The Importance of Architecture

Some personal thoughts on architecture's connection to humanity:
Architecture in its truest sense is ultimately for human use and enjoyment. Therefore, humanism and architecture go hand in hand. Humanism is a philosophy centered on human values that asserts dignity, reason and the inherent worth of mankind while architecture is the design and construction of structures for human use and connection. It is so important to find a balance between the two.

There is one building I have always wanted to see when I make my first visit to Amsterdam: The Beurs van Berlage.

I think this is a perfect example of a humanistic and architecturally brilliant building because of its specific purpose and need in society addressed through its design and construction. When designing the Beurs van Berlage, many architects competed to construct the new stock exchange center for Amsterdam. After much discussion, Hendrik Berlage was chosen. It was not Berlage's impressive architecture skills which won the project, but more so the fact that his design fully encompassed the needs of the people and the uses the building would provide to individuals in the Amsterdam community.

The Beurs van Berlage was clearly grounded on human values as shown in the above picture of the main room. The main room, the largest of all the rooms, was used for trading and thus was the most open room to accommodate the needs of all the people. A small, closed space would not have been humanistic because it would have been functional for the community's need. The location of the building situated on the Amstel River in the center of Amsterdam is easily accessible and available to the community. The brick and iron used on the exterior of the building project a feeling of comfort and authority. The building is strong and sturdy with thick materials, but uses the warm colors of red, yellow and blue to create a comfortable and, once again, a humanistic feel.

Beyond the mere function of the main room, it is important for buildings to have a sense of human presence and scale -- anything too imposing or cold results in less activity and the hindering of human relationships within the space. I remember talking about this building in an introductory architecture class I took two years ago. We remarked on how the materials and colors used throughout the building are uniform, which create a continuity and unification of the building as a whole. I have yet to visit Amsterdam, but when I do, the Beurs van Berlage will be my first stop!