Chapter 1: Prehistory - Architecture
Introduction to Architecture: Prehistory
Architecture, in this course, extends beyond just buildings to encompass interior spaces and the art that decorates them, particularly in early periods where art and architecture are deeply intertwined. This integration is crucial because architecture often serves as the canvas for the majority of art produced, such as intricate relief sculptures, compelling wall paintings, and even the deliberate arrangement of objects within a space. This symbiotic relationship means that to study one effectively, one must understand its connection to the other.
Emergence of Architecture: Themes and Origins
From approximately 5,000 BCE to 3,000 BCE, a critical period during the Neolithic era, the fundamental idea of architecture began to emerge as human societies transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agricultural communities. This significant shift was primarily driven by two recurring and foundational themes: symbol and shelter.
Shelter: Initially the most crucial and practical aspect of architecture, providing essential protection from the elements, predators, and other external threats. Early shelters evolved from temporary structures to more permanent dwellings as communities became sedentary, facilitating the storage of food and communal living.
Symbol: Quickly developed beyond mere functionality, recognizing architecture not just as physical protection but as a powerful and enduring symbol. Buildings and monuments, due to their impressive scale, permanence, and prominent visibility, are exceptionally effective at conveying messages of power, status, religious belief, and communal identity without requiring special access or literacy. This made them a primary medium for communication, propaganda, and cultural expression in many early societies.
The Primitive Hut by Laugier: A foundational concept in architectural theory, introduced by Abbé Marc-Antoine Laugier in his 1753 work Essai sur l'architecture (An Essay on Architecture).
This concept depicts architecture at its most fundamental, representing an idealized, minimalist origin.
Laugier, an 18th-century Enlightenment philosopher, proposed that the ideal form of architecture is derived directly from nature, without superfluous embellishment. He argued that the essential elements of architecture—columns, entablature, and pediment—originated from the basic necessities of shelter.
It illustrates the core debate of form versus function: how the aesthetic shape and structural elements of a building best accomplish its practical and symbolic purpose. Laugier believed simplicity and structural clarity were paramount.
Depicted as four bent trees functioning as columns (illustrating the post and lintel structural system) and a gabled roof made of sticks, representing the simplest possible home, derived directly from natural forms and materials.
Nature as the First Architect
Early forms of architecture were often naturally occurring structures, drastically shaped and formed by geological forces over millennia.
Caves: Considered the absolute first form of architecture, long before humans constructed their own shelters. Caves provided inherent protection and readily available shelter. Early humans adapted these natural spaces through modification—such as clearing debris, performing rock carvings, painting interior walls, and utilizing specific areas for dwelling or ritual purposes—transforming them from mere natural formations into rudimentary architectural spaces imbued with human intent and activity.