In the beginning there was the aedicule, the cave, and various structures for living. These structures were functional and and served their purpose as firm shelter from jeopardous weather and predators. Nomadic structures served seemingly the first two conditions of architecture defined by Sir Henry Wotton: commodity and firmness. The last condition, architecture for delight, was not fulfilled until the time of Stonehendge and the Egyptians. Delight in architecture is the aesthetic value of an edifice brought on by artistic notions. People first used the concept of delight in building for religious complexes, tombs, and temples dedicated to the gods. Nomadic peoples may have had structures made for religious purposes but it is more likely that they used the natural environment around them for spiritual practices.
The Pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge, and numerous other stone structures are the first religious structures still surviving today. All serve a function and were built with such precision that they are astoundingly still standing. They also complete the design cycle and fulfill the delightful notion of architecture. Stonehenge and the pyramids were quite simple in form. What made these structures delightful was the material used such as the bright stone of the pyramids that stuck out against the sand, their grand scale, and the unity created by visual hierarchy. More complex and decorative elements manifested in buildings in Greece and Rome. Grecian and Roman architecture has also outlived its time and continues to be the foundation and inspiration for building forms today.
Male and female forms in architecture date back to the ancient world with the Pyramids representing the powerful male form. Large columns also represent the male form and the power of a government or ruler. Trajan’s Column in Rome was built in honor of the Roman emperor Trajan. Reliefs of two successful military campaigns circle up around the column. Monuments such as this one depict the greatness of an empire and its military in a highly decorative male form. Female forms in architecture are less common because almost all rulers were male and the ruler and government defined architecture established, as much of it still is today. Queen Hapshepsut's temple is an example of a female form of architecture with smaller male forms lining the entire structure. The temple is long and horizontal sitting into the rocky mountainside. It is much more about going in and becoming a part of the landscape rather than building up off of the landscape. The columns that go across the front façade of the building are male forms however they are much smaller in scale compared to the horizontal elements of the structure.
Building forms have evolved from these foundations of geometric forms, gender defined architecture, and decorative surfaces. Today we still use all of these foundations of architecture to mold our modern buildings. The difference between modern buildings inspired by ancient architectural foundations and actual ancient architecture is that modern buildings have different commodities; furthermore, although ancient edifices were built firm enough to sustain the years up until now but the buildings today require hi-tech structures in order to achieve their great heights and remain firm even in a natural disaster. The foundations unit summed up the basic features that allows for us to build upon and evolve into better architectural forms today through finding the most effective commodious, firm, and delightful systems for architecture.
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