What is architecture?

A few days ago, my design teacher asked a quite interesting question:

"Does anyone know what architecture is?"

Of course everyone had a clue, but no one could say it in a good way.
Later on, my teacher told us the answer in one very simple sentence.

I thought it would be fun to put the same question here at snarkpit.

What is architecture?

i'd say the creation/ordening of building elements to define/give meaning to a place and its surroundings.

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These words are my diaries screaming out loud

Architecture is the act of taking whats within your mind and making it a reality of structure. It doesn't have to be pretty or even functional it only has to be yours.

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There is no history until something happens, then there is.

ar?chi?tec?ture Audio pronunciation of "architecture" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (?rk-tkchr)
n.

1. The art and science of designing and erecting buildings.
2. Buildings and other large structures: the low, brick-and-adobe architecture of the Southwest.
3. A style and method of design and construction: Byzantine architecture.
4. Orderly arrangement of parts; structure: the architecture of the federal bureaucracy; the architecture of a novel.
5. Computer Science. The overall design or structure of a computer system, including the hardware and the software required to run it, especially the internal structure of the microprocessor.

(According to Le Corbusier) His was a classic definition of architecture: ?the conscious, correct, and magnificent interplay of volumes assembled under light.?

<SPAN class=copy>By the simplest definition, architecture is the design of buildings, executed by architects. However, it is more. It is the expression of thought in building. It is not simply construction, the piling of stones or the spanning of spaces with steel girders. It is the intelligent creation of forms and spaces that in themselves express an idea.</SPAN>

<SPAN class=copy>http://www.britannica.com/ebi/article-196620?ct=</SPAN>

<div class="abouttext">Message submitted 9 minutes after original post:</b></div>
?Commodity, firmness, and delight?: the ultimate synthesis

It has been generally assumed that a complete theory of architecture is always concerned essentially in someway or another with three interrelated terms, which, in Vitruvius' Latin text, are given as firmitas, utilitas, and venustas (i.e., structural stability, appropriate spatial accommodation, and attractive appearance)

(Useful stuff, also from Britannica)

architecture is stuff you build... whether it's building,s objects or even computers programms

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Hell, is an half-filled auditorium

Many of the replies are "looked up" definitions. I do not think that was exactly what the author was after when this thread was conceived.

However, I could be mistaken.

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There is no history until something happens, then there is.

An organized structure.

Be it a building, a data type, a personality. Whatever. Organized just means that there is some functional purpose of placement (just to clarify, that's what I mean and I don't mean something like symmetrical .. or clean)

And this isn't a definition I looked up.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

I think it's a STYLE of building, like:

• gothic
• arabesque
• medieval
• asian

it's the style in which something is constructed or is currently running. like "IEEE architecture"

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I tried sniffing coke, but the ice cubes kept getting stuck in my nose.
http://www.dimebowl.com

Architecture is structure, yes. A table has an architecture, a map has
an architecture, a design document has an architecture... I think it
can be defined as the base structure (arche structure?) of something,
anything.

Or so I think...

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Create-ivity - a game development blog

how things fit together

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i eat paint

fishy said:
how things fit together

So, human genitalia can be considered architecture?

COOL!!! :eek:

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There is no history until something happens, then there is.

Architecture may be defined as building something (a building, a computer program, a hot dog, et cetera) which is functional, looks cool and which doesn't collapse at the touch of a feather.

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Better to be in denial than to be human.

Bill Gates understands binary: his company is number one, and his customers are all zeros.

So, human genitalia can be considered architecture?

COOL!!! :eek:

Now there's an interesting map idea.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Underdog</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>
<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting fishy</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>how things fit together</DIV></DIV>

So, human genitalia can be considered architecture?

COOL!!! :eek:

</DIV></DIV>

our genitals are a part of the architecture of our design, yes, though it could be seen as slightly strange, by some, that you feel the need to bring human genitalia into the thread.

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i eat paint

fishy said:
our genitals are a part of the architecture of our design, yes, though it could be seen as slightly strange, by some, that you feel the need to bring human genitalia into the thread.

Only slightly?

Considering that when I first arrived I was sure that being strange was a prerequisite to being a member around here I find your comment humorous to say the least.

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There is no history until something happens, then there is.

Being an architecture student, we aren't 100% told a straight answer because there isn't one, but yesterday I spoke to a guy in the year above who just left and came back to do a talk. He said it was "the organisation and development of space", which to me seems the perfect description.

However if your saying the architecture of the human body, then really you should use the word engineering or design. I supose architecture could be used as a colaborative word for design and engineering to an extent.

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-[Better to be Honest than Kind]-

Since i think everyone has said what they think ill write down what my design teacher said:

"Architecture is the balance between the carrying and the carried."

That sounds more like architecure in an abstract way than as architecture in an architectural way to me... :wink:

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Create-ivity - a game development blog

Sounds like statics. Or philosophical?

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Never try to be perfect - just try it and make the best out of it

sounds like his teacher was drinking that herbal tea stuff.

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i eat paint

Captain P said:
That sounds more like architecure in an abstract way than as architecture in an architectural way to me... :wink:

Yeah sounds like design more geared toward art.

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Reckless disregard for childrens well being, women and nothing but utter contempt for other cultures.

"the organisation and development of space"

That one fits best. Correct your teacher with Myrks one Misterbister. :biggrin:

"the organisation and development of space"

That one fits best. Correct your teacher with Myrks one Misterbister. :biggrin:

Yeah, i agree, and I'm going to correct his ass >=).

I would've said: "The art of creating arches"

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''Everyone wades in s**t until they're competent enough to walk on it. Jesus style.''
Dystopia - Empires

'the art and design of a structure'

(this actually brings a good science fiction idea - human architecture)

oh by the way one of my uncles is an architect. he builds huge mansions for the rich. ive seen some of the designs on his computer. all wireframe, reminded me of hammer actually. but damn those house designs were big.

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Bullet Control: $5000 for a bullet.
"I would blow your f**king head off! ...if I could afford it. I'm gonna get another job, start saving some money... then you a dead man!"

A fine art definition is something like:

"The manipulation of space and light"

My father is an architect, so I've been around the job "title" for my
whole life. It is a very elastic word, ask an archetect and they
will tell you about space relation, ask an enginier and he will tell
you about the best way to make a box with the fewest supports
possible. Ask an artist and we will show you an empty room with a
crate in the middle.