Effects of tech. on arc

RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY
NKPOLU OROWUROKWO, PORT HARCOURT
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
A TECHNICAL REPORT ON
THE EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON
ARCHITECTURE
Written by:
SAMPSON JOSHUA JACKSON
(DE.2014/1494)
COURSE: ARC478 (TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING)
LECTURER: PROF. IMAAH
AUGUST, 2018

CONTENTS
Table of content 1
Abstract 2
Introduction 3
Periodical effects of technology on architecture 4
Egyptian architecture, Ancient Greece architecture,
Gothic architecture, Roman architecture
Introduction of digital technology into architecture 5
Effects of digital technology on architecture. 6
Summary 7
Reference 8

ABSTRACT
Architecture and technology have always intersected at a precarious crossroads.
In a very real sense, architecture and design are applied sciences that utilize
research and development in technology to propel their work to new heights,
presenting buildings and products that are not only more interesting, but more
responsible and useful as well. Everything from digital drawing and rendering,
to construction documents and building are becoming easier to do with better
results.
Vitruvius, writing on the subject of architecture has stated that “architecture is
a science arising out of many sciences and adorned with much and varied
learning”. He has also said that an architect should be ingenious and adept in
the acquisition of knowledge, a good writer, a skilled draftsman versed in
geometry and optics, expert at figures, acquainted with history, informed of the
principles of natural and moral philosophy
Everything we use on day to day basis is being affected by breakthroughs in
technology. Some of these things are vital to our everyday lives, others simply
make things easier. The following products, designs, buildings and ideas are
what the people around the world are coming up with using technology as their
inspiration.

INTRODUCTION
The science of building is a fascinating subject and unless the resulting edifice
evokes an emotion of some kind, it cannot be considered as a work of art.
Vitruvius, writing on the subject of architecture some twenty-five years before
the Christian era, has stated “architecture is a science arising out of many
sciences and adorned with much and varied learning”. He has also said that an
architect should be ingenious and adept in the acquisition of knowledge, a good
writer, a skilled draftsman versed in geometry and optics, expert at figures,
acquainted with history, informed of the principles of natural and moral
philosophy, somewhat of a musician, not ignorant of the sciences, both of law
and physics, nor of the motions, laws and relations to each other of the heavenly
bodies. The ancient Indian Silpasastra of Manasara, detailing out of the
qualifications of architects and their assistants, has on record similar lines,
which agree with the above statement of Vitruvius.
A perfect product of architecture may be said to be that in which technology.
function, and aesthetics are not in conflict with one another and which yet,
possesses that spark of genius which alone gives vitality to any creative work.
Technology is the function of mathematics and the nature of materials. It has
always influenced building forms. In fact, it is the limiting factor tor in
architectural expression. To the Greeks, the stone lintel was the limiting factor;
to the Romans—the arch; of the Gothic period, the pointed arch, —the ribbed
vault, and flying buttress are well known. The renaissance period, although it
presents many magnificent examples of architecture, cannot be said to measure
any advance in architectural expression except in so far as dome technology
was concerned. There is a saying that necessity is the mother of invention. We
thus find that architecture has all along been the outcome of an efficient
coordination of the effect of a number of technological experts.

PERIODICAL EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON
ARCHITECTURE
EGYPTIAN ARCHITECTURE: The earliest civilization is attributed to
Egypt and it was in this land that rectangular architecture had its origin. They
fashioned lumps of clay into bricks to build a wall. However, it is only when
the Egyptians used their structures for effect, that the history of architecture
properly begins
the great pyramid at Gizeh has been described as the greatest and most accurate
structure ever built. Each of its four sides is almost a perfect equilateral triangle,
with its apex 481 feet above the base. This monument which is more like a
mountain of stone would not have been possible, if the Egyptians were not well
up in their knowledge of mensuration and geometry to execute such a huge and
accurate structure confidently. Its magnitude and the ingenuity shown in fitting
the stones together impress every beholder.
ARCHITECTURE OF ANCIENT GREECE: In the architecture of ancient
Greece, we find again the same post and lintel principle as that of the Egyptians
but on account of their higher cultural standards and technical knowledge, we
find refinement in the proportion of every member which was further enriched
by sculptural decorations. Since life was lived out of doors, the Greeks designed
for external rather than internal effect of their structures. They employed the
beam as a dominating clement in construction. Here was beauty recognized as
an adjunct of building called for in every structure.
ROMAN ARCHITECTURE: The achievement of Romans consisted in
covering large spans. Inspired by the demands for huge spaces where crowds
could assemble, they evolved the arch and the vault. From the engineering
standpoint the Romans made a wonderful discovery in concrete and their
concrete which was derived from volcanic products was exceptionally strong.
This enabled them to build cheaply and rapidly on a vast scale. As Ruskin has
said “The Romans went in for a cheap and easy way of doing that, whose
difficulty was its chief honor”.

