ARCHITECTURE

by

IFEANYICHUKWU S. AGWU
In the beginning GOD created the HEAVEN and the EARTH.

And the earth was without FORM, and VOID; and darkness
was upon the face of the deep. And the SPIRIT of GOD
MOVED upon the face of the waters.

And GOD said…

…And GOD saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it

was VERY GOOD…

Genesis 1; 1….31..
 THIS IS ARCHITECTURE ......
…”Is it the vast collection of various buildings which have been built
to please the varying tastes of various lords of mankind ? No I know
ARCHITECTURE is life or at least it is life itself taking FORM and
therefore, it is the truest record of life as it was lived in the world
yesterday, as it is lived today or ever will be lived. From generations
to generations, from age to age, proceeds, persists, creates according
to nature of man and his circumstances as they change”

…FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

…”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 you do me GOOD, I am HAPPY and
I say this is BEAUTIFUL, that is ARCHITECTURE”

… LE’ CORBUSIER
• ARCHITECTURE can mean any of the following;
• A general term to describe BUILDINGS and other PHYSICAL STRUCTURES.
• The ART and SCIENCE of DESIGNING BUILDINGS and (some) NON BUILDING STRUCTURES.
• The STYLE of DESIGN and METHOD of CONSTRUCTION of buildings and other physical structures.
• The KNOWLEDGE of ART, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY and HUMANITY.
• The PRACTICE of the ARCHITECT, where ARCHITECTURE means offering or rendering
PROFESSIONAL services in connection with the design and construction of buildings or built
environments.
• The DESIGN activity of the architect, from the MACRO level (URBAN DESIGN, LANDSCAPE
ARCHITECTURE) to the MICRO level (CONSTRUCTION DETAILS and FURNITURE).
• From the foregoing we can summarize that ARCHITECTURE is…..
…the PLANNING, DESIGNING and CONSTRUCTING of FORM, SPACE and AMBIENCE to reflect
FUNCTIONAL, TECHNICAL, SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL and AESTHETIC considerations.
It requires the CREATIVE MANIPULATION and COORDINATION of MATERIALS and
TECHNOLOGY and of LIGHT and SHADOW and the RESOLUTION of any CONFLICTING
REQUIREMENTS.
By this DEFINATION, ARCHITECTURE is made up of CONSTITUENT PARTS, which can be
PERCEIVED and EXPERIENCED. Some maybe readily APPARENT while others are more
OBSCURE to our INTELLECT and SENSES. Some may DOMINATE while others play a
SECONDARY role in a building organization. Some may CONVEY IMAGES and MEANING while
others serve as QUALIFIERS or MODIFIERS of these MESSAGES. In all cases however, these
ELEMENTS and SYSTEMS should be INTERRELATED to form an INTEGRATED WHOLE
having a UNIFYING or COHERENT STRUCTURE…..
ARCHITECTURE THROUGH THE AGES…… TAJ MAHAL AGRA

THE PARTHENON ATHENS GOLDEN PAVILION KYOTO

CONGESO NACIONAL PALACE ST PETER’S BASILICA ROME NOTRE DAME PARIS
BUENOS ARIES
 PETRONAS TOWERS
ARCHITECTURE THROUGH THE AGES….. KUALA LUMPUR

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM NEW

CATHEDRAL OF BRASILIA BRAZIL YORK CITY
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

DANCING HOUSE THE STATA CENTRE MIT

PRAGUE CAMBRIDGE
FERRARI WORLD ABU DHABI

GUGGENHEIM MUSUEM BILBOA

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL LOS ANGELES BURJ KHALIFA DUBAI
 *ORGANIZATIONAL
PATTERNS/RELATIONSHIPS/HEIRACHY.
*FORMAL IMAGE and SPATIAL DEFINITION
*QUALITIES of SHAPE,COLOUR, TEXTURE ,SCALE and
PROPORTION
*QUALITIES of SURFACE EDGES and OPENNINGS
ARCHITECTURE is SPACE
of
STRUCTURE
ENCLOSURE

