How Cultures and Ideals of Aesthetic Affects Space and Place

Aesthetic has always been a reflection of influence and ideology behind cultures, the essence of antiquity in the past and the foreground of the future. Geological space has an astounding impact on these factors for that Geological space is a resource, a residence and an influence of people’s psychological becoming and their experience through their physical and mental engagement towards their world.

It is the understanding of the origins of how the aesthetics are being molded by the minds of the people, how it’s shaped society, to reflect on how we’ve came to be and how the geological location and spacing affected our development and vice versa. The genesis of this concept is, what is the meaning or the purpose of this place? What is the purpose of people there? And throughout both of these existences, what are the interchanging synergy or relations given that impacts its people.

There is something to be said about the relationship between space and place. Often, where we are located geographically and the site in which we operate in contribute greatly to the cultural goods we produce. In this case’s point of idea is the understanding that space is important, but also the realization that place is of utmost importance. We are connected in a place, and relationships are what holding human society together and wholesome. How do we turn space into place? Understanding the importance of space and the rations behind, space is physical, but place is metaphysical, for example, quoting Winifred Gallagher, in The Power of Place: How Our Surroundings Shape Our Thoughts, Emotions, and Actions: “The basic principle that links our places and (emotional) states is simple: a good or bad environment promotes good or bad memories, which inspire a good or bad mood, which inclines us toward good or bad behavior.

We needn’t even be consciously aware of a pleasant or unpleasant environmental stimulus for it to shape our states.” This illustrates the idea of what the importance between the place and its relationship is. In this analysis and small research conduct aims to explore and analyze the becoming of the cultural aspect that is affecting the space that eventually turns into a specifically designed place, its purpose and its effect on the people residing in said space too. Furthermore, a discussion on how the ideals of aesthetic are affecting in conceiving the space and how it reflects on people themselves and vice versa.

On Architecture and Art

It is one of the most prevalent factors in terms of the space, because natural space, given space and a man-made place Is quite different from one another, it is easy to visualize the contrast between the nature and art of the space that man has created.

The space conceived undeniably has an effect on what human might find attractive or perceived as higher level of taste - for example, in Renaissance age. Almost every classical piece of art from the renaissance has an influence of a measured proportion and meticulous perspective, in illustration – The famous Parthenon of Greece has one of the most known theory of architecture aesthetics that is The Golden Ratio, it is one of the infrastructures that embodies the beauty of antiquity and is still influencing the modern architecture today. The Taj Mahal follows this particular set of aesthetical rules as well, these rules that are found by. This is one of the visible impacts of the conceived space that were built, for its grandiose and – it is to be a part of the element of what we consider as aesthetically pleasing today

According to Lefebvre, the city is an oeuvre and not a product; it is a work of art and a mere conglomeration of economic or political structure and in this oeuvre all inhabitants participate, by this theory, even for the one of the greatest infrastructures such as The Parthenon are not just a vessel for its political or economic agenda, but an embodiment of archaic culture in the past and what the inhabitants’ taste of what appeared as a reflection of greatness and beauty is. “The city” in Lefebvre’s meaning is also a place where the poor, the rich, the powerful and the popular are struggling over each other for the usage of the space, in this case it can be inferable that these iconic places are being utilize by the popular - not by the meaning a group of popular inhabitants in this case, however these locations are a representation of all beauties that represent themselves, the popular beliefs, the favorable philosophy, the riches and the popular ideologies and cultural aesthetics are the main input that constitutes to these infrastructures conceived, perceived, and spatial space.

These great buildings of both the antiquity and modern times are, in a sense, built by its inhabitants, too, an effect starts from the smallest individual to a larger and more prominent scale that then contributes to the idea of aesthetics and an embodiment of a vision that is deeply an influence of community as well. These places are built under the purpose of being a representation of a deeper meanings that resides within the people of culture, the awareness of the history and the message under all the infrastructure are a glimpse of what should be perceived from the space and place.

It is within itself a behavioral suggestion on psychology level, The Parthenon were made be a temple, the infrastructure and the layout were built to command respect, an image of grandiose and scared icon. In this example, a commentary on the construction of The Parthenon and why it matters ““Firstly, the temple and the themes of its sculptural ornamentation allow us to gain insights into fifth-century Athenian society; into the concerns of the people who built it. We are in the fortunate position of having a number of ancient texts which throw further light on the building process and the political (indeed geopolitical) context in which it was erected. “Secondly, the Parthenon, along with other ancient buildings, contributed in an inestimable way to the creation of various strands of Neo-Classical architecture in western and northern Europe and which was disseminated from there around the globe. Similar influence, of course was exercised by the temple’s sculptures.

The building’s artistic impact in recent centuries has been immense.” Says Dr. Palapas. In this case it can be seen that the building has an atmosphere created, a standpoint given to what it represents, the meaning behind the buildings, the greatest monumental buildings are not only build with stone and wood, the people that is an occupant and otherwise-a distributors, are a part of it too, the space and the place has it significance, but it is incomparable in terms of human relations and how we try to communicate with each other through other medium, such as printing press, crafting, perspective, and in this particular case, a monumental architecture space.

“I think most Greeks take the Parthenon as a given. It is there; it has always been there. Most, when they think of it, feel some pride in it, even though a critical observer could comment that it doesn’t really encapsulate all Greek history. Despite this, in times of need I am certain that the Parthenon is very close to the hearts of most Greeks.

“The Parthenon is a monument around which they can all coalesce.” Illustrates well the impact and the influences on people’s perspective generations after generations.