Without technological development, the architectural requirements of Romans
might have remained unachieved. It should be noted that the real beauty of
Roman architecture lies not merely in their decorated buildings, but, also and
mainly, in the technological and engineering applications they involve, for the
achievement of their aims. The Roman structural system dominated the
architectural conceptions of the period, during which the Roman empire exerted
its world-wide influence.
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE: The medieval engineers invented the domes
as their new system of roofing over large spaces. The arts of stone carving and
glass painting were perfect with the sole aim of enriching their structures. The
medieval engineers showed better understanding of the mechanics of
construction than the Romans. Having discovered the pointed arch, they knew
how to buttress the walls against the outward thrust of their towering Gothic
vaults. The Gothic structural system was based upon a thorough knowledge of
engineering principles in general and their application to masonry practice in
particular. As a consequence, a living force animated their structures which,
during Egyptian, Greek and Roman era, had been kept together by their dead
weight. Out of medieval structure. emerged the important suggestion of
skeleton framing, which reappeared as a principle of building technique, which
we find today in the practice of modern architecture.
RENAISSANCE PERIOD: Renaissance, which though not contributing
to any new system of construction, was a period of variation and improvement
upon past performances.
With the dawn of the nineteenth century, we find the industrial era, calling for
new structural facilities. Factory buildings, warehouses and railway stations,
requiring large spaces to be enclosed, had to be constructed. for the industrial
revolution. By the introduction of cast iron and later on of rolled steel to meet
new needs, the nineteenth century was placed on a plane of equality with the
great structural periods of the past. Joseph Paxton, in his crystal palace built in
the year 1851, showed how iron framing and sheets of glass could produce a
marvel of airy grace and speciousness by the use of factory-produced building

components. Through the Swiss Engineer Robert Maillart was found reinforced
concrete as a structural material of great elegance and plasticity.
MORDEN ARCHITECTURE: Today, we have structural systems, which
can exercise complete control over space. We can span huge voids; we can
enclose vertical space to any height. New methods of analysis have shown the
way of designing structures as live structures, in which each member
contributes its share to the stability of the whole and this is made with the
minimum expenditure of material, without depriving modern architecture of its
expression.
In recent years, many experiments have been made in the direction of
supplanting stone, brick, tiles, marbles and quartzite by other substitutes like
metals, steel. aluminum, copper, porcelain enameled iron, pre-fabricated slabs,
resin bounded plywood’s, asbestos etc. for external claddings. These with their
characteristic texture, color and properties in respect of absorption and
refraction of light, are made to bring out the purpose for which buildings are
erected. Thus the development and rapid progress of technology have given
very useful tools, in the hands of the architects, for bringing out the beauties
latent in the nature of the materials, and for enhancing the aesthetic value of his
structures, with economy. expression.
INTRODUCTION OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ON
ARCHITECTURE
The first interference of computers in architecture was via the digital designing
programs, especially CAD, which was set as an alternative for the task of the
two dimensional drawing, such as diagrams and sections. This enables the
architect to produce and copy diagrams faster and more efficiently.
Furthermore, the development of such programs has enabled building digital
models that are able to somewhat compensate for the need to make manual
models using materials. Despite the fact that it remains part and parcel of the
designing process, the time and money spent while creating the model and the
period taken to create the model and the high price it costs make it difficult for

