A Critical examination of new materials and technology on architectural expression

Abstract

"To believe that one can attain beauty by untruth is heresy in the practice of art ..... "(1) "In architecture, the question of truth and untruth refers to the relationships between form and construction or between form and content" (2)"The fusion of these two elements is the absolute aim of all great art . The simplest example is offered by poetry which cannot exist without the close association or the magic symbiosis of sound and meaning". (3) The above statements strengthened the fact that a built form and a choice of materials& construction systems should have a close relationship ,as such an arrangement will facilitate full realization of the meaning of such a built form . This meaning attribute has to be regarded as the dominant element of the built form and one that breathes vigor and vitality into it and helps to ensure its survival. The role of materials and technology is to provides the physical entity for this meaning .Since the expression is visible aspect of this meaning, materials & technology act as a media of architectural expression .Therefore in the creation process of architecture there are two distinct ends come in to play harmonizing with each other. Materials and technology: Architectural Expression An important point to note is that Industrial Revolution in Europe in the 15th century ,has actually served as a strong stimulus to the growth and expansion of building industry. This situation has in a sense created a great change in this relationship, and therefore it impacts on architectural expression. New technical innovations gave designers a new opportunity of designing buildings ,using new materials which in turn generated better conditions , for ensuring that the built form carried the appropriate meaning and expression .Not with standing the above, the principle point to note is that this situation has also created new trends on the score of as to whether those new technical innovations would really meet a successful architectural entities. "The sources of the visual vocabulary of structural technology which is used in high tech architecture are various and for the most part. not architectural . They occur in the world of 'pure' structural engineering -principally in long -span bridge building -and also in the vehicle technology and aeronautical engineering fields" (4) "The dual investigation has brought me to the conclusion that a technically perfect work can be aesthetically inexpressive. Good technology seems to be a necessary though not sufficient condition for good architecture". (5) Therefore in this situation it can be said that new materials and technology has created a dual impact on architectural expression. The following study is a detail examination of this impact .In this situation I regard this subject I have under taken as an exciting challenge to probe into a field that is both complex and rich and from which certain valuable impressions and conclusions, could be drawn. It is important to note that If I had more time I could have gone into more detail in this examination.