Research Essay

Architecture is more than just buildings, its where people live and
sustain. Also its ideas where architects convey their lives in these buildings.
The history of architecture goes way back thousands of years. It has
started and isnt going to stop any time soon. Since the earliest date 11,600
BC, humans have been building structures. Underground, in the sand,
forests, rock, everywhere. In the prehistoric times humans constructed
earthen mounds, megaliths (which are larges stones linked together to make
a monument or building), Stonehenge (a huge stone monument), cliff
dwellings, and mud structures. These are some amazing wonders which
humans have made and as early as 3,500 BC. By 3,050 BC, humans were
building pyramids. Ancient Egypt (as it was called at that time), powerful
rulers made their slaves construct large pyramids such as the Pyramid of
Giza. This were feats of engineering that were capable of reaching great
heights. As we get to the classical age (850 BC to 476 AD), columns were
established. The columns were marks of power. They continue to influence
building designs in modern day. The renaissance era was the Age of
Awakening for architecture. Architecture became more popular and
beautiful. Long after the era ended, architects in the Western world found
inspiration in the beautifully architecture. Architecture can change a lot but it
still influences architects nowadays. In the 1890s to 1914, the New Style Art
Nouveau became popular. It was first impressed in fabrics, graphic designs,
and furniture. It soon spread to buildings which had asymmetrical shapes,

arches, and decorative surfaces with curved, plant-like designs. Neo-Gothic

architecture came between 1905 and 1930. Neo-gothic ideas were applied to
modern buildings like castles, many cathedrals, and other structures.
Gargoyles, arched windows, and other medieval details ornamented soaring
skyscrapers. After that, art deco architecture took old of some buildings
which have zigzag patterns and vertical lines that create dramatic effects on
art deco buildings. This was inspired by the architecture of ancient Egypt.
Now is the 21st century and modern architecture with lots of different
segments. I will touch on some of the different architecture later.
There are so many types of architecture and there are also thousands
of architects and its impossible to touch on all of them. But theres a couple
that really stand out and have changed the architectural world such as
Leonardo da Vinci. Most of people know him from his paintings but he also
conceptualized a lot of flying machines, armored fighting vehicles,
concentrated solar power, adding machines, and architecture. He had no
idea but he was giving future architects ideas for their own buildings.
Another great architect was Frank Lloyd Wright who was a 20th century
architect. He was an American architect, interior designer, writer, and
educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures and only 532 of them
were completed. Only half of all structures designed are actually built. By
1901, Wright had completed about 50 projects including houses that are
located in Oak Park. During the latter 1920s and 1930s, Wrights organic
style had fully matured with the design of Graycliff, Fallingwater, and Taliesin

West. Many architects have their own ideas and have given present day
architects ideas.
An architect has the biggest role in making a building. The architect is
the one who plans, designs, and oversees the construction. There is also the
drafter who plays a role in making of a building. The drafter takes the
designs from the architect and engineers it using a software (CADD) to
convert them into technical drawings and plans. CADD is short for Computeraided and drafting which is a well-used software all over the world. So
architects and drafters work together often. And then theres is the drawings
they make.
Many types of architectural drawings are made to give architects a
perspective and also the client. Presentations drawings is the first one. They
arent intended to appear realistic but they include people, vehicles, and
trees. It is intended to give design ideas and to communicate ideas and
concepts. Survey drawings are used to measure existing land, structure, and
buildings. These drawings are very similar to topography drawings.
Architects need accurate survey drawings to properly make plans for a
building. Construction workers would need exact dimensions. Record
drawings are used sometimes especially when working on very large
buildings. In the renaissance, architects studied and recorded the remains of
Roman and Greek civilizations for ideas for their own work. There is lots of
history in architecture for the architects. Working drawings include the
architects drawings. This includes structural and service engineers

drawings. Location drawings include floor plans, sections, elevation, etc. And
the final set of drawings are assembly drawings which show wall details in
layers.
All those drawings are used in building a house or a skyscraper. The
process of getting to build a building is fairly long which something a
architect does all the time. A housing process is somewhat of a long process.
It starts with a client approaching the architect. When a client has an idea
they approach an architect or a firm to discuss details. Then a contract is
drawn up and agreements are made. Architect fees are never the same fees
from time to time because every project is different so some have more work
than others which is more time spent on it by the architect. It is a quoted
percentage of the total construction cost. Then an agreed lump of sum which
is based on anticipated work involved which goes according to time. Some
architects have hourly or daily charges. The initial design is 25%, developed
design 25%, detail design 25%, and the construction is 25% of the cost. After
all the fees are agreed upon the client and architect will meet again so that
the client can discuss requirements and aspirations of the project. The client
also advises the architect if their budget so the architect doesnt go over.
Then the architect analyzes the requirements and presents the initial design
proposals. By this time the project is more developed. How the structure is
built and renewable energy sources are integrated into the building is done
at this point. The architect prepares more drawings for the client and once
the client is happy with the developed design the architect will proceed to

