The Impact of Architectural Designs on Modern Cities - Essay Example

The Impact of Architectural Designs on Modern Cities Name: Institution: Professor: Course: Date of Submission: The Impact of Architectural Designs on Modern Cities Introduction Many aspects of human life have changed between the prehistoric times and the postmodern period. One of the greatly changed spheres of life is architecture. Architecture is one of the most influential arts in the world that has transformed since the prehistoric and postmodern period. Developments in architecture have taken on a new face since the ancient Egyptian and Greek foundations of architecture. Most cities that have been built in the postmodern era borrowed so much from the ancient techniques of architecture. The only variation has been realized in the kind of materials employed. This paper will have a close look at the impacts of the development of nee cast-iron and steel manufacturing technologies, on the development of the late 19th and early 20th century modern cities. Development of the Late 19th and Early 20th Century Western Cities The development of the late 19th and early 20th century western cities followed the industrial revolution of the world. This mainly included major development in industries that manufactured materials needed for the population around so that growth could be realized. Just as it is well known, industrialisation had a positive impact towards the generation of fast wealth, improvement of remote areas as well as provision of employment opportunities to the local communities. Industrialization therefore brought in novel ideas in the building types and techniques of construction particularly in the western cities. Buffalo and Pittsburgh form part of the 19th and 20th century steel based cities. In the construction of such cities, the steel was put in the columns of the walls through the bricks. The essence of turning to steel from the initial use of timber in the construction of structure was as a result of checking fire incidences (Marsh, 1985). This however was much more expensive as compared to the timber which was used in the prehistoric period. The use of steel bars for construction was meant to meet the requirements of the period in which these structures had to hold larger capacities of populations as well as other goods. They therefore required a stronger foundation. The western cities architecture took into consideration functionality as well as aesthetic value of the buildings to the local community. A good example of development in the western cities as a result of industrial revolution is seen in most of the American cities that developed from 1830 up to date. This development as seen was divided into period or phases according to what triggered the development. Between 1830 and 1870 was a period of city development s a result of the construction of the railway line following inventions in the land movement. This however can be referred back to the iron and steel industry development in which heavy metals had been manufactured for the construction of the railway line. This followed the new technological development in the production of steel and iron. This railway was essentially meant to serve the ports which eventually led into the development of cities from the easy accessibility of the regions hence products could reach consumers at a faster rate. Examples of such cities include: Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Buffalo just to mention but a few (Marsh, 1985). There was the rise of the steel-rail era in the late 19th century and the early 20th century (Jones, 1995). This in fact heightened the need for bituminous coal as well as the spread of electric power production. Even though the biggest development in state urban centres happened in the cities exceptional to the outskirts of the manufacturing centre, there were a number of obvious exceptions. This included a wide range of smaller cities next to the coal fields, around the Great Lakes, or on the main railway links amid the larger cities in the United States of America. It can be amicably attributed to the development of the steel manufacturing industry which led to the larger growth of rail transport that resulted into the growth of these cities. From the research done, the growth of cities in the internal portion of the manufacturing core has been as a result of the shift of the metallic mineral ores from the peripheries of Canadian Shield to the Coal Fields of Pennsylvania as well as West Virginia. Similarly, the smaller transportation of coal to the other sides of the country encouraged the growth of these cities (Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 2002). Because of the industrial revolution, construction of the western cities also transformed. This followed the changes in the technologies used to manufactured steel for reinforcement. Essentially, though a lot was borrowed in architecture and art from the ancient Greek and Egyptian architectural designs, new designs were as well taken on as the older ones were improved. The late 19th century and early 20th century was marked by the rise in skyscrapers in the western cities. These were tall storey structures that needed extra reinforcement to exist in the high states they were. Only new technologies in steel and iron manufacturing helped produce stronger beams that could be used to support the pillars and columns (Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 2002). It is though notable that architecture did not transform as much since the use of columns and arches was still applied. Social Consequences of the New Cast-Iron and Steel Manufacturing Technologies on the Development of the Late 19th and Early 20th Century Western Cities As noted earlier, the new cast-iron and steel manufacturing technologies led to the development of infrastructure particularly the railway lines in major cities. These kinds of technologies had to entirely rely on coke and other technologies such as natural gas to facilitate smelting of steel into the desired bars for construction. The techniques used for the steel and iron manufacturing had both positive and negative socioeconomic consequences (University of Chicago, 1938). The setting in of new technologies though affected negatively the developing world of the 19th and 20th century, areas that received much of the positive influence included the transformation of the appearance of most western nations. This is what gave rise to the development of urban centres that needed larger municipal services. This resulted into personalized and interdependent economic