Architects

Beginning with the first uses of brick and stone and ending with the completion of the great pyramids and colossal sphinx, Ancient Egypt was home to some of the most influential architecture in history. The Nile valley has been home to much of the richest civilizations in art, architecture, and design for at least ten thousand years; and this innovation began with a simple problem: a lack of wood.

Due to the severe climate of Egypt, trees were scarce, and wood was not a viable building material. The Egyptians were one of the first societies to seize upon the durability of bricks in construction, and their architectural monuments have endured thousands of years to become models of ancient architecture even in modern times. Because of this durability, some of the most famous buildings in history were to come from the Nile Valley in Egypt.

Of course, the Egyptians had another advantage in their construction of enduring monuments: slave labor. Egypt was one of the mightiest powers in the East, and conquered many nations throughout their reign, including the Israelites, Persians, and hundreds of others. Having a mass of laborers at their disposal, the great Architects of Egypt were free to execute their most imaginative building designs with tremendous manpower. Perhaps the most dramatic of these monuments, or at least the most famous, were the pyramids.

These magnificent structures can tower up to 482 feet high, dwarfing many other buildings and monuments. They were built out of immense blocks of sanded granite, some weighing as much as three and a half tons. These blocks were moved from the quarry to the construction site by means of barges during floods, or oxcarts and slow, tedious log rollers. The pyramids still stand out as one of the great works of history, and these buildings would influence architecture in many years and cultures to come.

As western society began to bloom and develop, architecture took on new life in the designs of the Greeks. One of the most powerful civilizations to rise up in Europe, the Greek architects created history with their flair for order, design, and beauty. The first standards of beauty, or the ideal proportions, were also Greek inventions; and every society following would imitate these ideals. Rome would be the most major society to follow in Greek footsteps, creating some of the most famous buildings in the History of the World after the Grecian style.

The earliest of Greek buildings, however, were not so impressive; made mostly of mud and brick, early Greek houses were made after the Egyptian style, and were often simple round or square shapes with holes cut for windows. As the society grew and came into power, buildings began to move more in the direction of what is now known as "classical" Greek construction, which included pillars, columns, courtyards, and ornate temples offering tribute to many of the Greek gods.

One of the greatest contributions to building made by the Greeks was the creation of the three orders of architecture: the Doric, Iambic, and Corinthian. The Doric was the earliest and simplest of the three, with a thick, sturdy pillar and a simply cut top. The Ionic was more elegant and graceful, with a thinner base and beautiful scrollwork. The Corinthian, the last and most ornate of the three orders, featured an elaborate capitol often decorated with grape leaves or vines. The Corinthian order was most often used in the roman architecture of later years, and decorates many famous buildings across Europe.

The Romans took the principles of Greek architecture and expanded them, quickly becoming the most powerful civilization in the world for several hundred years. They also were the first to invent concrete, and took full advantage of this new material, creating massive buildings and temples that far surpassed even the Greek models. They also added the Etruscan contribution to architecture, the arch, to their building.

Perhaps the most famous building contributed by Roman Architects is the Coliseum, a massive amphitheater. Amphitheaters were among the most important of the buildings during the classical period of European history; they served as public meeting places, for spectator sports, games, displays, and hearings. They were also a massive political seat, as the current men in power would display themselves to the public during these events.

The coliseum features many of the marked characteristics of Roman architecture. The entire building is made up of hundreds of arches and pillars, and covers an expanse of nearly 6 acres. It features an ingenious cooling system as well as hundreds of rows of thousands of seats, with different sections for the poor class, the upper class, and the emerging merchant or middle class. It also included more than 80 ground-level entrances and a complex net of tunnels, which allowed the immense venue to fill up in 15 minutes and be evacuated in as little as five.

These innovations were reflective of the rich culture of the Roman civilization. Rome left to us the Coliseum, the Arches of Constantine, the Hippodrome, and numerous temples. Along with it’s famous buildings, Rome left behind a legacy of art and architecture that continues to influence society even in the modern day.

