arch 121

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Recommended: Impact of architecture on society

“Form follows profit, is the aesthetic principle of our times” Richard Rogers.
This is one view. Discuss the factors outside the architect’s influence that you consider to have the most impact on the design of buildings today. Consider the positive and negative aspects of these influences.

Profit certainly is an important factor when considering the impact on the design of buildings but profit may not have the most impact, other factors such as the economy, the client, politics and technical possibilities could also claim to have the most impact on design.

‘In 2012 the construction industry in the UK contributed £83.0 billion in economic output, 6% of the total. (Rhodes, 2013, p. 1)’ Therefore when the 2008 recession arrived, it hugely affected the construction industry.
‘Between February 2008 and March 2009 the number of architects claiming job seeker’s allowance soared by 760%. (Lowery and Wright, 2011)’ Even if Architects have been lucky enough to keep their jobs, the impact of which the recession has had on the design of buildings and the construction industry in general, has been incredibly large. Architects working in any sector have been affected. In the Public sector there have been cuts to schools infrastructure of -81%, largely as a result of the scrapping of Building New Schools (Rogers, 2012). This means that the majority of newly built schools will have to be designed under strict budgeting. No longer are Architects able to design public buildings without thinking of the current economic climate.
In the private sector, individuals and companies themselves have been hit hard by the recession, with minimal pay rises and the cost of living still increasing. This left the private sector with little or no discretionary ...

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...in specialists to investigate the animals will therefore cause unexpected costs which may have to change certain parts of the design to keep within the required budget. For some species of bats, they are unable to be rehoused and therefore will have to be designed around such as in DMAs Apartment Block in Westminster where ‘the designs had to feature habitats for pipistrelle and horseshoe bats and species of bird life (Vaughan, 2007).’ This increased costs and also effected the look of the design as they have to include ‘A series of bat tubes and bird boxes will be built into the make-up of the wall limiting their visual impact and providing a sheltered habitat (Dextermoren.com, 2007).’
Overall the site could bring up multiple unexpected problems with planning applications and therefore the design may have to be altered to keep the planning council adequately happy.

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