producing full construction drawings, site works. Once the fully developed
design is done, the architect prepares a Form of Tender for the contractor. It
is best to have at least three contractors (tenders) for the project. The reason
they choose between a few contractors instead of just one is because
contractors give different costs to the project and they have different work.
Then the architect will look at the contractors work and costs which will help
the architect figure out who would be the most cost efficient. Once the
contractor is picked, the construction will start. During this period, the
architect will periodically inspect the building. Payments start during this
period as well. Once the construction is done, part of the payment is held for
up to twelve months and is only paid out on the architects instructions. From
when the client goes to an architect all the way to when the construction
starts is a long step. An architect is the biggest part of a project. They do the
most work.
Many architects are trying to make buildings more efficient using
Passive House or LEED. Passive House is a term that refers to a rigorous,
voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building that is reducing its
ecological footprint. This results in ultra-low energy buildings that require
little energy for space heating or cooling. To achieve certification, buildings
must have a space heat demand of <15 kWh/(ma) or a maximum heating
load of < 10 W/m, a primary energy demand of < 120 kWh/(ma) and a
building air tightness of < 0.6 /h. When trying to reduce heat and cooling
from escaping, super insulation, advanced window technology, airtightness,

ventilation, space heating, lighting(LEDs), and electrical appliances. LEED is

short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED is an
environmental performance of buildings, homes, and many other types of
construction. It is used it increase the amount of sustainable buildings in
America. When LEED first came, the people who ran it realized that very few
buildings in America was sustainable but in the last ten years it has
increased significantly. LEED isnt really focused on energy performance but
more focused on materials used. Because the materials used in projects can
effect it through heat or cooling escaping buildings etc. LEED is used so
much around the world more than just in America, for an example, China is
so populated but they are building sustainable buildings there.
The Shanghai Tower was designed by an American architectural firm,
Gensler with the help of a Chinese architect, Jun Xia, who led the design
team. The Shanghai Construction Group won the bid to build the Shanghai
Tower. This massive tower, which is owned by a consortium of Chinese stateowned companies, is the second tallest tower in the world. The building is
632 meters (2,073 ft.) high and has 128 stories. The total floor area is
380,000 m (4,090,000 sq. ft.). The Shanghai Tower was designed for high
efficiency which provides multiple separate zones for office, retail, and
leisure use. A Gensler spokesman described the tower as the greenest
super high-rise building on the earth at this point in time. The design of the
tower's glass facade, which completes a 120 twist as it rises, is intended to
reduce wind loads on the building by 24%. This reduced the amount of

construction materials needed. The Shanghai Tower used 25% less structural
steel than a conventional design of a similar height. As a result, the
building's constructors saved an estimated US$58 million in material costs.
Construction practices were also optimized for sustainability. Though the
majority of the tower's energy will be provided by conventional power
systems, vertical-axis wind turbines located near the top of the tower are
capable of generating up to 350,000 kWh of supplementary electricity per
year. The double-layered insulating glass faade was designed to reduce the
need for indoor air conditioning, and is composed of an advanced reinforced
glass with a high tolerance for shifts in temperature. In addition, the
building's heating and cooling systems use geothermal energy sources.
The Burj Khalifa was designed by Adrian Smith, then of Skidmore.
Owings and Merrill (SOM) were the structural engineer, whose firm designed
the Willis Tower and One World Trade Center. The contractors were Samsung
C&T Corporation, Besix, and Arabtec. The Burj Khalifa is the tallest structure
in the world standing at 829.8m (2,722 ft.). It has 163 floors. The decisions to
build the buildings is based on the governments decision to diversify from
an oil-based economy to tourism and for Dubai to gain international
recognition.
The Burj Al Arab is a hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is
the third tallest hotel in the world; however, though 39% of its total height is
made up of non-occupiable space. The shape of the structure is designed to
mimic the sail of a ship. It has a helipad near the roof at a height of 210 m

(689 ft.) above ground. The Architect was Tom Wright, who has since become
co-founder of WKK Architects. The design and construction was managed by
a Canadian engineer Rick Gregory also of WS Atkins. The hotel was built by
South African construction contractor Murray & Roberts and Al Habtoor
Engineering.
The CCTV Headquarters is a tower that serves as headquarters for
China Central Television (CCTV) that was formerly at the China Central
Television Building. The architectural firms that designed this building was
Office for Metropolitan Architecture and East China Architectural Design &
Research Institute. The developer was China Central Television and the
structural engineer was Ove Arup & Partners. The contractor was China State
Construction and Engineering Corporation.
In conclusion, the history of architecture is what really inspires current
day architects and passive house and LEED is what buildings need to be
current day. Buildings are where people live and since they live in these
buildings, they should also help sustain them using passive house or LEED.
Architecture is something we all work together to make better and architects
try to put their ideas in these buildings but the people also need to help.