essay architecture past, present, future

ARCHITECTURE : PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
INTRODUCTION
It is interesting that architecture all over the world had changed a lot until now. From old
centuries, that people made their own house from soil and rock with their hands until people
made skyscraper from glass and steel using technology now. Architecture evolution grew in line
with technological evolution.
Past architecture in ancient time begin from stone age. People learn to made their house using
soil and rock. They have no knowledge about architecture but still can made the house built. This
process happened again and again and they become more understand and try with different
materials and different method to built their house. Past architecture was so simple, built their
building based on they need, only house and a place to worship (like temple). They had their
own beliefs about the nature and they must put it into their building. Like Rumah Betang at
Center Kalimantan, it segmented with 3 different part that had meaning. They belief where the
nature ruler live in 2 (two) zone and humans are among them. They belief that the lower part was
the “bad zone” so they put their pet and food storage there. The middle zone was their house
because this is the zone that human live. And the upper zone was roof that represent God
majesty. The time to build also need an agreement from their ancestral spirits through their
tradisional ceremony. They can’t build their house if their ancestral spirits didn’t agree.
Past Architecture element like the structure was so simple but had details on it. They used natural
materials that they found near their home. Because in that time, there was no electricity, the
building very rely on the nature, everything based on nature, from the lighting until airing. So the
building had gap wall. Past architecture in Indonesia known as traditional architecture or
nusantara architecture. Indonesia had a lot of traditional architecture. Each region had different
architecture character. Like Rumah Honai at Papua had conical round roof shape different from
Rumah Gadang at West Sumatera that had curved roof shape like a buffalo horn. Not only roof
form, but the ornaments and other elements also different. It represented their region culture.
So the traditional architecture was nature based. All materials that used from nature. And the
construction used man power with manual techniques. There will be trial and error. Our ancestor
had a brilliant ways on past architecture. Even they didn’t have technology back then, but they
can make their building resist the climate change and still stand until now. Like our greatest
temple, Candi Borobudur, the construction didn’t use cement and technology, but still stand until
now and become one of 7 wonders of the world.
After that century, begin to appear architecture branches that have different concept and style. At
6 th century, Classic architecture style had intense fascination from people that time. After that,

appear new concept that displace the old concept. And so on. like colonial architecture, romanes
architecture, etc. Now, modern architecture and deconstruction architecture had make a huge
effect. The present architecture used combination between human and technology. Every design
process based on technology, like modeling from application and software on computer until the
construction that use advance technology. Before, there was only few software, maybe only
Sketchup and Autocad. But now it becomes a lot, like Revit, Ecotect, Archicad, and Sketchup
also had a lot version. Modeling the design become so much easier now because these softwares.
People don’t need to draw design manual again. People now not only build building based on
their needs, but also their wants. Like mall, cinema, public space, and etc.
Different from traditional architecture, modern architecture style have simple geometric form
with less ornaments. Has no belief that need to follow, and everything more like something that
represent something. Use technology for everything, from lighting with lamp and airing with Air
Conditioner (AC).
Present architecture have complex structure and incredible design. Present architect become
more creative on making design. Like Zaha Hadid buildings, that have dynamic movement effect
on it. Sometimes, modern architecture more concerned with aesthetic than function. With
technological advances, architecture is currently less interested in building buildings that are
open to nature anymore. The availability of electricity and sophisticated machinery helps replace
lighting from the sun with lights, and air with ac. Many buildings today that use modern
materials such as glass, steel, etc. And architect now also do innovation to make more advance
materials.
I think future architecture will become more incredible and amazing. We can see, the technology
that we have this last one decade had change architecture a lot, and I think, future architecture
will based on technology that become more sophisticated. Nowadays, Artificial Intelligence (AI)
and 3D printing for architecture are already used by some countries. 3D printing allow us to creat
unique design realized easier, but also make the construction done faster. Like Dubai first 3D
printed Office. The construction only need 17days and still operate until now.
Maybe future architecture also become modern city that will have a lot skyscraper. The city that
have no short house anymore, but change it to apartment and vertical dwelling. Because
residential land is getting smaller every year insufficient population growth. The city will
become smart city, that everything control by technology. The buildings’ facade maybe can
move as needed. Like Finance Center at Shanghai.
I think future architecture will also become green and sustainable architecture. Because now the
emission that building give to earth was tremendously huge. Green and sustainable architecture
is architecture that try to minimize the energy consumption and minimize negative
environmental effects. It application with using eco friendly materials, renewable energy system,
less carbon emission construction, etc. For example The Pearl River Tower at Guang Zhou,

China. The building is 0% energy consumption. The building has wind tunnel that can convert
wind energy into electricity. The building use the electricity to operate the building itself. The
material that its use are double glass window with blinds that can reduce solar radiation to the
building, so the inner building don’t get too much kalor. The building also don’t use Air
Conditioner (AC) because its use passive and active cooling. Cold water pumped in the cooper
pipes and distributed to little pipes over the beams, so the cold air radiatively distributed to every
room. The hot air or the heat streamed to the pipes and discarded to outside the building, so the
building need no AC. The non-renewable energy supply is running low now. If architecture
didn’t change to green and sustainable architecture, the non-renewable will run out.
With the advancement of science and technology, I think it is also possible that future
architectures will build on other planets, for example on the moon or mars. Because, people now
think that the earth can’t accommodate the population growth that need more buildings. Now
some countries have started selling tickets to the moon and mars. That means in the future maybe
people will move to the moon. If people move to the moon, architect must build buildings there
too.
Architecture has changed a lot from the beginning until now and will change in the future too.
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