Planning the Public Buildings

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Form Follows Function
Aesthetic Design
Ecological Architecture
Sustainable Architecture
Methods of Implementing Sustainable Architecture
Conclusion
Reference List

Introduction

Today, the residents of both megacities and small towns spend much time outside their homes. Large concentrations of people in various public places make it necessary to build not only aesthetically beautiful but also functional constructions that can successfully fit into the city architecture and at the same time be convenient enough. Accordingly, the design of a public building is one of the primary factors on which the reliability of a particular structure and its appearance depend. At present, urbanization and global resettlement in cities raise the need to pay special attention to not only the aesthetics of buildings but also their convenience. In case premises are small or, on the contrary, too large, it can be a serious mistake of designers and cause problems. The key to a successful public building in the form of its design, and the more thoroughly the concrete form and purpose of a particular construction are, the higher the chance is that the population will appreciate its functionality and convenience.

Form Follows Function

Based on one of the well-known principles of public facilities construction, the design of buildings may depend on the purpose that it performs. The famous architect Luis Sullivan once formulated an accurate and capacious thesis related to public places – “form follows function” (Form follows function n.d., para 1). This approach can be clearly traced to the Guggenheim Museum, the world-famous architectural monument, where numerous cultural heritage sites are collected. It was Sullivan who was the architect of this building, and he based his work on the principle of the Museum’s functionality, paying specific attention to corresponding space distribution.

On the whole, the purpose of the construction of public buildings (theatres, libraries) dictates the choice of unique architectural, artistic, constructive, and decorative means of creating exterior and interior space. Uniqueness gives rise to the difficulty of designing and obliges architects to look for an expressive image of each such structure. On the other hand, the erection of public buildings for standard projects makes it necessary to diversify the interior decoration and use the details of individual performance, which are inherent in regional characteristics and national traditions.

It is possible to build a memorable public structure based on a creative approach and the search for the original expressive means. According to Fisher (2014), the variants of compositional solutions inside constructions can be different – building the room in-depth or along the axis, by frontal turn or the location of premises on both sides of the corridor. In addition, such a plan is sometimes dictated by the characteristics of the area where the construction is performed. For example, in busy and large avenues and streets, buildings may have increased noise insulation, and in the conditions of hot climate, they can be equipped with additional protection against ultraviolet rays.

Aesthetic Design

Any public space should meet modern requirements and be not only functional and flawlessly equipped from a technical point of view but also have an attractive appearance. The interior is to correspond to its purpose and contributes to creating comfortable working conditions and an aesthetic look. It can be noted that “whether a space is comfortable and presents itself well – has a good image – is key to its success” (What makes a successful place? n.d., para. 6). If it is nice to be in a room or a building as a whole, it could mean that designers and architects have made efforts to make visitors feel comfortable and enjoy the location.

Modern approaches to the aesthetic design of structures can be different, and different features also should be taken into account – the terrain, the purpose of the construction, and other factors. For example, a building made in a classical style and equipped with pillars, bay windows, and carved stucco is unlikely to look good among modern constructions in the style of high-tech. It means that the environment plays an essential role and largely determines the style of this or that structure. If this condition complies, there will be no controversial issues regarding the appropriateness of a particular building in a certain territory.

When talking about modern trends, the creative achievements of public architecture are skyscrapers. Certainly, such facilities are functional and convenient because they allow accommodating a large number of rooms and distribute space on the floors effectively, using it for different purposes. Nevertheless, such a development causes a number of controversial nuances. Dewe (2016) proposes to take into account the mandatory concept of environmental friendliness and insists that houses’ optimal height should not exceed the height of trees. In the design practice, it is necessary to consider the scale of buildings and the height of landscape elements, in this case, trees. In ancient cities, these scales existed, and there was a general compositional and functional unity between the house and the garden with low-rise buildings on two-three floors (Dewe 2016). Today, this harmony is almost lost.

