History of Building Construction
Building construction is an ancient human activity. It developed with the wholly practical need for a controlled environment to moderate the effects of climate. Built shelters were one way by which human beings were able to adapt themselves to a wide variety of weather conditions and become a worldwide species.
Human homes were at first very simple and perhaps lasted only a few days or months. Over time, however, even temporary structures developed into such highly refined forms as the igloo. Eventually more stable structures began to arise, particularly after the beginning of agriculture, when people began to remain in one place for long periods. The early structures, but eventually other functions, such as food storage and ceremony, were housed in different buildings. Some structures began to have symbolic as well as operational value, denoting the start of the distinction between architecture and building.
The history of building is marked by a number of trends. One is the developing durability of the materials used. Early building materials were flimsy, such as leaves, branches, and animal hides. Later, more hardy natural materials—such as clay, stone, and timber—and, finally, synthetic materials—such as brick, concrete, metals, and plastics—are used. Another is the desire for structures of ever greater height and span; this was made possible by the development of stronger materials and by knowledge of how materials behave and how to use them to better advantage. A third major trend involves the degree of control exercised over the interior environment of buildings: increasingly precise regulation of air temperature, light and sound levels, humidity, odours, air speed, and other elements that affect human comfort has been made possible. Yet another element is the change in energy available to the construction process, starting with human physical strength and moving into the powerful machinery used today.
The present state of building construction is intricate. There is a wide range of structural products and systems which are aimed specifically at classes of building types or markets. The design process for buildings is highly organised and calls upon research establishments which study material properties and performance, code officials who develop and enforce safety standards, and design professionals who determine user needs and design a building to meet those needs. The construction process is also well organised; it includes the manufacturers of building products and systems, the craftsmen who create them on the building site, the contractors who employ and coordinate the work of the craftsmen, and consultants who specialise in such aspects as building management, quality control, and insurance.
Building construction today is a significant part of industrial culture, a product of its diversity and complexity and a measure of its mastery of natural forces, which can produce a widely varied built environment to provide for the diverse needs of humans. This article first shows the history of building construction, then surveys its development at the present time.
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