Influencing Factors
Past Structure Present Structure
San Francisco City Hall
(California, 1915)
Beaux Arts
Geographical As part of the City Beautiful Movement of
Daniel Burnham, The City Hall was placed
at the center of the development where in
the civic cores must be on the focal point.
It is a strategic location whereas it is near
on any point in the community.
Geological Sometimes built on an upper land but
usually built on flat and steppe areas of the
community.
Climatic Because of USA, having cold seasons,
they considered of having thick walls as
part of the insulations to keep the warmth
inside of the structure.
Religion Civic centers are religion free on these
eras. If there are any relationship, that is
the use of dominant features like Domes
and Orders as what early Romans,
Christians used to their temples and
basilicas.
Historical Since early times Orders were already in
use to play the big part of symbolizing the
sturdiness and stability. The reason why
we have the mindset that if columns orders
were used, it’s a Civic structure.
Social Civic centers are present because of the
people (community) needs of a structure
intended for welfare and service.
Political Civic centers (City Hall) are the gathering
place of city heads and peoples with high
social statues. The very reason why these
structures are massive and grandeur.
Cultural People needs of place that will become the
center and symbol for the area, the reason
how the civic core were developed.
Bacoor City Hall
(Philippines, 2015)
Post Modernism, Contemporary
These structures were still erected on the
center of the community like on the past
decades. It was placed in between of high
and commercialized areas to bring
attention to businesses around and for the
community to easily locate civic structures.
Nothing changed about the characteristic
of geological feature for it proves as the
best option where to build these structures.
Tropical countries only have wet and dry
season so they don’t take in consideration
using insulation or warm bringing systems
like what western countries doing.
In these modern eras, religion doesn’t
completely affect any architectural features
about civic centers. As per the current law,
state and church is a separate body and
must not intervene with one’s affair.
Still, the use of orders is still in use
because of the symbolization it shows. It
was mixed with modern contemporary
design which uses glass facades, use of
extensive parapets and shaded entry
ways.
As for the big population today, civic
centers grown larger because it must serve
hundreds and thousands of its residents.
It houses the mayor, or any important
heads and its under men. These structures
were built to stand out for its play one of
the viral roles in the community.
Today, culture preservation of a certain
location takes priority. Somehow, they put
symbolization to incorporate in the design.