Architecture made perhaps its greatest leaps during that period of enlightenment, the transition from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance. Harmonious form, mathematical proportion, and artistic style combined to leave us such innovations as the stained glass window, the gothic cathedral, the towering spire, and of course the octagonal dome.

The Renaissance, however, was not only about new inventions, but also about the famous “rebirth” – giving old designs new life. Roman characteristics were amplified and transformed, along with elements of Greek and Egyptian architecture. Historians now divide the Renaissance era into three periods – the Early Renaissance or Quattro Centro of 1400-1500, the High Renaissance of 1500-1525, and what is called the era of “Mannerisms” from 1525 to 1600.

During these three periods, there were many dramatic advances in the construction of buildings. Leon Battista Alberti, who gave us many of the first recorded descriptions of buildings and architects, wrote the first treatise on architecture in 1450. Famous architects such as Lorenzo Ghiberti, Fillipo Brunelleschi, Rossellino, and Michelangelo flourished in this new era of appreciation, particularly in Florence, Italy and the surrounding towns.

Renaissance architecture featured several distinct characteristics, including planned proportions, symmetrical facades, roman columns and arches, vaults and domes, coffered ceilings, and of course, the first structurally sound large windows. Churches and cathedrals progressed from the “barbaric” gothic style to the more ornamental style of the high renaissance, paving the way for the beginnings of modern architecture.

The man credited with bringing about the modern view of architects as artists was Fillipo Brunelleschi, the genius of Florence’s Cathedral de Santa Maria. The cathedral was originally designed in the late 1300s by Arnolfo di Cambio, and was not to be completed for another 200 years. It was left unfinished for decades as the magistrates struggled with the problem of how to complete the massive dome outlined in Arnolfo’s model, and finally the officials declared a contest to find an architect capable of the task. Such an immense dome – over a hundred feet across – had never before been built, and Brunelleschi proposed not only to build it, but also to do so without the support of scaffolding, a previously unheard of feat. But he made good on his promise, and finally the dome was completed, becoming the baptistery of Florence and one of the most famous buildings in history.

Other famous architects in Europe included Lorenzo Ghiberti, who claimed, “Few great works of art in Florence were not done by my own hand.” Gustave-Alexandre Eiffel, the architect behind the Eiffel Tower; Leonardo Da Vinci, who created the Castello di Ambiose; and Giorgio Vasari, who not only designed many buildings himself, but also recorded the works of many Rennaisance artists and architects.

As architecture progressed into modern times, hundreds of notable architects emerged; arguably the greatest among them was Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the most innovative architects of the twentieth century. During his career, which spanned the years from 1887-1959, he influenced the entire course of American Architecture. One of Wright’s most famous buildings is the iconic Fallingwater building in Illinois, which began as a residence and is now a museum.

Growing and changing with the innovations of architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, architecture today spans a range of styles that seem unlimited except by the bounds of creativity. Clean, simple lines and dramatic shapes, usually lacking in any adornment or ornamentation, characterize modern architecture. It is driven by a combination of things; a dominant value of progress and innovation, a stable economy conducive to creative architecture, and the invention or availability of new materials including glass, steel, chemically bonding concrete, and iron.

Some of the famous buildings and highlights of American architecture include the Golden Gate Bridge, the former and proposed World Trade Centers, Grand Central Station, the Gettysburg House, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The Statue of Liberty, one of the most famous of America’s monuments, was actually a gift from France. European Architects also boast many famous buildings, although their modern accomplishments are often overshadowed by their historical contributions.

Present-day architecture features many styles, from classical design to modern stylization. As a practical discipline, the primary aim of architecture is to design livable habitation, but in the modern age many architects make it their aim to make their construction an art form as well. Le Corbusier, a French-Swiss architect, once said, “You employ stone, wood, and concrete, and with these materials you build houses and palaces: that is construction. Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly you touch my heart…and I say: This is beautiful. That is Architecture.”

