UNDERSTANDING ARCHITECTURE

UNDERSTANDING ARCHITECTURE

Architecture is the science and art of planning and designing the built environment (artifacts), starting from the scope of the macro such as planning and design of cities, regions, environments, and landscaping to the micro scope such as planning and design of buildings, interiors, furniture, and products.  In a narrow sense, architecture is often interpreted as the science and art of building planning and design.  In another sense, the term "architecture" is often also used to replace the term "results of the design process".

If the science and art of planning and designing the built environment (artifact) is called "architecture", people who have expertise and are involved in the field are called "architects".  So, the architect is a person who has expertise and is involved in the science and art of planning and designing the built environment (artifacts) such as urban and regional planning and design, the environment, landscaping, buildings, interiors, furniture, and products.

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

The term "architecture" began to be introduced around the first century BC.  Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (88 BC - 26 BC), later dubbed the "Father of Architecture", introduced the term "architecture" through his book entitled De Architectura.  However, basically, since the first generation humans have architecture, within the limits of understanding that architecture is related to the planning and design of the built environment.  Traces of architectural heritage from the past, which can be traced today, show that mankind has been architectural (producing built environment) since thousands of years before the life of Vitruvius, marked by the many artifacts that originate from periods before Vitruvius's life, among others  in the form of works of Mayan, Toltec, Aztec, Inca, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Mesopotamian, and Egyptian architecture.

As a field of work, up to the 19th century, architecture was still not strictly separated from other fields.  Built-in planners and designers such as Michelangelo can act as architects, painters, sculptors, constructors.  In later developments, the fields of engineering and architecture began to be separated from other fields.  In the 1880s there was a separation of architectural expertise with the scope of emphasis on aspects of form, space, and function with engineering expertise with the scope of emphasis on aspects of structure and construction in the calculation and implementation of development.  In Indonesia, architectural skills education began to be independent since the early 1950s, marked by the establishment of the Department of Architecture at the Bandung Institute of Technology.

ARCHITECTURE AS SCIENCE AND ARTS

As an art, architecture can not be separated from the various rules of art.  The principles of beauty which are also basic principles in other arts such as unity, balance, harmony, rhythm are also used as basic principles in architecture.  Embodiment of architecture is the result of manifestation of artistic values.  That is why, in some universities in foreign countries, architecture is grouped into faculties of art or the like.

Unlike the fine arts or other arts that are grouped into pure art (pure art), architecture is grouped in 'used art' (applied art).  The grouping of architecture into 'used art' is not intended to mean that other art is not unused art or art that is not useful, but rather is intended in the fact that architecture as an art field is related to the planning and design of containers to be used by humans in  do its activities.  Unlike the orientation of painting that produces two-dimensional tangible works (dwimatra) and sculpture or sculpture that produce three-dimensional mass tangible works (tridimensional), architectural orientation is producing three-dimensional works of space and mass (tridimensional) which emphasizes the nature and existence as well as  space effect as a container that humans will use in carrying out their activities.

As a science, architecture cannot be separated from various scientific principles and other fields of science.  Because it is a science of planning and designing the built environment that is a container for human activities that are complete with all its human nature, architecture cannot be separated from the rules of various sciences concerning human aspects such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, ergonomics, and economics.  The embodiment of the work of architecture is the application of the rules of various sciences concerning humanity aspects.  Therefore, prospective architects also need these fields of science.  In some universities in foreign countries, architecture is grouped into social faculties or the like.

Because it is a science of planning and designing the built environment that will be built by means or engineering or certain technologies and which must guarantee the safety of the user, the architecture cannot be separated from the rules of engineering such as structure and construction, engineering and development technology. That is why, in some colleges  high, architecture is grouped into engineering faculties or the like.

ARCHITECTURE WEALTH

The field of architectural works is relatively very broad.  Architects can play a role in supporting Urban Planning, can play a role in supporting Urban Design, can play a role in Environmental and Regional Planning and Design, can play a role in Building Planning and Design, Interior Design Building, Garden Design, Furniture Design, can play a role as a Construction Implementer (Contractor), can play a role in a Furniture Company, can act as a Surveyor and / or Quantity Surveyor to estimate the development budget and costs, can act as an Educator,  can play a role as a researcher, architects can play a role in the Building Materials Industry, and can play a role in other construction services.