*APPROACH and ENTRY

*PATH, CONFIGURATION and ACCESS
*SEQUENCE of SPACE
EXPERIENCED MOVEMENT in *LIGHT, VIEW,TOUCH,HEARING and SMELL

through SPACE/TIME
 ACHIEVED by
means of *STRUCTURE and ENCLOSURE
*ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION and COMFORT
TECHNOLOGY *HEALTH, SAFETY and WELFARE
*DURABILITY

ACCOMODATING a *USER REQUIREMENTS/NEEDS/ASPIRATIONS

*SOCIOCULTURAL FACTORS
*ECONOMIC FACTORS
PROGRAM *LEGAL RESTRAINTS
*HISTORICAL TRADITIONS and PRECEDENTS

*SITE and ENVIRONMENT

COMPATIBLE *CLIMATE,SUN,WIND,TEMPERATURE and PRECIPITATION
*GEOGRAPHY,SOILS and TOPOGRAPHY
with its *VEGETATION and WATER
*SENSORY and CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS of the LOCATION
CONTEXT
 SPACE

FORM

ARCHITECTURE

FUNCTION
TECHNICS
 ARCHITECTURE starts as….
• A POINT A POSITION IN SPACE
A POINT EXTENDED BECOMES A

A LINE WITH PROPERTIES OF

LENGTH
DIRECTION

POSITION 1D
A LINE EXTENDED BECOMES A

A PLANE WITH PROPERTIES OF

SHAPE
SURFACE
ORIENTATION

POSITION 2D
A PLANE EXTENDED BECOMES A

A VOLUME WITH PROPERTIES OF

LENGTH, WIDTH and DEPTH
FORM and SPACE
SURFACE
ORIENTATION

POSITION 3 D
THE ARCHITECT, HIS PRACTICE AND HIS TRAINING….

The word ARCHITECT is derived from a LATIN word ..ARCHITECTUS

which itself is from a GREEK word…ARKHITEKTON….

ARKHI….. meaning CHIEF

TEKTON…meaning BUILDER

Put together it becomes CHIEF BUILDER or MASTER BUILDER. Hence one

can describe an Architect as a person who PLANS, DESIGN and
SUPERVISES or OVERSEES the CONSTRUCTION of BUILDINGS.

Architecture being an INTERDISCIPLINARY field requires the architect to

be not only a master builder but also a multifaceted individual. Technical
knowledge, management and an understanding of business are as important
as the core function of design.

The PRACTICE of an architect therefore can be subdivided into three (2)

broad categories
 DESIGN

ARCHITECT
in

PRACTICE CONSTRUCTION
 ARCHITECTURAL
PRACTICE

*ARCHITECTS RECIEVES COMMISSIONS which might involve preparing FEASIBILITY REPORTS and
BUILDING AUDITS.
*DESIGN of a BUILDING or of several BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES and the SPACES among them.
*DEVELOPMENT of the REQUIREMENTS the CLIENTS wants in a building.
*CO ORDINATING from PLANNING to OCCUPANCY the DESIGN team (STRUCTURAL, ELECTRICAL and
MECHANICAL Engineers) and or any other SPECIALISTS hired to ensure that the work is co ordinated to
construct the design.
 DESIGN
*Meets with the CLIENT ( extensively), to collect all the REQUIREMENT and
NUANCES of the planned PROJECT. This information so collected is called the
PROGRAM or BRIEF and is ESSENTIAL to producing a project that meets all
the needs of the owner/client. It also serves a guide for the architect in creating
the design concept.
*Creates a DESIGN CONCEPT that meets the requirement of the client and
provides a FACILITY suitable to the required use.
*Architects have to ensure that their designs meet or satisfy LOCAL and
STATE/ FEDERAL REGULATIONS and BUILDING CODES. Must comply with
local PLANNING and ZONING LAWS such as required SETBACKS, HEIGHT
LIMITATIONS, PARKING requirements, TRANSPARENCY requirements
(windows), LAND USE and HISTORIC PRESERVATION guidelines.
 CONSTRUCTION

*Puts PROJECT to TENDER on behalf of their clients.

