How a Culture Define Architecture Space Essay

Globalization heavily impacted architectural styles universally by allowing the start of cultural appropriation as well as its growth.

Globalization leads to the substantial manifestation of (eras, factors, and styles) of architecture through culture appropriation. Within this essay, I will highlight cultural appropriation as an effect of globalization. Consequently, declaring that cultural appropriation of architecture was an effect of thereof. The timeline of globalization will be explored within the architectural context of styles and eras- that which involved culture appropriation. Furthermore, I will discursively argue against globalization being the cause of cultural appropriation with another historical factor that possesses a similar caliber of relation and effects to grasp the nature of this essay in a calculative way. Finally, the comparison will be summarized before a conclusive response to globalization and cultural appropriation of architecture.

Primarily, globalization and its denotation should be explored. Globalization refers to how globally, nations are interlinked through the series of connectivity in various forms of literature, art, and other disciplines. Manfred B Steger described this as “forms of connectivity and flows linking… the West to the East, and the North to the South” in his book, A Very Short Introduction. Consequentially, the universal occurrence had multiple effects, one of which was the influence over platforms of art, culture, and other forms, including architecture.

The first primary occurrence of Globalisation was the large destitution of maps. Initially started by Mappe, over 150 maps were created conveying each idea of the constant change in world politics. This phenomenon enabled globalization which later developed architecture globally, connecting involving nations, to which most are specific in their architecture- before globalization.

As continuous links were made across nations through occurrences such as the major recreations of the world map, cultural elements became recreated and copied in countries, by people that didn’t own such attributes or belonged to a different nation. Popular and known examples of this are prominent in music, fashion, and pop culture. For example, Shakira’s performance of Waka Waka, a song with lyrics native to South Africans and not a woman of Columbian and Lebanese heritage. This release and performance held many points of view. Nevertheless, another example of this is when Kim Kardashian adorned a hairstyle traditionally worn by African/Caribbean people. Again, this had many and varied responses, both negative and positive. However, it should be noted that these are examples of appropriated culture, through fashion, music, etc.

Ultimately, these were described as culture appropriation, which was manifested by globalization and induced by international links and connectivity. Globalization affects exposure to culture and more frequent learning of cultural practices by international or global audiences. As it affected music and fashion, it also produced cultural appropriation in architecture.

Architecture is represented and recognized through architects as well as a few other attributes. A very substantial factor is the representation of countries, cultures, and nations- which was highly affected by globalization. Architecture is defined by culture monumentally. For instance, the Taj Mahal is visually different from The White House. The shapes, curves, lines, symmetry as well as many other visual and physical aspects delineate the cultural background- mirroring the country it is built in. Even the intentions of the buildings and their inspirations are different, the Taj Mahal was a religiously inspired architecture, “They laid the plan for a magnificent building and a dome of high foundation which for its loftiness will until the Day of Resurrection remain a memorial to the sky-reaching ambition of His Majesty, the Sahib Qiran-Thani (Second Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction of the Planets Jupiter and Venus), and its strength will represent the firmness of the intentions of its builder.” It can be agreed that culture contributes to the very physical attributes of architecture.

Globalization created a connectivity that induced encounters with other cultures, about influential reactions within many forms of societal norms, such as art. Effectively, architecture endured this effect and thus, countries had inspired architecture relatively through other cultures. The theory then became concerned with the cultural appropriation of architecture and how it is done- through globalization. Furthermore, globalization is separated into different stages and occurrences. This is relevant as the specific stages will further support the claim that cultural appropriation was an effect of globalization, especially when the phases are specific to cultural exposure.

Before highlighting the forms of ‘culture appropriation’ within architecture, the denotation of the term itself will be noted. Extracted directly from the Oxford Dictionary, “the act of copying or using the customs and traditions of a particular group or culture, by somebody from a more dominant (= powerful) group in society”. When referring to architecture within this essay exploring the cause, the idea that typical styles of architecture that originated from a certain culture, to then be mimicked or used within another country, is being investigated. After illustrating such findings, the period will also be explored to prove the correlation between globalization and the cultural appropriation of architecture.

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Additionally, a primary example to draw attention to is the intricate building in America. Standing tall in America, is the Washington Monument. Although a historical landmark honoring the ‘father of this country’, the design of the monument was built in the image of an obelisk, an historical architectural device belonging to Ancient Egypt. The rectangular pillar originally made from stone stands in honor of the commemoration of an event or God. This is a form of appropriating culture, which again, is and was an effect of globalization. The international link allowed exposure to culture and thus inspiration for architects. Thus, architecture was impacted and inspired by other cultures due to globalization. The monument began its creation in 1848. According to studies of world trade, the 1800s was the period in which world trade grew. It is also believed to be the first time-lapse of Globalisation; the correlation is explicit. According to an article, “… openness increased from 1830 to 187- (the true first period of globalization (1870-1913)…” World trade is

During Hatshepsut’s reign, obelisks were first introduced. Her architect Senenmut had helped her do so, in which he also famously created the ‘Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut’.

