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Prof Prac

The document discusses the historical relationship between beauty and utility in architecture, referencing ancient philosophers and the Roman architect Vitruvius, who outlined key principles for designing aesthetically pleasing and functional structures. It emphasizes the evolving role of architects in creating urban spaces that enhance social interactions and adapt to changing environments, highlighting the importance of integrating art and sustainability in modern design. Overall, it underscores the significance of architecture in shaping human behavior and fostering community connections.

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Amber Mae Castillo Cacayan
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13 views2 pages

Prof Prac

The document discusses the historical relationship between beauty and utility in architecture, referencing ancient philosophers and the Roman architect Vitruvius, who outlined key principles for designing aesthetically pleasing and functional structures. It emphasizes the evolving role of architects in creating urban spaces that enhance social interactions and adapt to changing environments, highlighting the importance of integrating art and sustainability in modern design. Overall, it underscores the significance of architecture in shaping human behavior and fostering community connections.

Uploaded by

Amber Mae Castillo Cacayan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Beauty and Utility in Architecture, Interior Design and in the New European Bauhaus Concepts

by

Przemyslaw Nowakowski

Considerations of the beauty and utility of the surrounding world have been carried out since ancient
times. Already in antiquity and the Middle Ages, philosophers perceived goodness, spirituality, morality,
and reason as synonymous with beauty. They were associated with perfect structure and moderation:
maintaining proportions and appropriate composition. In the visual sphere, what was pleasing to the eye
was beautiful. They wrote about it, i.e., Aristotle and Saint Thomas Aquinas [1].

In the architectural field, beauty and utility were described in the 1st century BC. by the Roman architect
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Vitruvius). He wrote a monumental piece of work, the treatise Ten Books on
Architecture. The author indicated several criteria in the books for designing beautiful and useful
architecture:

 Ordering and arrangement of individual parts, resulting primarily from proportions and specific
numerical ratios (Ordinatio);

 Arrangement of building elements (Dispositio);

 Proper mutual proportion of individual parts (Eurythmia);

 Harmony between parts of the building (Symmetria);

 Appropriateness of shapes, arrangements, types of decorations, etc. (Decor);

 Proper management of construction materials and location (Distributio).

The most famous is “The Vitruvian Triad”, which defines three equally important elements of good
architecture:

 Strength (Firmitas);

 Functionality (Utilitas);

 Beauty (Venustas) [2] (pp. 27–31).

They define the general tasks of designers in terms of developing the structure, selecting building
materials, implementing a functional and spatial program, and presenting the building and its
interior. Ten Books on Architecture has been a source of knowledge about Roman architectural styles,
classical orders, and construction techniques for centuries. Moreover, it is still relevant in terms of
rational aesthetic and ecological design in a sustainable built environment.

Vitruvius was the creator of the currently best-known canon, the description of the proportions of the
human figure. “The Vitruvian Man” was presented in the form of a naked man inscribed in a circle and a
square. The diagram was rediscovered and developed graphically in the Renaissance by Leonardo da
Vinci.
Małyszek, Agnieszka. (2021). Architecture as the art of creating human-friendly places. Budownictwo i
Architektura. 20. 059-076. 10.35784/bud-arch.1520.

Individual city spaces should create a synergic system

which, above all, will be conducive to living in ever-changing conditions It is often said that

the work of a designer-architect ends when a given building is put into use, but only then does

the architecture begin to fulfil its social function, that is its most important function for which

it was created. It directly influences the shaping of human behaviour and provides support in

everyday life and the urban environment. One of the key factors that enables urban spaces to

meet expectations is the willingness and frequency of visiting and spending time with loved

ones and family in these spaces.

Over the years, the awareness of design and the perception of the social role of the

architect have changed. Currently-designed buildings do not lose their message and do not

constitute only an impersonal spatial form. They have gained a new dimension of art based on

designing in accordance with the environment. Designers follow current trends in art and

architecture and choose what is modern, practical and friendly to people and their

surroundings. They are often beautiful, designed with a sense of taste and care for the natural

environment. For an architect,

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