*Advise on AWARD of project to CONTRACTOR.
*Reviews the PROGRESS of WORK during CONSTRUCTION
*Reviews contractors SHOP DRAWINGS and other SUBMITALS
*Prepare and issue SITE INSTRUCTIONS
*Provide CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION and CERTIFICATES of
PAYMENT and CERTIFICATES of ASSURANCE of the work.
 DESIGN of
BUILDINGS
LANDSCAPE
INTERIOR
ARCHITECTURE
DESIGN

The ARCHITECT
DESIGN of
URBAN NON
BUILDINGS
DESIGN
DESIGN OF BUILDINGS…
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE…
DESIGN OF NON BUILDINGS….
INTERIOR DESIGN….
URBAN DESIGN….
 SPECIALIZATION
In
TECHNOLOGY/PROJECT DELIVERY
ARCHITECTURE *BUILDING CODES
*BUILDING ENVELOPE
*SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
*TECHNICAL WRITING
*HISTORIC PRESERVATION
BUILDING TYPES
*REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT
*HEALTH CARE
*CORPERATE FACILITIES/PLANNING
*RETAIL
*PROJECT MANAGEMENT
*PUBLIC HOUSING
*CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
*EVENT CENTRES
*INTERIOR DESIGN
3 E’s FOR PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION….

EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY DEGREE in
EXPERIENCE
ARCHITECURE TWO/THREE YRS POST
*BSc ARCHITECTURE (4YRS)
UNIVERSITY DEGREE
*MSc ARCHITECTURE (2YRS)
*B Arch (5YRS)
*M Arch (5/6YRS Straight or 1YR POST EXAMINATION
B Arch) REGISTRATION EXAMS
*PART II & PART III for BSc
GRADUATES
*PART III for MSc/ B Arch/ M Arch
GRADUATES
WORK TOOLS…..

PHYSICS CREATIVE and

IMAGINATIVE
MATHS
MIND

DILIGENCE and
ENGLISH
ATTENTION to
HARDWORK DETAILS
 WORK TOOLS…….
PRESENT/FUTURE…DRAUGHTING TABLE
PAST…DRAUGHTING BOARDS

PRESENT..DESK/LAPTOP
WORK TOOLS…

BOOKS and
CAMERA
SOFTWARE
*AUTOCAD
*ARCHICAD
*REVIT
SKETCH PAD
and PENCIL
 CONCLUSION….PREPARATION and PROSPECTS

“…nothing will be restrained from them, which they have IMAGINED to do”

GEN. 11; 6b.

The GREATEST RESOURCE you have as an architect is your IMAGINATION, therefore, the best
preparation for anyone wishing to study ARCHITECTURE is the realization that as long as a thing can
be IMAGINED it is possible…the ABILITY to think OUTSIDE the BOX. Some things may not be
possible here and now, but it does not make it impossible. It is important that you put down ALL your
THOUGHTS and IDEAS, that your EYES are always OPEN to see and a CURIOUS MIND to SEEK
and ASK questions. This is in addition to those basic already highlighted earlier.
Our DESIGNS as ARCHITECTS will remain long after we are gone,
therefore our FOCUS should be on ACHIEVING PURPOSE….
The Prospects for a career in ARCHITECTURE
are AWESOME and HUGE as we have seen in
this presentation. The field of ARCHITECTURE
is VAST and VARIED and here in NIGERIA we
have barely scratched the surface. There is
SPACE for ALL, a NICHE for EVERYONE …but
we must be sure we are WALKING in GOD’S
PURPOSE for US….as we conclude this
presentation with ..a SHORT VIDEO CLIP that
encompasses ARCHITECTURE in its
ENTIRETY… A SIMPLE PAVILLION
DESIGNED by CHINESE UNIVERSTY of
HONG KONG……..