Human desire_Architecture_Politics

Politics, in general, has a significant power to shape our lives while architecture is not an exception. The actual life has showed that politics which is usually driven by money (the investors and capitalists) makes a lot of negative impacts on the urban space. A strong evidence is clearly showed in my country where the urban land is split into small and narrow plots which bring a lot of financial benefits for the local governments and investors. This one is the consequence of a certain relationship where politics which is driven by money forms architecture.

MONEY => POLITICS => ARCHITECTURE

The question is what is the more efficient relationship we should look for in order to enhance the quality of urban space while improving the role of architecture. I think it has to start with human desire. People are the ones exactly what they need when using a certain space though that space is not designed for their needs initially. From that, architecture may reinvent that space to meet the needs and requirements of the users. The good result of how people efficiently interact with that space will push the government to establish the new rules and regulations to encourage that kind of architectural transformation.

A concrete evidence can be seen in my hometown where a playing ground was formed along the Han river.

Then

Now

This river side was initially designed for commercial activities. However the fresh air from the river and the nice views had attracted people from the nearby neighbourhoods, leading to the transformation of this side to a playing ground where people can hang out, jogging, dancing etc. The good result has forced the local government to expand the side of this playing ground and to issue some rules to protect this place from the invasion of other activities.

This evidence has supposed another relationship between architecture and politics where we can see more the role of architecture in the process of defining the urban form and how politics can be influenced from architecture.

HUMAN DESIRE => ARCHITECTURE => POLITICS