The Architectural Decisions Made by the Designers

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The architectural decisions
The architectural decisions that are made before the construction of any given building play a very critical role in determining several aspects of a building. It is, therefore, mandatory that the designers should be very categorical and considerate in making the decisions about the building they are planning to construct. The kind of architectural decision made while building a given house usually varies from one building to another; it also depends on other factors such as the location in which the building is to be constructed, the existing culture of the people, the time or period in which the building is to be constructed.
The region in which a given building is to be constructed influences its architectural decisions in that, the decisions made in constructing a house in a rocky place will differ from the ones considered in building next to the shore. Similarly, people would also want to construct a building that replicates those in their culture, for example, if you go to the Islamic nations, then you are likely to see many buildings having a doom shaped rooftops or flat tops. The styles used in building houses also fluctuates from time to time, and that explains why the features and the appearance of the buildings that were constructed during the ancient periods exhibit a profound difference from the ones that are constructed I the modern times.
In this paper we are therefore to look at some of the architectural decisions that were made were made by the designers of the western buildings that were constructed during the ancient period dating before 1100AD.
Before designing a particular building, the designer of the architecture had to put the first consideration into place and this mainly the function of the building that was being constructed. The appearance and other structural decisions that were made had to go hand in hand bearing on the function of the building. For example, before the 1100 AD, some building were constructed for the purpose of being a palace to serve the kingships and therefore the structure of such buildings were to made differently from the other buildings in the kingdom
. As it is expected, a palace is expected to house so many individuals who are the entire royal family, the servants, guards, and soldiers. Based on the many functions of the palace, it is expected that such buildings had to be made in very large size so that it can be able to accommodate all its functions. Owing to the large size of the palace, its structural composition had also to be made in a way that it could smoothly perform this function. On the architectural decisions, a bigger house is more expected to be made using strong materials that can support the large weight. If a bigger structure is not made of equally strong materials and a strong foundation, then the chances of it collapsing of getting easily destroyed by weak forces are very high and therefore such structures should be made very firmly. In building a structure like temples, their designs also took different shapes and structural considerations; the designer should, therefore, be able to understand all the structural requirement of a particular building so that its construction can be using the correct requirements. As expected, a temple should be made in a way that it houses many people and it should also be strong and durable so that it can serve many people for a long period.
Another crucial factor that influences the architectural decisions is the site of construction. Different places require different considerations to be put in place while constructing a building and therefore failure to put this in place may lead constructing a building that may be ineffective in carrying out its functions.
The position of the place will also determine the kind of materials that will be utilized during the construction. For example constructing a building that is projecting into the sea will require one to use very strong metallic or wooden pillars that would support it against the inversion by the sea waves and ocean currents. During the ancient period before 1100, people constructed buildings that were not only used to provide shelter against the sun and rain, but these structures were used for security purposes against the rampant battles and wars during that time. The architects who were present at this time had to make the right decisions by choosing very strong materials that could provide a good shield against the attack from the enemies. In places which were dominated by wars and constant battles the structural decisions had to put such factors into consideration. The architectural decisions for building houses in sandy and muddy soils also required a different mode of the foundation to erect a strong building that could last for a longer time.
After deciding on the type of the building that was to be constructed, the designer is also expected to choose the right building materials could support its structure. The type of materials that could be chosen to be used depended on such factors as, the function of the structure, the material available for use and the existing culture of the people. For the purpose of protection, the architectures had to consider using very strong building materials that can make the building to withstand any form of the external attack.
The designer will also have to make a rightful choice of the kind of constructional technique that will be well applicable in a given house. The type of constructional technique that will be utilized should be a technique that most of the constructors are well conversant with so as to avoid ending up with buildings that are not well formulated just because the constructor was trying out a new skill. The constructional technique that is applied in a building a given household also depends on very many other factors such as the type of the house that is being constructed and the purpose. The designer techniques also vary from place to place depending on the particular region where the construction is to be implemented. The construction technique also depends on the period in which the building is to be constructed. For example, it can be seen that the type of building techniques that were very common during the ancient period have changed over time, this is because, this technique get improved, or more desirable techniques are being formulated.
Basing on the experiences gained from the previous buildings that had similar features, the designer must be able to take note of the various aspects that they have taken note of on the similar constructions that had been done in the past. It can, therefore, be implemented through strengthening the weaknesses of the previous buildings and by further improving the existing features to develop more superior ones. In the ancient times, the western architecture before 1100AD had simpler features, but with time such features were being enhanced to come up with buildings which had very fine qualities as a matter of improving the initial ones
The specific style that a designer will choose for a given building mainly depends on the purpose and the inherent cultural practices within a given region at a given period. The designing style could also serve well as a sign of identity for a given community. The style plays a very crucial role of signifying the beauty of a given architecturally designed building and thus making it look more attractive. Through the style of building construction, it is easy to identify the skills and experience of the designer. The kind of style used in the construction also is very crucial in establishing its beauty. The architectural design can be used meaningfully as a way in of expressing the inherent skills and artistry of the designers. Good infrastructural designs served well as identities through which people could use as the reference points.
As an architectural designer, one encounters various challenges that require solutions to fully address such challenges; it is therefore important that one should be very categorical on the type of the architectural decisions that are being made to handle such challenges that might come along the way. The best architectural decisions will, therefore, lead to good constructional …………………….