1. Notes to accompany introduction to module Building technology
Tutors:
Julian Swindell can be contacted at julian.swindell@rau.ac.uk and his office is room 15d in the
Garner Lecture Theatres
Why do we need buildings?
The simple answer is to look at yourself and think “How would I survive in England/
Siberia/Mali… without buildings?” The simple answer is that you wouldn’t. It is either too cold in
the winter or too hot in the summer. We would lack any protection from the environment. The
two human inventions which have allowed the human animal to colonise the entire World are
clothing and buildings. What they do is to allow us to create the environment we need within a
potentially hostile natural environment. The inside of a snow igloo can be so warm that Inuits
take their clothes off inside to stop overheating.
Vernacular buildings use the materials that are to hand in the local environment to construct
shelters. This might be stones, wood, animal skins, even animal bones in regions which lack any
other potential building materials.
Architecture
People, being people, are never content just with basic functionality. They decorate, proclaim
status, define controlled areas, show off, with all of their possessions, including their buildings.
The definition of what distinguishes “architecture” from “building” was summed up by the
Roman architect Vitruvius as “Firmness, commodity and delight”.
Firmness
It must stay up and not fall down. Here we are talking about structure. How we design buildings
to resist gravity, wind forces, earthquakes and day to day abuse of the fabric of the building. The
study of firmness will form the core of first year building teaching.
Commodity
A building must fulfil its functions to be useful. It must keep the rain out, the heat in. It must
provide security, services, lighting, ventilation and space suited to the activities which take place
within. The functions of buildings will be referred to in the first year, but looked at in detail in
the second year, where students will specialise in broadly rural or commercial buildings.
Delight
Architecture creates the environment within which we live and function, and that environment
should be delightful, otherwise life is miserable. Sadly, as this is a surveying course and not an
2. architectural one, we will rarely have the opportunity to discuss the delight of good
architecture, but you should never forget it.
Topics which will be covered
Building site appraisal: understanding the potential and risks of a site
Enclosure: separating the interior from the exterior
Structure: making sure it all stays up
Materials: bricks, concrete, timber, stone, insulation; all the things we build with
Environmental control: heating, lighting, electricity
Utility services: water supply, drainage
Building regulations
