The role of architects as social and political agents

Introduction 

In the long past, we have witnessed the predominant effect of politics on the built environment, either indirectly or directly. Looking down on ancient times, many structures will come forth that, in a way, have stood as icons of political importance. One of the best examples of a structure is the Statue of Liberty, which is one of the most prominent architectural icons in history. The foundation of this structure lies in the political association between France and the U.S. and stands as an icon of friendship between these two countries. The statue was commissioned for design by a famous French sculptor, Auguste Bartholdi.

Way before this time, architecture was dominated by its social associations. Looking back to ancient Egypt, we can see how architecture played a vital role in social aspects. For instance, huge pyramids were built to bury only socially important people like kings and other royal families. Similarly, Greeks divided their whole town into two major parts – the Agora and the Acropolis, to maintain a social custom in the region by keeping the kings, gods, and ministers high above on a hill called the Acropolis. But do we see such architectural practices nowadays? Yes, we do. However, now architects and planners are working efficiently towards influencing the built environment, either politically or socially. 

Architects as Political Agents

Architects play a vital role as political agents in today’s world. The governing body of any region or area initiates the idea of any development, which is then commissioned by the architects and planners to fulfill it efficiently. Thus, as the creator of a new phase of the area, an architect or planner should come up with an idea that will prove successful. The duties of an architect or planner are not confined just to the architecture and planning but also to amalgamate the built environment with its natural or man-made surroundings. Thus, with a well-planned idea, the output can prove effective. Some of the examples portraying the same are:

Central Secretariat, New Delhi, India: The central secretariat stands as an iconic structure depicting the political history of India. This heritage building, designed by an English architect, Herbert Baker, is a perfect example demonstrating the revival of the Indo scenic architecture. Thus, Baker intermixed rich Mughla and raw Rajasthani architecture into the building structure. The building has 1,000 rooms with a dome at the top, alongside umbrella-like structures called chatris. Other features in the building are Jali, columns, and other such Mughal architecture features. The building was officially inaugurated in 1927 and served as the secretariat building at that time, housing multiple government meetings and conferences. Soon after independence, this structure became the seat of sovereign India but was soon abandoned. Now, the building stands as an epitome of India’s history. 

House of Parliament, Hungary: The iconic parliament building in Hungary was built in 17 years, from 1885 to 1902, and followed the design by architect Imre Steindl, who died way before he could see the completion of his designed structure. But his work is still remembered for its outstanding design, which stands along the bank of the Dune. The House of Parliament is composed of various local materials with Hungarian craftsmanship. The building structure reflects Gothic style with a touch of Renaissance architecture. Due to these factors, the building complex is revered all around the world, owing to which it also got listed among the UNESCO world heritage buildings. 

The structure, along with being the epitome of Hungarian history, has also been a major tourist attraction. Currently, this building is being used for holding the Hungarian National Assembly, along with guided tours for visitors. This building is also known as the “House of the Country” or “House of the Nation.”

Architects as Social agents

Architecture has always played a vital role in maintaining a livable community and promoting social ties. If we look at all the panned urban spaces, we will realize the role played by architects and planners in shaping our environment. Architecture helps the community grow together and gets timely upgrades depending on the needs and requirements of the people. These planned or designed places are self-sustaining thus adding value to any place and providing various social and cultural services. To further understand the role of architecture in maintaining social relations in the environment, let us jump into some of the examples: 

Bruz Utopia, France: With urbanization, land crunch is increasing simultaneously, leading to a rise in accommodating issues in the population. Thus, to cope with this gradually emerging issue, there was a need to provide a sustainable high-density housing project. This issue led to the idea of creating self-contained living complexes for people in the city. On further working on this issue, a design emerged, which came to be known as the Brux Utopia design by Champenios architects. The building has a geometric form, ensuring excellent accessibility and connectivity to different zones in the structure. Certain features, like Greenhouse atriums, indoor plants, and green planting zones, add to the project and make it the epitome of social living. To further promote social relations among the residents, public gardens are also provided, with access to all the living units through overhead bridges. 

Community Centre, Martinborough, New Zealand: With advancing technology, people are constantly looking to decipher ways to increase communal interactions. Thus, to work towards the same aim, a community center was built in New Zealand in 2018 by the architects – Warren and Mahoney. The community center provides a common ground for different communities to come together and connect harmoniously. This community center is an extension of Martinborough town hall, housing various communal and recreational spaces like a library, cafe, visitor center, and many more. These spaces provide support services for a community. The use of timber and other vernacular materials makes the building livable and inviting for various communities to come together. The flexible internal spaces and open outdoor planned spaces, intermingled with the contemporary design of the structure, provide a communal space for all people. 

Thus, these examples very well depict the active contribution of building spaces in our society. For ages, architects and planners have been working towards providing a design solution that helps a community or a nation grow socially, ecologically, or politically. 

References:

1. Architecture as a Political Instrument: Andres Jaque and Enrique Wlaker in conversation (2017 by A Jaque) scielo.chile,  Available at: https://www.scielo.cl/pdf/arq/n96/en_0717-6996-arq-96-00016.pdf (Accessed: 3 October, 2023) 
2. Architecture and Politics (2009 by Sveriges) cae.eu, Available at: https://www.ace-cae.eu/fileadmin/New_Upload/6._Architecture_in_Europe/EU_Policy/SE-report.pdf (Accessed: 3 October, 2023) 
3. Architecture: Designers as social agents (24 February, 2014 by Navarro Sertich) fvelissues, Available at: https://favelissues.com/2014/02/24/architecture-designers-as-social-agents-looking-at-techo-as-an-alternative-design-approach/ (Accessed: 3 October, 2023) 
4. The French Connection (7 June, 2018) nps.gov, Available at: https://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/historyculture/the-french-connection.htm#:~:text=The%20Statue%20of%20Liberty%20was,States%20during%20the%20American%20Revolution.  (Accessed: 4 October, 2023) 
5. The political Dimension of Architecture: Activism through design (16 August, 2020 by Andreea Cutieru) archdaily, Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/945659/the-political-dimension-of-architecture-activism-through-design (Accessed: 4 October, 2023) 
6. Hungary’s most iconic buildings: the magnificent house of Parliament (2013) visithungary, Available at: https://visithungary.com/articles/parliament (Accessed: 4 October, 2023) 
7. Bruz Utopia Housing by Champenois Architects (17 June, 2022 by Jerry Elengical) stirworld, Available at: https://www.stirworld.com/see-features-bruz-utopia-housing-by-champenois-architectes-explores-idyllic-community-living (Accessed: 4 October, 2023) 
8. Waihinga Martinborough Community Center / Warren and Mahoney (22 August, 2019) archdaily, Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/923368/waihinga-martinborough-community-centre-warren-and-mahoney (Accessed: 4 October, 2023)