Rethinking Spaces: Architecture as a Social Art

There are famous landmarks that reveal the greatness of human society, such as the Colosseum, the White House, the Eiffel Tower and the Great Pyramids. But these structures are minuscule pieces of the puzzle that make up human history.

The rest of the pieces consist of the hospital rooms in which people are born, the kitchen tables where businesses are started, and the tents where battles are planned.

Architecture is a physical story held within walls. People, however, are the defining element of architecture. A beautifully designed building means nothing until a person can experience it. It is this people-centric concept that tells us that architecture is social in nature.

Nevada, for instance, has a variety of vernacular architecture, from Native American pit houses to adobe buildings like the Vegas Mormon Fort, embodying the traditions of ethnic groups.

When it comes to exponential progress across continents, Asian cities in the last century have been shaped by changing ideas of urbanity that have emerged from shifts in geopolitics, economics, and culture.

And returning to the pre-historic era, caves served as shelters for humans in extreme weather. This indicates the beginning of something approaching architecture.

Architecture remains a critical restorative tool to help mediate the strains between human beings and nature. The building block is the shelter, and when people bring together their spirit, art and craft, the shelter becomes a home.