Architecture has been practiced for as long as mankind existed. Mythical ancient sculptures, Islamic medieval master pieces, epic renaissance art works, the rise of modernism, Ken Yeang-ish allegedly self sustaining buildings, etc. Architecture has seen it all, been thru everything and has evolved with time.
But i'm NOT writing this to start another boring architecture forum to discuss things like "having no light bulbs in my building and yet it's perfectly well lit" or anything like that.
I'm more concerned with the fact that architecture has probably reached that point, u know. The point where u could say that something is becoming "too much of a good thing". The turning point where anything that evolves, grows or develop will reach a height so high that it topples under it's own weight, crumbling eventually. I BELIEVE ARCHITECTURE IS QUICKLY QUALIFYING IT'SELF TO REACH THAT POINT.
Before people call me nuts and start showing me Zaha Hadid n Dubai rubbish just to prove me wrong, let me lay out the scope for this particular blog post. The buildings are obviously bigger, better, prettier after each passing project, that's undeniable. BUT what about the spirit of architecture itself? after all, architecture is not just merely erecting gorgeous, habitable sculptures. Architecture, in a definition that pleases me, is a PRACTICE OF COMBINING ONE'S KNOWLEDGE IN ART AND SCIENCE TO CONSTRUCT AN AESTHETICALLY PLEASING FACILITY THAT ALSO SERVES IT'S FUNCTION IN CONTRIBUTING POSITIVELY TOWARDS IT'S INHABITANTS, COMMUNITY, ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT. A true champion of the human spirit indeed, or was. So what has changed thru the centuries where architecture, in spirit, is concerned? Here are 3 examples that got me thinking a lot lately regarding the issue =
1. MUKESH AMBANI, India's richest man is the proud owner of a 27 storey high rise building he calls a family home to house his seemingly huge family consisting of his wife, three kids and mother. The 500 million pound waste of space and materials is being pushed as a landmark in eco friendly structures it seems. Wow, save a few trees in the process huh? Tell that from your top floor balcony to the slum dwellers around your humble home. Not only that this contributes zero to the community, it is in fact making a mockery of their impoverished fellow Indian brothers and right in their faces too.
2.MECCA CLOCK TOWER. The middle east is currently the capital to every display of the seven sins through architecture. Out of the hundreds of abominations erected there, lets focus on the clock tower here. 600m tall? 800 million USD? For a clock tower? really? you can't just look at your watch for that? Sure it would become the pride of the already world famous arab nation. Sure it would attract investors world wide making Saudi Arabia an even bigger economic super power than it already is. Sure it also double functions as a hotel despite the fact that Saudi Arabia already has hundreds of 5 star hotels at it's disposal.But really? when right next to you, your Muslim brothers and sisters are being butchered by the zionists? If they bothered to spend even a tenth of the cost to construct this overgrown, good for nothing clock to provide aid instead, thousands of lives would be in better welfare. But hey, where's the glamor in that right? A first ever sustainable clock tower sounds a lot cooler! Disgusting is an under statement.
3. MASJID BESI, PUTRAJAYA. At 300 million ringgit it is definitely one of the most expensive projects to ever graced this beautiful country of mine, Malaysia. So how did it got into this list? they're making a mosque rite? should be a good thing right? WRONG. Nothing is right about this project when barely 2 kilometers away you have an equally titanic mosque (Masjid Putra) that is barely full for each prayer. Needless to say, why in the blazes do we need another mosque just to be filled up to a quarter of it's capacity and is such a financial nightmare? The brains behind this project exceeded their initial construction cost by 100 million ringgit just for something redundant? just for the sake of having an architecturally glamorous mosque to show off to the world? To my knowledge a mosque has always been a religious, education, administration and a community center for all. Since when was it also a tool to gloat? Since architecture became a trendy trend, instead of a way of life, that's when.
So there you have it, of the many architectural 'marvels' being produced these days it's these selected few that has gotten me worried about the direction architecture is taking. Anyways, back to the initial question i posed, so what has changed through the centuries where architecture in spirit is concerned?
Well for starters, a house used to feel like a home.
A mosque used to be the shade of a tree that still inspired millions.
And what used to be a way of life is now a soulless tool to make money, money and more money.
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