An Ever-Changing Concept

The word architecture comes from the Latin word architectura which roughly translated, means master or chief builder. Today, the primary connotation of the term relates it to building structures, while secondary imports can pertain to the basic idea behind the building plan of any entity or organism.

The ancient Roman architect Vitruvius was the first one to treatise about architecture as early as in the first century A.D. Correlating from his work, De architectura, the builder of a decent structure or a fine architect should be the one who sees that his creation conforms to the basic three tenets of durability-- that is, it should remain good and strong for a long time, utility—that is, it should come of good utility for the people using it, and beauty—that is, its aesthetic plan should bring joy to the users and make them happy. The philosophy behind architecture has been molded later by approaches of rationalism, empiricism, structuralism, post-structuralism, phenomenology apart from various other philosophies, one of which was that of Louis Sullivan, the father of 19th century skyscrapers, who believed that form should always follow function.

But apart from buildings and structures, architecture as a line of work, relates to the jobs of people or technology that provide architectural functions, while as documentation, the word points at the manner or form of any entity that is to be created.

The main function of architects is to cater to space and refuge requirements of their clientele in a family home, a learning place like a school, a religious haven like a church, or a trade center for business. They perform this by the resourceful, innovative, and artistic association and utilization of components needed for the process, that involve an incredible number of concepts relating to form, space, mass, volume, structure, texture, shadow, light, ingredients, plan, along with other factors like price, restrictions, labor, and machines needed, etc for the intended creation.
Quite distinctly different from the process of engineering design, architecture has its own privileges of also being experienced by our senses of seeing, feeling, smelling, and touching. Though most of us would be culturally biased to think about architecture as merely a visual treat, the other sensory functions actually dominate the way we react to various environments, be it man-made or natural.

Works of architecture are taken as more than mere structures, useful to mankind. They are treated as symbolic entities standing for culture, politics, and society, as well as forms of sheer artistic expression. Architectural accomplishments of the past have been the key to the way we have been able to decode historic and prehistoric life, lifestyle, and progress of the two. Additionally, architectural marvels such as the Egyptian pyramids and the Roman Coliseum, or much later marvel of the Indian Taj Mahal are not only beautiful works of art, they are also signatures of the cultures that created them, apart from being the bearers of significant symbolism in the imagination and consciousness of people.

Through the ages of the Classical civilization of Greece and Rome, the Medieval architecture approaches of the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, the Renaissance influence of increased importance on the human and humanity, to the Modernist view of purity of form and structure through to the current trend of technological expertise blended with environmental sustainability, architecture and the world around it, is an ever-changing concept, that brings in its trail, if not anything else, newer unmistakable sources of wonder.