The idea behind the unbuilt is something about imagination, the vision behind any project which presents the potential for the future of architecture. Just imagine, how the history of architecture could have been altered if some of the great projects from many architect’s work legacies had actually been constructed.
Why is Unbuilt Architecture Better?
From the philosophical perspective, it is believed that the best works of an architect are the ones that never came into physical existence; these projects are most creative and are truly considered as the art of buildings. Every member of the architecture community – students, professionals, architects spreads their imagination through documentation, drawings, and sketches. They can preserve their ideas for a better future in architecture. We find many remarkable designs from history that never came into existence but helps in a better understanding of their life, design process and creativity they had to change the world through architecture.
Unbuilt projects retain their original ideology, as they are undisturbed by endless negotiations and adjustments that are required through the execution of the project. The drawing on paper or creating realistic 3D models allows insight of an unusual perception of the world that might not be possible in the real world, but it gives way to new ideas, imagination and the zeal to make it possible in the real physical world.
Advanced Photo-realistic Architecture
Today’s advanced realistic rendering, 3D designing software presents the opportunity for better visualization and communication of unbuilt architecture. It helps professional designers and architectural students in better understanding of conceptualization of projects that could shape their architectural practice and help them showcase their talent to the whole world. Architectural drawing is the only medium that reflects their ideas, creativity and thinking process in the most accurate way possible. Digital models enhance the understanding of viewers in terms of textures, materials, forms, the use of light and shadow in their projects.
The digital representation shows all the three-dimensional spaces of unbuilt projects. It has revolutionized the thinking process of architects, provides them with unlimited opportunities to manipulate the shapes and forms. Spatial qualities of unbuilt architecture can be explored and pushed through new boundaries. However, one should only depend on digital software; nothing can be better than handmade sketches for initial concept development.
Reconstructing and Reinventing Past
Research demonstrates that digital techniques can be used to enhance the understanding of unbuilt or lost architecture. Mysteries behind the unbuilt projects and ideas by famous architects are expected to have a deeper meaning or genius ways of realizing buildings. Some critics claim that these ideas remained on paper only because of the progressiveness of the projects associated in those times.
Contemporary representation techniques can help in better knowledge and understanding of the architectural designs that could have exited but never built. In most situations, works of architects remain unbuilt or were never intended to be built. These projects may have been constructed but could have been damaged; the process of reconstructing digital images through remaining documents offers an insight to the new architectural world.
By going through the process of virtual construction of an unbuilt project one can understand the designer’s thought process and also interpret many other possibilities to actually realize the project. The changes in material, spatial elements or orientation will provide new exposures towards designing. We can restore ancient architecture, explore ruined construction, interpret their style of art and recreate the original artifact through our own perceptions. Unbuilt architecture explores the art of concepts and ideas.