On Cultural Practices and Aesthetics

In terms of cultural and physical appearances, the geological space and place has an effect on this subject more visibly and more prevalent, for that geological space has an organic impact on what human subject might conclude as aesthetic both in terms of the place created and the practices and the feelings that were reciprocate from that said place. On cultural practices, it is one of the most interchangeable energy that was given by the place, we are behaving accordingly to the place and its designated provision of behavioral suggestions in most cases. We are able to assume that cultural practices are coactive with the space and place created and aesthetics are both the foreground and a byproduct of the creation from the spatial space construction that influences and shaping the direction of society’s approach to their identity and their community progression.

On David Harvey’s The Production of Space regarding the space--, space for Harvey can only be understood through human practice, therefore space itself is “neither absolute, a relative of relational in itself but it can become one or all simultaneously depending on the circumstances” – In this quote, it is inferable that the relation between human and space is flexible and versatile and that the circumstances of it is according to its constitution, which is in this case the occupants and the practices that they espouse to. In 1986, Greimas’s The City and the Sign: An Introduction to Urban Semiotics further explore into space and objects construction 'If it is the case that every knowledge of the world starts by the projection of the discontinuous on the continuous, we may perhaps return to the old opposition: expanse vs. space in order to say that space, taken in its continuity and its plenitude, filled with natural and artificial objects made present to us by all the sensory channels, can be considered as the substance which, once informed and transformed by man, becomes space, that is, form, capable (through the fact of its articulations) of serving the purpose of signification. Space as form is thus a construction which in order to signify selects only certain properties of 'real' objects, only some of its possible levels of pertinence: it is evident that every construction is an impoverishment and that most of the richness of the expanse disappears with the emergence of space.' Is an example of how complex and layered the structure of space and its sociological influences are4.

In this example, the practice that occurs within the boundaries that given (conceived) space leads to the implications (perceived) of what the place that is constructed is expecting the social behavior that leads to the action and practices (spatial). The layout of the city and its effect on human behavior, as commented by Peter Calthorpe on Principles to build a better cities because so much depend on how we shape our cities: not just environmental impacts but our social well-being, our economic vitality, our sense of community and connectedness, fundamentally the way we shape our cities is a manifestation of the kind of humanity we bring to bear”.

To illustrate in many large cities of Japan, a regulation enforced signs are everywhere to be found around the cities, this answers to the question of why Japan is one of the cleanest cities of the world. However this does not depend solely on space, in early ages, since youth, the Japanese students are encouraged to a eco activities such as cleaning to road during their weekends, cleaning their class after school, and even pick up garbage that belong to them, it is obvious that cultural influences and ideals of clean and communal cities are rooted within Japanese culture that leads to their practices, in which to create a city with the like-mindedness.

Another example of city that has been influenced by culture is the famous Manhattan Blocks, in this technical level of city planning is obvious in the way that their neighborhood is usually build by blocks and square shaped buildings, this is not only for the reason of capacity usage of the land but the occupants as well, in this term, because the city is crowded with heavy traffic flow, the shot square and blocks of build are specifically designed to server the purpose of easy reachability within the proximity of walking, without no use of personal vehicles, the heavy traffic subsided for those who walk the streets, otherwise in comparison to Bangkok, a personal vehicular city, with the similar traffic flow, the cities that does not encourages its occupant to be a part of its perspective to solve such problem will struggle to manage.

These are the examples of cultural behavior in each city that has influence its occupant, the ideology and philosophy behind this cities construction and regulation are the mold of the what people’s behavior are according to, however, it is to be remember that the planning and the regulations are being influenced and built by a population which is a part of the city as well, concluding that people created a vision of a city and the population of occupants are participating in the culture that the city encourages as well.

In conclusion, it is noticeable the effect of the ideals of aesthetics and cultural-based appeals are the main constitution of the direction of space and place management, the theories are explored and confirmed in this article, the adaptation of Lefebvre and –

In the both the antiquity era and the modern age are proven theories timeless and versatile, it is through the understanding of human’s nature of sociology and psychology factors that contributes to the utilization of space, how to convert it into significance, and how to build

From the gathered information we can conclude that the relation between the ideals of aesthetics and the management of space and place is coerced and synergetic. It is within people’s mind that created the culture and definitions of beauties and by that perspective it produces space and place, to be an icon, a model of what the culture and the ideology is, otherwise to furthermore leave a legacy and a cultural values that will resonate deep within the upbringing of the smallest individuals to the largest scale of in for the next generation.

Overall, this article is hardly based entirely on one subject of architecture nor cultural aesthetics, but how these elements are blending into a larger ensemble of the old age archetype of these elements, its impact on the viewpoint, its connection to the meaning of how human society structuring their behaviors and their philosophy, based on the development, their input of aesthetics appeals, viewpoint, and the cultural practices into a given space and further turn into designations. “Culture is product of humans. It includes both tangible and intangible aspects of human creation. For example, from dams, canals, settlements, pottery, buildings etc. all are a few tangible aspects of culture, a few examples of intangible aspect of culture or religion, ideology, language, caste, state or nation state boundaries which are difficult to conceptualize as a spatial concept etc.

However, culture over space, its origin and diffusion are always examined from a historical perspective.” Says Dr Khan, a professor from the department of Geography from Millia Islamia University. It is of an utmost importance understand the real essence of space and place. Thai is the people, it goes beyond space into a social dimension, the building influences the attitude, people behavior different around casinos, offices, police stations. And these all came from the fact that places are where we are able to recognize ourselves, to see the connection. It is the state of changing definitions from me, to we.