Talks about architecture and urban planning

Very welcome to these talks (although, in this case, it is through a written article) that we will surely enjoy by sharing the interest that arises in any person for the arts in general and in this case, for architecture that brings together its attributes of beauty and harmony, with those who organize the spaces built to house, practically, all the activities that human beings carry out.

We will be focusing on very varied aspects of the holistic habitat, architecture and urbanism, avoiding directing it to the academic or exhaustive detail, and rather we will seek to foster a simple and meaningful resonance that motivates everyone.

We consider as transcendental the broad vision of Nature, which includes us and surpasses us due to its inexhaustible capacity for creativity and inspiration that manifests and drives us to design spaces, forms, and settings, which have been a testimony of the great cultural works and heritage of humanity.

The topics that we will be discussing will be limited to three references:

1. Nature, which is a physical space of great diversity and that houses life, vast resources, and supply in its incessant dynamics.
2. Architecture, which is the result of the effort to live in society and establish the family, its home and its privacy as its cell, while its social agglomerate creates human settlements in a number of variants.
3. Variety in the modalities of Urban and Rural, understood as the cities and regions that contain and supply them.

Background:

Now, moving on to an appreciation of the early times of known human presence, we can assume that in their primitive state, humans were forced to dedicate their time and efforts to survival. This meant being very alert to danger and attentive when exploring the resources that nature made available to them.

Only after a long time, and nourished by many experiences and observations, did he manage to advance in agricultural development, the domestication of animals, and finally, he managed to have more time for rest and social coexistence, which allowed the development of his abilities.

Always organized in groups, it allowed him to take advantage not only of his individual experiences and thoughts, but also to comment and exchange his concerns, needs, and address the demands that curiosity imposes on the human mind, seeking explanations and proposing solutions that, over time, They were expanded, perfected, replaced, forgotten and rethought again, seeking very sophisticated improvements.

The primary scenario for these early events was a planet overflowing with nature and few small groups of humans scattered across the continents, with limited travel capabilities.

With very little solid evidence of the achievements and advances in the distant past, contemporary societies have dedicated time, effort and fantasies to convert their own modern myths into sciences and, paradoxically, the myths of the ancients having been so wisely raised have managed to circumvent the censorship of the times, and in the hands of people of discrete talents, they allow us more fundamental knowledge.

It has been achieved through the decipherment of ancient writings and the meanings printed in various ways in the architecture and urban planning of primitive civilizations, to understand and intuit facets of ancient history that keep us interested for generations.

Theme – Nature, Architecture and Urbanism

Below we will briefly exemplify some topics that correspond to each of the three references:

NATURE (bio-holistic habitat):

1. Conceptualization of the harmony of nature – cosmic and earthly – that has been evolving since before human presence.
2. Referring to human settlements, both urban and rural, how can we overcome the negative aspects and contrary to a possible human harmony, when referring to the following particular factors and characteristics: geographical and phenomenological aspects; use of natural resources; care and attention to animal life and perennial vegetation; surface and underground aquifers; political system and institutional organization; legal reinforcement and fight against corruption and criminal vices; predominant economic activities; Educational system; size of human settlements; urban infrastructure; public works, mass telecommunications; Appropriate Technologies.
3. The concept of sustainability referred to urban and regional development emphasizes the application of eco-techniques and the use of non-polluting renewable energies, however, corporate voracity, discrimination and police and legal abuses, as well as deception and corruption in the production of consumer goods, and many other social vices are diametrically opposed to the sustainability of human settlements, both in poor and rich societies.

ARCHITECTURE:

1. Basic and practical functions and characteristics that gave rise to vernacular architecture and popular architecture.
2. Attributes of symbolic, aesthetic and significant values ​​in architecture that come from its relationship and inspiration from the natural physical environment and the urban context.
3. Social aspects that, for very specific and differentiated functional reasons, result in what is called “architectural genres.”
4. Aesthetic qualities and cultural essence that inspire the harmony of forms, meanings and emotional links, to qualify and refer to the artistic features that determine architectural styles.
5. Architectural characteristics and formal and cultural references that underpin the category of world heritage of outstanding architectural works.

TOWN PLANNING:

1. Factors that over time determined the very diverse predominant urban typologies of urban centers or cities.
2. Attributes that are decisive for certain cities to be of greater preference and satisfaction for their residents and even attractive for tourism.
3. Binding relationship between architecture and urban planning in terms of functionality, urban image, cultural character, urban infrastructure and structure, integration with its geography and nature.
4. Functions fulfilled by the various urban development plans and programs, and the concept of a system of integrating centers for certain regional developments.