Ecological Architecture

With the development of multi-story construction, almost all buildings turn out to be detached from the garden. To restore the lost unity between urban development and the surrounding landscape, it is necessary to limit the height of houses. For instance, making it not higher than fifteen meters (a four-five-story building) is efficient so that not only the roofs but also the picturesque tops of trees could form the panorama of the city (Dewe 2016). The rotation of roofs (preferably not flat but sloped) and the greenery of trees will substantially enrich the overall city appearance. In addition, the ordinary building of a limited number of stores will not neutralize the natural terrain (Zhong et al. 2014). The panorama of the city will repeat the changes in the landscape, which will bring even greater unity. When limiting the height of buildings, important public constructions will be able to return the role of high-altitude dominants of the city panorama. Such a design will have its own characteristic features that make a particular city look memorable and unique for its residents and visitors.

Developing ecological architecture also has its problems regarding architectural aesthetics. It is noted, in particular, that the appearance of the constructed and projected eco-houses of various types does not always satisfy the requirements of video ecology. For example, from the viewpoint of visual perception, the unfortunate location of identical repeating solar cells on the energy facade of the house can spoil the overall picture. In order to avoid it, a correct design is required so that constructions not only could be functional but also could look aesthetically and form a pleasant impression. Therefore, much depends on how well the general plan of the building is worked out and realized.

Sustainable Architecture

The notion of sustainable architecture has become widespread during the last few decades. The trends of modern requirements for the application of certain principles and methods of design, construction, technologies, and engineering systems are now manifested in different names – sustainable, low-cost, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, or green. Understanding the importance of sustainable development in the field of architecture and construction is constantly growing. Specialists distinguish its various principles. According to Dewe (2016), this type of erection of buildings provides the maintenance of ecological balance between natural and artificial components. As Zhong et al. (2014) note, sustainable architecture contributes to reducing resource consumption, improving urban solutions through the use of energy-efficient technologies, conserving energy, and using natural renewable sources. All these valuable properties make this type of construction in demand in the modern market.

Methods of Implementing Sustainable Architecture

Sustainable architecture is aimed at maximizing energy conservation and preserving the environment. Thus, one of the main objectives of designers and builders is to achieve energy efficiency, which will be relevant throughout the exploitation of a certain construction. According to Dewe (2016), those methods that architects use can be active and passive. In the first case, real interventions are implemented – the installation of special devices, equipping of buildings with specific equipment, and other actions. It means that real work is carried out to change the appearance of rooms and houses. In the second case, the primary emphasis is on strategic decisions. For example, the installation of rooms or windows can significantly affect the distribution of energy and, in particular, keep the heat. A well-insulated building is an important and cost-effective element of efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (Dewe 2016). All these measures make it possible to implement the model of sustainability in practice successfully and increase the efficiency of all works.

Ethics and politics also play an essential role in the architecture under consideration and contribute to its development in urban society. Conflicting points of view between engineering methods and the effect on the environment are still popular problems that can cause resonance among stakeholders. Periodic doubts regarding the benefits of such a model may arise, and complaints can relate to different aspects. Certainly, the criticism of sustainable architecture does not reflect all its aspects but represents a wider spectrum in the international community. As practice shows, this approach to urban planning corresponds to the modern conditions of life in the city and allows finding a compromise between keeping an environmentally friendly environment and erecting multi-story buildings. Therefore, the use of such an architecture model should be unambiguously supported for the purpose of preserving natural resources and the rational use of technological progress opportunities.

Conclusion

The design is an essential element that is the key to a successful public building. A number of factors should be taken into account in order to make urban buildings functional and fascinating aesthetically – the purpose of erection, the terrain, the neighborhood with other constructions, and other criteria. Attractive appearance is one of the many conditions of successful design since modern developers resort to various technologies and approaches to make public buildings reliable and beautiful. The concept of sustainable architecture is in demand in the context of global urbanization and, despite possible controversial assumptions regarding its effectiveness, allows expanding resources economically.

Reference List

Dewe, M 2016, Planning public library buildings: concepts and issues for the librarian. Routledge, New York, NY.

Fisher, T 2014, ‘Public value and the integrative mind: how multiple sectors can collaborate in city building’, Public Administration Review, vol. 74, no. 4, pp. 457-464.

Form follows function n.d., Web.

What makes a successful place?n.d., Web.

Zhong, C, Huang, X, Arisona, SM, Schmitt, G & Batty, M 2014, ‘Inferring building functions from a probabilistic model using public transportation data’, Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, vol. 48, pp. 124-137.

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