If you have a passion for the intricate combination of art and science that is architecture, you may want to consider a career as an architect. This is an extremely demanding and difficult field, but with rewards that may far outweigh its struggles. Architects have made some of the most significant advancements in history, literally forming societies in their image.

An architect is more than simply a designer, and will need many other skills along with creativity. Most architects employ the skills of graphic manipulation, drawing and sketching, engineering, and vital written and oral communication. An architect must not only be able to envision an idea, but also communicate the specifics of that idea to the builders and construction workers who will carry it out. There is also the factor of technological advances, and an architect must be ready and prepared to adjust their knowledge, as new information becomes known.

The National Architecture Accrediting Board (NAAT) establishes minimum standards that must be met by all professional architects, but many of the 105 schools offering a degree in architecture have different ways of bringing their students up to par. It is important to choose your school carefully, as a program tailored to your learning style and interest area will be much easier to complete.

The road to becoming an architect is a long one, with four to five years of schooling and another two to four years of experience before passing the rigorous four-day exam. A career as an architect, however, can also be extremely rewarding; many architects make a six-figure salary or more, as well as having the ability to leave their footprint on society with their famous buildings.

Of course, most people are less interested in becoming an architect than in employing one. This can be expensive, adding 10 to 20 percent to the total cost of construction, but the advantages of having an architect maybe well worth the price tag. An architect holds a degree certifying knowledge far beyond that of many engineers, and offers not only the creative design and ability to execute this design, but also continual supervision throughout the project.

Most architects will meet with the homebuilder to discuss their ideas and plans, and then incorporate these ideas into a completely original design. This design may be tweaked and altered many times during construction, hopefully resulting in a final project that is worthy of admiration for art’s sake as well as for habitation. Many of the great architects of the 20th century – Frank Lloyd Wright among them – made their reputation by designing residences or homes.

When building a business, it is even more crucial to have an excellent and attractive building design, making an architect doubly desirable. For complicated designs, multiple architects may even be employed, as well as a home designer, interior decorator, and many builders and construction workers. A good architect spends their lives looking at, thinking about, dreaming up and creating buildings, and should have a veritable wealth of ideas that you may never have thought of to pour into your investment. Architects also take great pleasure in the construction of interesting shapes, building specific designs to reflect your product or line of work.

Someone building a home or business may also be interested in the use of Home Designer software, which employs incredible modern day technology to imitate the designs and calculations of an architect. This type of software may be particularly useful in playing with building ideas and experimenting with plans for construction, as it includes simulated images of rooms and building with a variety of settings. For a truly unique building, however, it is almost always best to employ a professional architect, who will put their scientific knowledge and artistry to work for you.

When building a home or business, choosing an architect can pose a serious difficulty. Knowing what to expect, what to look for, and how to find it, can be extremely baffling, and occasionally confusion can lead to poor or misinformed decisions. There are several things to look for when finding the right architect for your project, and several factors to consider, including price, experience, and specializations.

The cost of employing an architect can be a significant factor, particularly for an experimental construction project. If a building is simple in design, hiring a young or inexperienced architect may be perfectly suitable, and the cost significantly lower. For a more complex building, however, hiring an untested architect may prove a disastrous mistake, and it is often well worth the cost to find one who has experience in the specific styles that you like.

When considering an architect to hire, always begin the search as soon as possible, to maximize your options and give yourself plenty of time to discuss the project with all potential employees. Unless you already have an architect picked out, it is usually wise to consult at least three firms and compare your options. This gives you the ability to negotiate with both firms for a price, as well as a variety of design styles and specialties. Make an effort to treat firms equally, asking the same questions for a more accurate comparison. Always ask the architect or firm for examples of previous construction and building projects, as well as designs and ideas.

Whether studying to become an architect, hiring one to build your home, or simply studying the history of how architecture has formed our society, the influence of architecture is undeniable. A marriage of exact science and artistic expression, the famous buildings and monuments are reflections of culture throughout the world.