BUILDINGS are more than just enclosed voids, punctured with windows and doors and covered with a roof over them. These are structures that contain rooms and spaces, which are meant for human habitation and activities. Thus, the design and planning of buildings should be done with utmost consideration to different factors, from climate and environment to user behavior, which would enhance the spatial experience and designated activities that these would cater to. Moreover, the work involved in the generation of buildings that are both beautiful and functional should be done by the appropriate professional, academically trained and legally registered to do such vital task.
Today, Oct. 1, directs the spotlight on architecture, as the whole world celebrates “World Architecture Day.” This year’s global theme is another reminder on the importance of architects (no, they are not the same as engineers but they collaborate with them in most projects) in shaping the entire built environment. To celebrate their profession, these young architects talk about how architecture can improve the way people live.
“For a better world, good architecture considers the basic needs and preferences of the end users and responds to the context of the environment. It can help create better places, make a community more livable and sustainable, improving the quality of life. Architecture is creating a vision and a lifestyle and transforming them into a functional yet aesthetically pleasing reality,” - Patrick Lendel and Leizle Go, husband and wife / architect partners (LLG Architects)
“Architecture not only provides shelter against the elements, it also encapsulates values and emotions that people put into them. As architecture stands the test of time, it provides man a tangible link to his past, giving him a sense of temporal orientation as he learns from the past and looks into the future.” - Neil Andrew Menjares, architect / urban planner / coordinator (USC Architecture Graduate School)
“Architects are defined as master builders—collating various design and construction trades to accommodate the well-being of the society and the environment. With the effects of climate change experienced by the world today, architects are instrumental in providing sustainable solutions to reduce its negative impacts. They take significant steps towards sustainability through green building technologies. Strategies such as the use of low-flow fixtures, installation of energy efficient equipment and materials that reduce carbon emission, and so forth, help mitigate the climate change and increase resilience towards its harmful effects. Architects play a significant role in integrating and implementing these strategies to build a greener and better world.” - John Paul Efe, LEED Green Associate architect
“Architecture can help build a better society by properly exercising its code of ethics in dealing with the state as well as its people. Further, sensitivity to their respective needs should be given immediate attention in order to have an equal protection among themselves. This will result in an architectural practice that is definitely suited to the changing environment of the present time.” Louisito Domalaon, chapter president (United Architects of the Philippines - Archizonian Chapter)