THE ROLE OF ARCHITECTURE IN NATION BUILDING

"If nature had been comfortable, man would have never invented architecture"

- Oscar Wilde

Architecture is not an option but a necessity that Oscar Wilde has beautifully conveyed in a single sentence. A source to infrastructure and economy. It simply describes the most efficient method of using any space, fulfilling its purpose to the maximum extent. Architecture is what makes you call a building home.

It is clear that no matter what the construction is, what form it takes or what it facilitates, these three attributes remain the same - understanding the need of a user, analyzing their psychological inclination and the extent to which the construction can be kept aesthetic and lavish in terms of economical constraints.

This concept when applied to a group of people rather than an individual, talks about collective averages and the immediate efficient requirements that can help society, without disturbing any societal norms or taboos. The demolishing of an Indian slum along a river, in order to construct a dam, which facilitates better infrastructure, is albeit controversial because of that nature of the user. So in order for architecture to be resourceful in building the nation, it is evident that it is not just what makes up architecture but also how architecture is applied in practice that makes it functional.

So apart from the three basic milestones that have to be covered it is imperative to understand external factors as well that attach value to the country. When it comes to a whole nation, there are two ways architecture can be established and made profitable - as it covers a large population there always is a facilitating body, that is either private companies or the government itself. These external factors impact the society through such bodies.

If we were to broadly classify the factors that would affect architecture directly or indirectly, we could say they are :

• ECONOMY

• SOCIO-CULTURAL VALUES

• SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT

• INFRASTRUCTURE

These four characteristics are inter-disciplinary in nature and cannot sustain without the other. Especially in architecture, the country thrives by balancing these commodities with the interest and needs of the user. Lets take a few examples for each and try to understand their impacts.

SOCIO - CULTURAL VALUES

The people living in a particular area, tend to attach themselves to not only things they own, their property, gadgets, automation etc, but also to the area by itself. They add belief and faith to constituent parts of that region, to objects, to vegetation, and this is told and followed through by generations.

This is where the socio - cultural norms come into play, one cannot simply decide to put to use some space without understanding the sentiments, traditions and culture that surround it.

If architecture is practiced keeping in mind such values then the end user is satisfied and the space is effectively put to use rather than building a mundane space that the user does not comprehend and thereby refrain from using. This questions the utility and productivity of construction which in turn tips the balance between effort, in terms of money, labor and time, and the achieved output.

The governing body may slight this factor as they work towards the larger goal, but if even 10% of these beliefs are integrated with the project then it is more functional and fruitful. The better usability of space and satisfaction of the user is the objective and is the core architectural nation building.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

Services are the building blocks of architecture without which the project is not complete. Plumbing, electricity, labor, materials, production, manufacturing etc. determine the cost, time and effectiveness of the project.

Architecture is mostly associated with the word " shelter", but this might not be the case every time. Infrastructure talks about those other forms that are necessary for human locomotion and sustenance. Roadways, flyovers, reservoirs, dams are but few such examples.

Now that we have established that infrastructure is necessary, lets talk about its implementation. Time plays one of the most important roles in construction and to quicken the process, technological advancements and development enables it. Like Benjamin Franklin put it, time IS money.

This advancement can be in terms of the materials used, in a more sustainable fashion, or by creating alternatives to conventional building techniques. This need for sustainability, brings about more employment opportunities and puts creative minds to work. Not only in private sectors, but also through the government, this development opens up new fields and branches for innovation and research, thereby creating a cycle of opportunities and benefits.

ECONOMY

Coming to the most important aspect of architecture, the fee. To understand this better we need to go back to what architecture is, USER, NEEDS, COMFORT, all within a time frame and under a budget.

The need of a user varies according to his likes and dislikes that are influenced by things that surround him like society, climate, political stance, and income. The world today stands at 7.8 billion, and each of these people are from different castes, creeds, religions, communities, locations, and they each demand a diverse set of needs with respect to architecture.

A luxurious man in the United States might want marble flooring, whereas a middle class family in India might manage with ceramic tiles, and a poverty stricken family in Africa would need just any form of flooring for protection. What is common in these three examples is that they all need flooring that has to be manufactured somewhere, processed and applied. So you can see that irrespective of their financial states, every individual needs certain architectural elements that have to be made, processed and integrated with the user. This paves way to new employment in terms of raw material procurement, skilled labor, application study, material processing etc. that all directly influence the economy.

From residences, to infrastructure, to luxury, to political and governmental needs, to security, architecture takes the form of various economic cycles, that branch further, deepening the economic balance of a nation.

Even in times of a pandemic, architecture influences even the smallest of details, like the accommodation of people in a lift with social distancing in place, creating new spaces within pre-existing boundaries. Is a 2m wide opening enough now? Are temporary structures the way forward? Is this not defining the needs of a nation, fulfilling them and taking it forward?

Architecture built the nation, right from the prehistoric city of Jericho, to the busiest of modern cities, New York, right from the teepee tents to the Taj Mahal to the world trade center, right from Da Vinci, to Louise Henry Sullivan, to Zaha Hadid, architecture saw all. Architecture is, was and will remain one of the key foundations of nation building.

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