THE PORTRAIT OF ARCHITECTURE : A SEARCH FOR COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN METHODOLOGY

Abstract

1.1 Overall review Like that of various other human disciplines such as literature, industrial design, or fashion, the current panorama of architecture presents us with a degree of interwoven complexity in which the architecture learners and practitioners do not always manage to comprehend the clear, meaningful criteria, in an integrated profile, that help to elucidate the complicated framework and to proceed with the design activity. In the study of the architectural merit of buildings, built environments, and the entire architectural scenario at large, the concern given to the study to suggest certain design guidelines to objectify the design progress, when compared with the other areas of building science and regulations, is very less. Most written books and publications in light of architecture at present are dominated, more frequently than not, by studies on relatively the simplest practical common senses in proceeding with the design of buildings, as construction details, material analysis, etc. The most difficult and yet the primary concern of the subject, architecture, which is in the sphere of the state of mind, i.e., the response for the quest how to assemble and organize those independently studied elements of the subject in the most delightful form and the preferred efficient state in their utility is paradoxically put aside. Truth to tell, in the absence of certain approach to the integrated nature of architectural design, and most importantly to a comprehensive understanding of the nature and employment of enclosing structure forms which are the concrete meanses an architect uses in proceeding with the design activity, a non-experienced designer is pron to aimless wanderings and frustrations while coping with the complexities of designing. As such, " THE PORTRAIT OF ARCHITECTURE: a search for comprehensive design methodology" is an attempt sought to avert the tendency of those learners and beginner practitioners from either specializing the clipped portion of the subject just like 'atomists'; as the subject, unlike other industrial artifact designs, is far more than the mere assemblage of independently designed parts; or to somehow lessen the chaotic conception of the subject. It is to urge the need for circumventing such strive of specializing a clipped portion of it as most 'architect- designers' do not stay reserved only in their specialization domain when design competitions, and invitations are open to them. With this also to suggest if there is any possibility of doing little more than the mere compilation through impressive photographs of many times advertised buildings; and drawing devoid list of theories, proposals and other strives as widely being done today. The topic choice, thus, is made in response that as portraiture is the representation in art of a person, suggesting his or her character and personality so is architecture in the highest form of humane art. The portrait artist's major concern is deciding how to combine his or her vision with the subjects ideas and actual appearance so as to create an effective work of art. Likewise, the architect with his/her vision of artistic genius and learned convictions about architecture that grows out of a thorough, artisanal consideration of the ambience and from a very strong sense of his subject- people, portrays in his/her works their desire of carefully tailored environment which reflects their personality and idiosyncrasies or the cultural milieus they choose to inhabit. The portrait painter knows that it is often the relationship of the figure to the surrounding shapes that gives the figure its essential meaning, and so it is with buildings and their surrounding features and the entire environment at large, and man as the center. The facial features of a portrait project a different message with each unique combination of traits. Similarly, each architecture revealing certain ethnic domain, has a unique visual statement and inherited characters derived from its combination of traits as embodied human values, like way of life and emotional aspects, and the environmental manifestations to be coordinated into a cultural synthesis. Hence, what true architecture has to take as its inherited character by which to serve its purpose, embodying in it typical laws, usually governing good architecture will then be portrayed. Quite simply the approach is to suggest the necessity that the passage of knowledge to architecture learners should be in an integrated profile to effectuate holistic comprehending of the subject in the universal scheme of things. Although it may not be possible to discuss in-depth the fundamentals of architectural design in a volume of such dissertations, it can be started by at east indicating the nodes of the architectural design network as the primary consideration and disclosing the symbiotic evolution of overall building forms to harmoniously suit their environment site.