Approaches to the 'city' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Approaches to the 'city' - Essay Example In one of the poems, cities are described as man’s tight hold on nature. The attitude of the poets reveals that in the eyes of architectural philosophers such as Constant Nieuwenhuys and Le Corbusier cities are a nuisance. To the above men, architecture has lost its way due to the confusion and the lack of uniformity, which has become the hallmark of modern cities. In Constant Nieuwenhuys and Le Corbusier’s theories, there is a relentless quest for cities to regain their lost glory, which to them can only be achieved by enhancing uniformity. The modern day cities are problematic which may be attributable to the state or architecture. Looking back, architecture has given us beautiful buildings such the Westminster Abbey and the tower of Piazza. In addition, architecture has also created beautiful cities such as Venice, Nancy and old Paris. However, it is vital to consider the contextual challenges that architecture is encountering if at all solutions will be coined for the appalling conditions of the modern cities. To begin with, it is vital to pose certain critical queries, which should provide guidance going forwards. Is it practical or realistic for modern architecture to hold on to the ideals that have guided architects in the past? Are the ideals of past architecture relevant in the present day? And if so, which ideals should we embrace? In the past, the most dominant values were simplicity and uniformity (Le Corbusier 1976, 32). One of the dominant characters of cities is the disparity in the individual cells or ho use units, which form the city. Individualism should take an equal share of the blame for the present state of the cities. According to Le Corbusier, there is need to establish certain standards which will guide construction. The emergence of discipline, astuteness and concord are the only factors, which can help the modern city rediscover uniformity, which exemplified past