the designer to create a new model while modifying it, unlike the digital models
which could be modified almost immediately and extremely quickly.
The invasion of digital technology into our daily lives in the age of modern
technology, especially computers, is an essential irresistible matter. Therefore,
it has become necessary to review its use and examine its effects on the human
mind and body. The use of such technologies in the designing process adds a
new dimension to the architectural product, which enables us to materialize our
ideas that are not fully expressed. However, the challenge enables us to hold on
to our human identity and not allow the technology to distance the architect
from performing his/her original role, which is the construction of Earth and
making human existence on it safe and constructive. However, the means of
representation in architectural design greatly affects the result of the design
process since such means are what express the design and transfer it from the
imagination of the designer to the visual world. The ambition and creativity of
the designer would not lead anywhere without the animation means capable of
expressing it in an efficient way. The animation means cannot be considered
separate from the content of the design; it rather greatly and directly affects it.
EFFECTS OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY ON
ARCHITECTURE
The digital design technology has facilitated the representation of the design
and architectural drawing which were accomplished manually before providing
these means. However, the major effect of this technology was on the design
process itself. Nowadays, most of the architectures use programs not only to
develop ideas but also to draw and represent them.
Another of the major impacts of technology on the digital design is the
distance created between the designer and the architect. Thus, the design
becomes more and more visual. Architecture as a profession has the implicit
ability to create this distance as it consists of drawing but not constructing
buildings. However, the manual drawing and the building of solids help to build
a bridge connecting the architect and his/her building. Nevertheless, using

computers limits the interaction between the architect and his/her building to
just moving the mouse and pressing the keys of the keyboard. Definitely, using
the hands in any production process is very important in developing some sort
of empirical knowledge which cannot be gained through reading books or using
computer software.
ARCHITECTS THAT BECAME GREAT DUE TO DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY
ZAHA HADID: Zaha Hadid who has been very famous for her
designs which gained international acknowledgement and appreciation, and at
an early stage of her professional career, she could not use the computer in her
designs as modern design software was not available at that time. Zaha Hadid
was expressing her ideas through drawings and works of art. However, by
developing design software and the possibility of its use in the design process,
she has been able to represent her designs more realistically through digital
solids. This has enabled her to transform her paintings into architectural
designs including schemes, sections, and all of the engineering drawings
required for construction.
FRANK JERRY: Architect Frank Jerry, the famous designer of the
Guggenheim Museum in Spain, whose career path has been greatly influenced
by the design technology in his career. Jerry starts by building models using
cartoon, wood, and different materials. Then, advanced devices scan the
models and turn them into digital images. Images are transferred to CATIA
Program which is developed to manufacture aircrafts in Dassault Hall
Company in order that the design team are able to turn them into a digital
model, and then translate then into engineering drawings.

SUMMARY
Technological progress has always influenced the architecture of any period
and consisted in the periodic advent of:
 new materials of construction either natural or artificial.
 new methods or processes or construction including finishing, etc.,
 new conceptions, theories, calculations and design principles, as a result of
the continuous research,
 new demands made by almost every sphere of human activity, from simple
protection for residential purposes to the most complex of industrial and
other structures of modern times.
Without the utilization of the results of technological development, the
architectural requirements of strength, permanence, beauty, economy and
efficiency could not have been secured in architectural work. Architecture,
without technological progress, would have stayed stagnant, stereotyped and
incapable of the many artifices, which impart truth, beauty and goodness to
structures. Technology holds architecture in its grip and every architect has,
therefore, to remain abreast of all technical developments in the matter of
design, construction and materials, if he has to keep himself professionally up
to date.

REFERENCES
1. Prakash, Aditya. "Effect of Technology on Architecture." In Seminar On
Architecture, edited by Achyut P. Kanvinde, 145-148. New Delhi: Lalit
Kala Akademi, 1959.
2. Mehta, Jaimini. The Hut and the Machine. Vadodara, India, 2003.
3. Brian Cody- The Role of Technology in Sustainable Architecture
4. Ganju, MN Ashish. Architecture and the Act of Building - House and
Studio for Self, Aya Nagar. Ahmedabad, 2009

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