“The Unspoken Realities of Architecture” was debated at CIU

Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture (FADA), within the scope of 4th October World Architecture Day, organized a seminar titled “The Unspoken Realities of Architecture”.

The seminar which was given by CIU Department of Architecture Academic Staff Prof. Dr. Fatih A. Rıfkı, saw him advise that in the context of architecture, we need to accept the reality that everyone will not be of the same opinion, and that these can qualify as “unspoken realities”, according to their understanding.

Reminding in his speech that since 1985, the first Monday of the month of October has been celebrated as World Architecture Day, determined by the International Union of Architects, Rıfkı pointed out that this day has also coincided with the UN World Habitat Day.

Additionally providing information in relation to the etymological (the science of origin) meaning of the words Architect and Architecture, which date back to the ancient Greek period, Prof. Dr. Rıfkı advised that Architecture is both the process and the product of designing or constructing buildings, and other physical structures, within physical environments.

Stating that architecture is a field that is beyond practice, Rıfkı continued, “With Göbeklitepe dating back to 10,000 BC, the Egyptian pyramids built in 2500 BC, the Parthenon from 400 BC, the Pantheon from the year 126 BC, and many other structures, the architecture dates back to ancient times. However, it is an evolving discipline and field of practice. There is a difference between ancient Greek architecture and today's architecture. It evolved into Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical styles”.

Drawing attention to the fact that architecture is an organized area of practice and that the trilogy of health, safety, and well-being hold an important place within architectural practice today, Rıfkı advised that in order to become a licensed architect in many countries, a professional exam is held after their education and a professional internship.

Discussing the saying that architecture is the mother of all the arts and sciences and taking to hand the fact that architecture shares responsibilities with fields such as interior design, urban design, and historical preservation, Prof. Dr. Rıfkı noted that just like the field of Medicine, that they should keep all of their specialties under the one field of design roof.

Explaining that design is performed in order to transform a physical environment into a better physical environment, Prof. Dr. Rıfkı concluded that the definition of “better” is a relative concept, and that it can display differences from designer to designer, and that this is important for architecture.