Difference Between Architecture and Building

Architectural objects are most likely be buildings, but not all buildings are architectural objects. Buildings must possess certain criteria to be considered as architectural objects. According to the all-time great Greek Architect, Vitruvius, an architectural object should possess the following criteria: COMMODITY, FIRMNESS and DELIGHT.

COMMODITY relates to functional aspects of buildings. A building has to be designed to facilitate the types and sequence of activities to take place in the building. For example, a hotel designer has to consider the access and parking requirements for both guests and visitors, checking-in and reception procedures, food and beverage provisions, house-keeping and security arrangements and such like. Besides these basic functions, the designer has to consider other aspects that would provide maximum comfort to the guests and other users, such as views to the outside, ventilation, natural lighting and thermal comfort. The building must provide both privacy and security, and means of escape from hazards like fire. In short, the building is expected to provide maximum level of comfort, physically and mentally to the would be users.

FIRMNESS relates to structural safety aspects of the building. The building, either a low rise or high-rise structure, has to be designed to withstand the weight of people, furnitures, equipments and the self-weight of the building. Besides that has to be able to withstand adverse weather conditions like strong wind, heavy rain, flooding and shocks from earthquakes. The design of structures to the building should be able to transmit and absorb all the loadings in the most economic way. A very important aspect of structural design is the choice of suitable foundation and piling system after taking into consideration the characteristics and load-bearing capacity of the soil of the project site.

DELIGHT is the key element that turns buildings into architecture. All elements to fulfil the functions and comfort level in a building, and structural elements to provide strength and safety, has to be put up DELIGHTFULLY together to create a piece of architecture. Just like how a composer put together various sounds and noises into MUSIC, an Architect pieces together conflicting elements and requirements in building into a piece of ARCHITECTURE.

A piece of Architecture will make a passerby stops and have a second and third look in admiration, and a user to keep on coming back to enjoy the DELIGHTFULNESS the architecture.

Ar Hj Ismail Daud,
B.Arch(Dundee, Scotland),
Professional Architect/
Principal of Elhamda Consultant Architect.

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