This is an evident effect of globalization on architecture. There are many more examples of this. Cultural elements are being used within designs or even becoming appropriated as a predominant style of architecture.

In momentary deduction, globalization was effectively developed as an occurrence with the aid of cultural appropriation in architecture. In addition, another example of this is the rococo a primary example of Globalization increasing. Rococo originated in France as geometric architecture; it spread throughout Europe, from Germany to Russia. This is another example of globalization leading to cultural appropriation of architecture and further developing itself as a reflexive occurrence through the exposure of culture and its principles- whether in art, fashion, or this case, architecture. Although this architectural style is inspired and originally from France, it is believed to be one of the greatest styles created by Western civilization, Russia adorns this style through its architecture.

In addition, another example of cultural appropriation within architecture is when another style that appropriated in countries other than its own of origination. Palladian architecture originated in Venice and spread to England among other countries. The forms, shapes, and symmetry originally belonged to Roman Architecture. It is widely believed that this architectural style had a “profound influence on European architecture from the early 17th century” This style originated elsewhere, its features belonging to a culture, before it was appropriated through the world. During the 17th period, proto-globalization began its reign, increasing interaction and interlinks between Western Europe that were already manifested between Asia and the Middle East. The highly active period of globalization occurred during this time, further reinstating the idea that globalization allowed cultural appropriation of architecture, thus having a large impact on the universal development of architecture.

Before the Palladian architecture styles, the 14th century began its adaptation of the architectural style that pertains to the famous architect with relation, Fillipo Brunelleschi- Renaissance architecture. The European architecture across different regions delineated revival through Greek and Roman culture until the 17th century. The architectural style embraced differentiating elements from the original style of classical Roman architecture. The forms, shapes, and curves were all distinguished by the original characteristics introduced by Romans: arches, domes, columns, etc. The style was well associated with the architectural specialized lexical term of ‘pediment’. The term relatively illustrates a certain architectural element, typically above columns

Globalization and architecture can arguably be unrelated. There is a possibility in high regard that cultural appropriation was an effect induced by imperialism. Imperialism is the means of acquiring power as a country through the means of colonization and other forces/methods. This would be a massive exposure to culture, thus globalization not being responsible or at least solely responsible for culture appropriation; thus the substantial effect on architecture. The pinnacle of American Imperialism occurred from mid 18th century to the early 1900s; furthermore, the connection made between the Washington Monument can be argued in the light of the point of this. This is because it was made during the late 1800s which was during the pinnacle of Imperialism. Hence, it can be strongly argued that the correlation between Imperialism and cultural appropriation of architecture surpasses that of the correlation between globalization and cultural appropriations- thus the historical and substantial development of architecture. Imperialism can be argued strongly to have caused cultural appropriation in architecture. Similarly, colonization can be argued to be the case in the same way imperialism can be. Beginning in the late 1400s, the process of countries taking physical control of one another lasted for 500 years. The act of sending people to another country and enforcing their lives to be in a country other than their own heavily exposed culture through every aspect, cooking, arts, architecture, etc. This can have an undisputable effect and lead to cultural appropriation, especially due to the duration and timeline.

However, the reason for globalization contributing mostly towards the cultural appropriation of architecture is due to the widely shared belief that globalization also caused the counter eras previously mentioned or is linked to it. Moreover, colonization is thought to be a form of colonialism although it is also believed vice versa. Therefore, the idea that colonialism is negated as they are used synonymously or are believed to be equals. This is a similar approach when encountering imperialism as a counter-cause for the cultural appropriation of architecture.

Consequentially to globalization and the exposure of culture; further its replication through what is currently known as culture appropriation, architecture is highly affected and rather developed around the world. Imperialism may be argued as the factor causing culture appropriation and thus the development of architecture however, it is highly argued, and even more so, that globalization is a form of imperialism, so therefore, one cannot disprove the other. Therefore, the statement, that it is imperialism and not globalization at all is rebutted- as they correlate and are debatably stronger than the effect on architecture through culture appropriation. Monumental landmarks originated or were inspired by architectural features belonging to another culture.

As the research has demonstrated, through historical events with references to timelines, it can be seen evidently that globalization allowed major exposure of culture through art, economics as well as many other aspects but in particular- architecture. When reviewing globalization itself, it is easy to observe interlinks between countries as well as initial adaptations or other forms of itself (such as Colonialism and Imperialism). These have made the attitude to appropriate culture much easier. For example, through colonialism, Indian slaves in the Caribbean had their cooking styles adapted by the native Caribbean people. To this day, the cooking style is still used by the majority of the Caribbean. Therefore, it can be deduced that globalization is the primary cause of culture appropriation amongst architecture- styles which have proven greatly influential to architecture and the public alike. A beautiful effect of universal interlinking monumentally shared art that stands to the present and many more decades to come.