Architecture is a topic that comprises several other disciplines; it is undeniable that a good building must take several other accounts into consideration (Battista, 32). More often than not, you would find architects veering off to other aspects just to make their architectural designs more pleasant and elegant. These aspects did not just start the other day; they date several centuries back in history. The pioneer architects also struggled to design their architectural works with elegance. It’s something which started as early as the 14th century (Battista, 33).
One of the most important aspects of any given architectural design is workmanship. It is said that both labor and expense of an architectural work must not be taken lightly. A poorly built house can ruin the good name and the self-esteem of the architect, the owner or any other person at stake (Battista, 33). Vangiard (8) states that “the model of human body obviously informed the inventive application of Vitruvian principles to various house types.” This is a clear manifestation of workmanship during the renaissance period by the architects. Contrary, a well-built house or any other architectural design enhances the image of the architect as it attracts the enthusiasm, understanding and attention of anyone who visits such architectural designs. During the early centuries, only the most skilled architects were hired to design buildings that mattered to the people (Battista, 33).
However, it’s quite funny and more difficult to understand how people view architectural designs, should it be found wanting or imperfect in any given way, it will readily detract and earn reasonable criticism, not only from architectures but from everyone else; people who lack architectural knowledge (Battista, 32). Nonetheless, they don’t seem to care about buildings that are built with no imperfections. Just as at present, buildings that were built with architectural imperfections were widely criticized, the criticism in actual sense went to the architectures, the owners and anyone with a stake in the building; a building cannot hear criticism, it’s meant for the human; more so architects (Battista, 33).
Another crucial aspect of an architectural design is beauty; an architectural design should be more pleasing and graceful in its physical appearance (Battista, 32). A graceful and pleasant appearance of a thing is basically derived from beauty; each and every person is attracted to what they view to be more beautiful leaving behind the rest. In this book, Battista states that, “Most noble is beauty, and therefore, it must be sought eagerly by anyone.” Beauty should be sought more eagerly by each and every one who feels that what they own should not be viewed as distasteful. Vangiard (9) relates the crave for beauty to the architectural success during the Vitruvian period; “the decline in the status of the human body as the absolute guarantor of architectural beauty serves to underlie the decline of Vitruvian book”. An architect who designed a building that is not pleasant to the eye was not contracted again for other projects; their carriers were greatly injured alongside their good image and reputation. Therefore, for the fear of denting their own image and reputation, they struggled so much to design elegant designs that were conspicuously appealing to the eye (Battista, 32).
Several centuries ago, beauty was encompassed in almost all architectural designs that mattered to the people; military, legal and religious institutions (Battista, 33). During the early centuries, architects not only competed in designing good building but also enhanced the beauty of their designs (Battista, 32). In actual sense, only the physical outlook of a building can be seen, however, other requirements such as strength and durability of a building go unnoticed, though they are very important. A good design is that which conjoins beauty in all the other aspects. Religious, military and legal institutions were some of the earliest architectural designs to embrace beauty.
Works Cited
Lean Battista Alberti. From Book 10 on the Art of Building (1443-52). Cambridge, MA:
MIT Press. 1998.Print.
Vangiard Hart. The Rise of the Renaissance Architectural Treatise. Yale University Press
