(pic) & paintings.
4. Renaissance Architecture
•15th -early 17th c. in different regions of
Europe.
•The Renaissance style places emphasis on
symmetry, proportion, geometry and the
regularity of parts
7. Modern Architecture
the 20th century styles.
Used materials such as iron, steel, concrete, and glass.
The most commonly used materials are glass for the facade, steel
for exterior support.
Modern architecture seen in most skyscrapers.
Modern architecture is usually characterized
by:▪
◦ a rejection of historical styles(ornamentation)
as a source of architectural form (historicism)
◦ an adoption of the principle that the materials
and functional requirements determine the
result
◦ a simplification of form and elimination of
"unnecessary detail"
8. Post- Modern Architecture
•Began as American style whose first examples are
generally cited as being from the 1960s
•Diverse aesthetics, styles collide.
•Postmodernists feel buildings fail unless to meet the
human need for comfort both for body and for the
eye.
•In addition, Most post-modernists works are small
buildings such as houses and stores.
C. Landscape Architecture
Landscape Architecture is concerned with
design of land and water to be used by the society,
which is a reflection of dynamic, natural and social
systems.
Historically, there are four definable
practices & related types with landscape
arch‟re.
a) Landscape evaluation and planning
b) Site planning
c) Detailed landscape design
d) Urban design
Green building is the practice of use of green resources in our
building namely;
energy
material and
water with increased efficiency
in buildings;
Recycling is the practice of recovering used materials
from waste stream and then incorporating those
same materials into manufacturing process.
Vernacular architecture is a
category of architecture based on
local needs, construction materials
and reflecting local traditions.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