as well as social life. This caused a complete dependence of the urban workers based on the employers’ orientations. Most individuals moved away from the rural sufferance to acquire new ways of life. The link between capital and labour were exasperated as Marxism set in. Basically, the negative social impacts of the novel technologies in the manufacturing of cast-iron and steel had to do with the environment for human use. The environment forms a pertinent part of every human life considering that everything that people depend on emanates from the environment. Steel and iron manufacturing which mostly depended on natural gas had effects on the purity of the environment. As a result of industrial revolution, there was widespread pollution of the environment starting from land to the air pollution. The extraction of natural gas for instance so that it could be utilized in the blast furnace led to air pollution as well as the land for human occupation raised conflict. As industries increased to facilitate all processes for the manufacturing of steel and iron, there was a wide range of health complications following the chemicals released in the atmosphere during the processing of products that could be utilized in the construction of western cities (Safra, 2003). On the other hand, the emergence of western cities as a result industrialization and extraction of iron and steel led to the rise of social classes. For those individuals that managed to move from their middle class status to the upper class levels, life became easier and more enjoyable. This followed the acquisition of employment opportunities in the steel manufacturing industries. Therefore new technologies used in the cast-iron and steel manufacturing needed skilled personnel for better production. As a result, employment opportunities increased. However, for those that lacked that chance to move into the new technologically advanced steel manufacturing industries, the immediate option was crime. There was the rise of antisocial behaviours like theft so that human beings could satisfy their basic needs (Marsh, 1985). The social transformations that occurred included job creation between the late 19th and early 20th century attributed to the continuous applications of technical inventions like gas-manufacturing in the chemical factories, in canals as well as the railway transport all of which had a direct or indirect applications from the iron and steel manufacturing industries (Jones, 1995). In addition, the novel techniques of industrial production called for more people to move to urban locations. For those cities that were already in existence like New York had a rapid rate of expansion. There was as well emergence of new cities to carry the huge population then moved to urban areas for employment opportunities. This movement resulted into a wide range of unforeseen problems especially in the overcrowding of houses which meant that sanitation had to be a problem as well as conflicts in the law and order sections of the state. On the contrary, the effects of new cast-iron and steel manufacturing involved the development of suburban centres in a process called suburbanization. In this era which forms the greatest period of the late 19th and early 20th century, there was the rise of improved transport and communication lines (University of Chicago, 1938). The period was marked by city merchants of the time construction huge villas along the highways that eventually merged into the western cities. The late 19th century was especially identified with a new wave in the construction sector which was propelled by railway transport development. This almost threatened to swallow exceptional villas build by the merchants with the low and middle class rising to the occasion. The most obvious impact of the suburban development was destruction of the cities in the sense that it encouraged selfishness as well as the neglecting of the duties and obligations of the social structure. This highlighted the rise of class distinctions in housing and the centre of the cities which became depopulated (Reid, 1980). As a result, industrial revolution that marked the use of new technologies in the manufacturing sector facilitated disunity among the residents within the same region as every individual got concerned of their own businesses. Conclusion As much as many changes have occurred in the human history, a lot of the things done in the ancient times are still being emulated. The developments have taken on a new dimension particularly in the technological transformation for manufacturing industries. These changes have taken on all spheres of human existence. Architectural designs have also changed following the innovations in the manufacturing of building and construction material. This paper has taken keen interest in the effects of the new development in the Cast-Iron and Steel manufacturing technologies to the building of western cities. It has been realized that the changes that led to the current western cities came as a result of industrial revolution in which industries emerged to manufacture raw materials needed for the building and construction of cities. This was closely associated with transport and communication sectors that developed to link the cities and industries. The ultimate effect was the shift in the population from remote areas to the urban centres where job opportunities had been created (Jones, 1995). References: Reid, R. (1980). The book of buildings: a panorama of ancient, medieval, renaissance, and modern structures. New York: Rand McNally. Safra, J. (2003). The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume 19. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. (2002). Britannica concise encyclopaedia. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. (2002). The New Encyclopaedia Britannica: Macropædia: Knowledge in depth. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica. University of Chicago. (1938). The Encyclopaedia Britannica: a new survey of universal knowledge. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Roberts, P. & Shaw, T. (1982). Mineral resources in regional and strategic planning. Pittsburgh: Gower. Jones, B. (1995). Sleepers, wake: technology & the future of work. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Marsh, J. (1985). The Canadian encyclopaedia. New York: Hurtig. Needham, J. (1964). The development of iron and steel technology in China. California: W. Heffer & Sons. Rao, R. (2001). Manufacturing technology: foundry, forming and welding. New York: Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Read More

