If you’ve ever experienced a great building, this question is easy to answer. At it’s best, architecture can inspire us, help us heal, give us a profound spiritual experience, trigger feelings of awe and wonder, and bring us together as families, groups of friends, or as entire communities.
Architecture shapes the environments where we live, work, and play. It is more than just the design of buildings; it reflects culture, identity, community and connects us with our history. Architecture tells the story of human progress and creativity. It is an art and a science that creates objects and places the record our past, define our present and shape our future.
How Architecture Impacts Society
Architecture is unique in that the same building can serve as our most private sanctuary, while at the same time forming the fabric of our public lives. The public side is visible to all, while the inside can be as private as we want it to be. As architects, it is important to consider and explore this range of how a building is experienced.
Architecture at it’s best is an art form, but is also needs to address its function. Architecture takes care of our individual need for security and shelter, as well as our societal needs such as housing, education, healthcare, and recreation. It is a significant responsibility.
Historically, architectural works have symbolized cultural heritage and civic, regional and national pride. They preserve the legacy of civilizations for future generations.
Many modernist and post-modernist buildings have subverted this ideal, rejecting human scale and proportion, traditional forms and materials in favor of brutalist forms of concrete and glass or deconstructivist styles that deliberately try to disorient us. The result has created public spaces that people don’t want to be in, and has led to degraded societal values and diminished institutions.
In our modern, generic, sprawling, car-centric cities we have lost much of our unique local character. We have become isolated from our neighbors, taking a toll on our neighborhoods. We sit more and walk less. Altogether, this has many negative impacts on our health, wellbeing and economic prosperity.
It’s not just that architecture is important. The point is that Good Architecture is important.
Why Are Architects Necessary?
Architects are essential because they bring a unique blend of creativity, technical expertise, and problem-solving skills to the design and construction of buildings and spaces. They are crucial in transforming abstract concepts and practical needs into functional, aesthetically pleasing, and safe environments.
One of the primary reasons architects are necessary is their ability to create designs that meet clients’ specific needs while adhering to regulatory requirements and building codes. They are tasked with making buildings that are structurally sound, and functionally practical.
It is important to understand that your architect is more that just the person that designs the building. They are in many ways your agent, representing your interests dealing with contractors, engineers, local jurisdictions and other stakeholders. Your architect plays an important role in project management, overseeing the process from initial design to completion. There are many pieces to coordinate, and they are there to help get your building delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. This level of oversight and coordination is critical for successfully realizing complex building projects.
Overall, architects are necessary because they can design buildings that are beautiful, safe, healthy, and that work and perform in all the ways you need them to.
The Benefits of Architectural Design Services
Architecture design services are essential for creating aesthetically pleasing, efficient buildings and spaces that perform, hold up to constant abuse from the elements, year after year, and that work. These services cover a range of activities, from initial concept development to detailed construction plans, so that every project aspect is meticulously planned and executed.
One of the primary reasons to engage in architecture design services is the expertise and creativity architects bring. A good architect can transform your ideas and needs into tangible, innovative, and practical designs. They consider site conditions, local regulations, and environmental impact, ensuring the final design is feasible and compliant with all necessary standards.
Additionally, architecture design services offer comprehensive project planning and management. Architects work closely you to understand your vision and requirements, providing tailored solutions that align with your goals. Through the complex design and coordination process, this collaborative spirit helps to minimize misunderstandings and so your vision can become a reality.
By designing for beauty and function, public and private needs, thoughtful architectural design can significantly improve your quality of life, whether in a residential home, commercial building, or public space.
Why Good Architecture Is Important
Good architecture is fundamental to the development and well-being of societies. It makes up the physical structures that are the framework for social, cultural, and economic interactions. Quality architecture can transform communities, enhance the quality of life, and foster a sense of identity and belonging. Here are eight reasons we need good architecture.
1. Creating Beauty
You might argue that nothing can compete with nature and the natural environment. While this may be true, we aren’t going to stop living in buildings and in towns. Throughout history, we have examples of architecture, buildings and towns that are sublimely beautiful. These are the places we love. These places affect us. Depending on where we live, we spend much of our lives in places that haven’t build good architecture, and these places affect us as well. In our opinion, we think that we should value our opportunities to build, and always strive to build places that we love and that affect us positively.
2. Tourist Attractions
Following from Reason 1, the places that have natural beauty, or beautifully designed architecture (or, even better, a combination of both) become places people want to travel to. Sometimes, like in the case of the Taj Mahal, or the Great Pyramids, a single building can attract tourists. Generally though, people travel to cities and towns where the vernacular architecture, the civic and formal architecture, and the urban design all work together to make streets, neighborhoods, squares, and parks that people can walk around and explore.
This has commitment to good architecture has significant long-term economic benefits.
3. Cultural Representation
Architecture powerfully represents cultural identity and heritage. It reflects a society’s values, traditions, and history, preserving its legacy for future generations. Cultures express unique characteristics and narratives through architectural styles, materials, and design elements. Good architecture ensures that this cultural richness is maintained and celebrated, fostering a sense of pride and continuity within communities.
Generic architectural visions such as the ‘international style’ or sprawling suburbia have done a great deal to diminish the specialness of regional and local cultures. Good architecture should strive to preserve this.
4. Wellness and Quality of Life
The built environment greatly influences individuals’ quality of life. Good architecture creates vibrant spaces that encourage people to get out and get together. Better designed streets and neighborhoods are generally safer, have a higher quality of life, and improved mental and physical health.
At the scale of the building, good lighting, good air and water quality, proper ventilation, and thoughtful, ergonomic design contribute to healthier living and working conditions.
This is the foundation of our practice: Architecture that puts wellness first. We find that the difference between good architecture makes wellness, beauty and community it’s priority, and regular architecture has profound impacts the people that enjoy it.
5. Economic Impact
Beyond tourist as an economic driver, there are many other ways that good architecture can have a positive impact on the local economy. Well-designed buildings and infrastructure attract businesses, investors, and residents, driving economic growth and development. Good architecture can reduce short-term operational costs through practical, energy-efficient designs. A well designed, well built building is better equipped to withstand the tests of time, and will save money that a lower quality building costs to repair and replace. Additionally, attractive, well-built buildings and well designed neighborhoods are more desirable, increasing property values and creating communities that thrive.
6. Building Communities
We have seen how bad architecture and failed urban planning regulations have created places that isolate people from their neighbors, encourage crime, put a strain on mental health, and damage local economies.
Good architecture plays a crucial role in building communities. Thoughtfully designed residential areas, public spaces, and amenities foster social interaction and create a sense of belonging. Good architecture promotes inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring all community members can participate and engage. Architecture strengthens community bonds and enhances social capital by providing spaces for social, cultural, and recreational activities. Ideally, it gets people off their couches and out of their cars and gets them out, where they can enjoy and take part in their community.
7. Enjoyable Journeys
Good architectural design makes it enjoyable to get from here to there. At the building scale, how we walk from one room to the next is an important part of the design, both aesthetically and functionally. At the city scale, these journeys can be designed and considered for efficient flow of people, goods, and services. This means avoiding congestion and traffic jams, to be sure. But it is also possible to create streets, lanes and boulevards that can be enjoyable for both drivers, pedestrians and those using transit.
