TITLE :

How culture and tradition affect architecture?

OR
Influence of culture and tradition on architecture.

ABSTRACT :
The culture of each society is identified through its manifestations such as language, art, and architecture,
and analysis in the field of culture is related to the study of cultural manifestations. Architecture as a
matter of human life reflects the culture in every society interacting closely with structural, historical,
political, economic and social features of society. People in every country try to follow their norms and
maintain their values in making of architecture by applying the material things. Changing the cultural and
social attitudes in communities has the greatest impact on the architecture. Therefore, the role of culture
in promoting architectural identity seems essential. This descriptive article with the assumption that
architectural is a complete symbol of human culture tries to study the role of culture in promoting
architectural identity based on the documents and library studies.

INTRODUCTION :
Architecture is the portray of nation’s culture integrated with all aspects of human life and has a profound
impact on it. Architecture is the result of the culture of the society. It is formed in order to develop the
values in itself. Architecture is considered to be the container in which the different environmental aspects
for e.g.. Physical factor, cultural, social, economic factors are reacting together to give us the physical
product which is the building/complex.
It is important to understand and study the parameters that influence the form of a building. The various
methods of cultural representation and conveyance of meaning, and the influence of context on such
representation in the buildings such as embassy buildings, borrowed architecture forms for a built in a
foreign land due to architectural influences etc. Thus defining the conceptual relationship between
architectural form and social or cultural meaning, how a form is expressed and understood.

CULTURE :
Culture is a set of beliefs, knowledge, education, customs and values that society has developed
them based on their own beliefs. The impact of culture in different areas of life, including art,
architecture and urban planning and development, and ways of life is undeniable.
Elaborating the expression of culture on the built form is usually the unconscious effort of every
designer. In fact, culture plays a dominant role at the very out set of any design process. This is
because, any design when conceptualized to perform a desired function, is directly or indirectly
derived from or synchronized with the cultural identity of the user. It is what frames our thought
processes. It defines individual identity and helps to recollect past memories.
ARCHITECTURE :
Architecture is both the process and the product of planning, designing, and constructing
buildings or any other structures. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often
perceived as cultural symbols and as works of art. Historic civilizations are often identified with
the surviving architectural achievements.
Architecture is scientific- artistic activities to create space and organize it; crystallization of the
culture of a community over time; and clear mirror of the society in different periods.
Architecture is apart from a building or building, but also how to build it. However, it is related
to the way a house or city is built. Architecture is both formed and has continued to the present
time since the old time when building and trimming were popular, and its variety has been
created.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CULTURE AND ARCHITECTURE :

To understand the relationship between culture and architecture, the relationship between space
and culture should be first mentioned. Space, as well as culture, has a social construction formed
in the process of shaping people's perception of themselves. Space has an important role in
strengthening cultural change, because the expected behavior patterns within a particular space
reflects the specific cultural values. This definition implies the construction of a mental space.
Influence of mental space, ranging from concrete and physical space gets understandable.
Organizing the operation of subjective and objective space in the mixed continuous form is
called architecture. Proposing the relationship between culture and architecture, especially in the
field of psychology, clarifies the need to caring the relationship between human and their
artificial environment. With this attitude, culture is the factor or way of human’s relation with an
artificial environment and implies on two categories:
a) Standardized behaviors, thoughts, and feelings;
b) Products that are the result of the behavior and thinking of people in a given society;
Architecture is a manifestation of the cultural context in which it resides.
 Culture has been known to be among the key determinants of an architectural form.
Starting from the historical references of the pyramids to a modern day transported
architectural form such as an embassy, cultural aspect has played a key role in defining
the basics for a design.
 It has been identified as a dynamic and forever changing aspect of a society or a
community, based on which forms that are alien to the culturally sound setup due to the
influences, hence producing a misrepresentation of the culture.
 Different cultural set ups have different forms. For example : Chinese architecture is
based on Feng shui whereas Indians at large believe in the vastu purusha madala. Even in
today’s date, when there is such a great influence of architectural forms from the west the
new and modern say dwelling systems basic need for the concept starts with the
orientation plan with respect to the manadala. Thus proving that changing times brings
about a change in culture and the mindset of the people but foundation is layed down
from the roots.
 It’s not just the building that has been derived from cultural references, even the design of
the streets has been derieved from a cultural and historical sensitive mindset. As seen in
 one of the examples of the middle east. The streets play an important role in the linking
the units and their design also plays an important role in bringing about interaction at the
neighbourhood level. One could also say that the Streets of Ahmadabad were also
designed on a similar pattern where Culture defined the width and the setting up of
community spaces.

EXAMPLES SHOWING DIFFERENT CULURE :

1. THE TEMPLES
Indian temples are classified into two broad orders as:
 Nagara (in North India)
 Dravida (in South India)
 At times, Vesara style of temples as an independent style created through the mixing of
Nagara and Dravida orders.
2. ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE :
Islamic architecture consists of following structures which has its specific use and design
elements like arches, minarets, mihrabs etc..
 Mosques : a place for worship
 Madarsah : public school for Islamic teachings
 Hamman khana : a structure design for a hot bathhouse
 Dargah
 Mausoleum or Tombs

3. COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE :
Profound changes took place in the art and architecture of India during the colonial era.
European colonists, the Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, French and the British brought with them
the concepts and forms of European architecture - Neoclassical, Romanesque, Gothic and
Renaissance.
 India Gate (Delhi)
 Parliament House (Delhi)
 Gateway Of India (Mumbai)
 Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Mumbai)
 India Gate (Delhi) Parliament House(Delhi)

CST (Mumbai) Gateway Of India (Mumbai)

 There are several other examples that shows the presence of culture in every form of
architecture, and vice versa. Even in the modern day, culture plays a vital role. Despite
the strong impact of westernization in architecture in India, local culture continues to
inspire architects to design by adopting and merging the elements of both worlds
together. There is no architecture without culture, and culture always establishes itself in
design, regardless of time and space.

The Roman Colosseum (Rome) The Pyramids (Egypt)

NEED OF STUDY :
 To study the influence of culture on architecture.
 To study the importance of culture and society in building architecture.
 To study different type of culture.

SCOPE :
 To learn the evolution of culture in architecture.
 To learn the psychology and culture of different places.
 To learn vernacular architecture and its importance in a particular region.

METHODOLOGY :
The study of this topic is to compare the culture of various regions on the basis of their
vernacular architecture, materials, architectural elements of a particular region, cultural and
traditional aspects which helps the visitors to stay connected with their cultures and also helps
the visitors to know about the different cultures of India.

CASE STUDY :
 NATIONAL :
 Jaisalmer
 Kerala
 New Delhi

 INTERNATIONAL :
 Rome
 Egypt
 Japan

CONCLUSION :
Culture is an important aspect of one’s life. People should remain connected with their culture
and culture directly affects the architecture. Every society has its own culture, upon which its
foundation of architecture was established, and its architecture is the objective image of its
culture. In fact, architecture was and is a true measure of a nation 's culture. The culture of the
community is responsible for the ways spaces get formed.
The main role of culture is to present the mental ideas by introducing the concrete forms.
Architecture plays a key role in the process of this transformation. Architecture was and is the
true measure of a nation's culture.