The house as an extension of self : the architect's role in designing for living

Abstract

In an era where the profession is all the more concerned with modern technologies and avant-garde solutions, hi-tech materials and futuristic forms, the true scope of the architecture created is all the more unclear. The speed at which new design tools emerge and develop has moulded expectations and widened the spectrum of available opportunities. Whether aesthetically pleasing, structurally stable and environmentally efficient, the function of the building is often lost and confused – has the building been reduced to a mere container or exhibition of fine sculpture? It is the human element that makes the building what it is, gives it a use, sets a scale and defines its role in society. A space is not only required to respond mechanically to its users but to infuse corporeal qualities that grow, change and redefine themselves with society. It must evoke emotion and touch the senses. This dissertations proposes a re-thinking of the role of the human body in the present architectural scenario especially on a national level, studying local rends in relation to contemporary lifestyles. The house is taken as a figurative example of architectural space in general, due to its qualities of primary form of expression for its user. A house is to be suitable physically and not only. A search for a deeper sense of self leads to the nurturance of the self in the concept of home: thus, the house as an extension of self. This concept forms the basis of this document, which aims at addressing the felt need for a more user-oriented design approach, based on comprehension of the deeper needs of the human being.