Between 1830 and 1870 was a period of city development s a result of the construction of the railway line following inventions in the land movement. This however can be referred back to the iron and steel industry development in which heavy metals had been manufactured for the construction of the railway line. This followed the new technological development in the production of steel and iron. This railway was essentially meant to serve the ports which eventually led into the development of cities from the easy accessibility of the regions hence products could reach consumers at a faster rate.

Examples of such cities include: Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Buffalo just to mention but a few (Marsh, 1985). There was the rise of the steel-rail era in the late 19th century and the early 20th century (Jones, 1995). This in fact heightened the need for bituminous coal as well as the spread of electric power production. Even though the biggest development in state urban centres happened in the cities exceptional to the outskirts of the manufacturing centre, there were a number of obvious exceptions.

This included a wide range of smaller cities next to the coal fields, around the Great Lakes, or on the main railway links amid the larger cities in the United States of America. It can be amicably attributed to the development of the steel manufacturing industry which led to the larger growth of rail transport that resulted into the growth of these cities. From the research done, the growth of cities in the internal portion of the manufacturing core has been as a result of the shift of the metallic mineral ores from the peripheries of Canadian Shield to the Coal Fields of Pennsylvania as well as West Virginia.

Similarly, the smaller transportation of coal to the other sides of the country encouraged the growth of these cities (Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 2002). Because of the industrial revolution, construction of the western cities also transformed. This followed the changes in the technologies used to manufactured steel for reinforcement. Essentially, though a lot was borrowed in architecture and art from the ancient Greek and Egyptian architectural designs, new designs were as well taken on as the older ones were improved.

The late 19th century and early 20th century was marked by the rise in skyscrapers in the western cities. These were tall storey structures that needed extra reinforcement to exist in the high states they were. Only new technologies in steel and iron manufacturing helped produce stronger beams that could be used to support the pillars and columns (Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 2002). It is though notable that architecture did not transform as much since the use of columns and arches was still applied.

Social Consequences of the New Cast-Iron and Steel Manufacturing Technologies on the Development of the Late 19th and Early 20th Century Western Cities As noted earlier, the new cast-iron and steel manufacturing technologies led to the development of infrastructure particularly the railway lines in major cities. These kinds of technologies had to entirely rely on coke and other technologies such as natural gas to facilitate smelting of steel into the desired bars for construction. The techniques used for the steel and iron manufacturing had both positive and negative socioeconomic consequences (University of Chicago, 1938).

The setting in of new technologies though affected negatively the developing world of the 19th and 20th century, areas that received much of the positive influence included the transformation of the appearance of most western nations. This is what gave rise to the development of urban centres that needed larger municipal services. This resulted into personalized and interdependent economic as well as social life. This caused a complete dependence of the urban workers based on the employers’ orientations.

Most individuals moved away from the rural sufferance to acquire new ways of life. The link between capital and labour were exasperated as Marxism set in.

Read More