The Story of

Architecture
Introduction
Architectural history is the discipline that records, studies and
interprets architecture. It studies its forms, purposes, and most
importantly its evolution.
 Building – A Basic need and a social act
⬗ Long ago, the Greeks gave the ancient
master builder the name (architekton), from
which the Romans derived the Latin name,
architectus.
⬗ Both words literally mean “master-
builder”—as denoting one responsible for
the design and construction of the built
environment.
⬗ Architecture was considered the “mother”
of the visual arts.
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 Unlike all other forms of art, the primary
aim of architecture was to fulfill the basic
human need for security. Buildings provided
protection from the weather and wild
animals. Thus it is almost impossible to
escape the evidence of building activity
wherever people lived.

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 Building – A Basic need and a social act
⬗ The beginnings of architecture can be traced back
to the days of the caveman. Prehistoric
architecture can be traced back to early man living
in caves and tents.

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 Spiritual and intellectual needs also have a
role to play when it comes to building. “the
four walls” and “roof” separate a human
being from his surrounding environment,
and in doing so, creates something of
individual human proportions.

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Not all buildings are prestigious affairs
aiming to impress with their size, volume,
style and decorative details. However, all
buildings reflect the spirit of their time.
It is no accident that religious buildings
have an important role to play in the history
of architecture. As history has shown,
religion fulfills what is possibly man’s most
important spiritual need.
1. Architecture – Ancient
Egypt
⬗ Ancient Egyptian architecture is one of the
most influential civilizations throughout
history, which developed a vast array of
diverse structures and great architectural
monuments including pyramids and temples.
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The Egyptians also built magnificent temples
and statues which served as places of
worship. The main architectural relics of the
old kingdom are the “tombs” which served as
places of worship.
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The ancient Egyptians are famous for the
building of the Pyramids. The main reason
for building pyramids were to serve
as the burial places of the Egyptian kings.
Inside the pyramids a sacrificial chambers
exist where it is always built on the high
west bank of the Nile above the actual burial
chamber which was concealed deep in the
rock.
 At the beginning of the old kingdom, rooms
with ceilings which could not be supported

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by walls alone were supported by simple
square piers without bases and capitals.

During the Pyramid era, these piers were

replaced by columns with decorations
inspired by lotus, papyrus and palm trees.

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 Egyptian Architectural Characteristics
⬗ Egyptian Architecture developed since
3000 B.C. and characterized by post and
lintel construction, massive walls
covered with hieroglyphic and
pictorial carving, flat roofs, and
structures such as the Mastaba,
Obelisk, Pylon and the Pyramids.
Houses were built of clay or baked
bricks.
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 post and lintel construction
One of the oldest forms
of construction in the
world is the system of
the post and lintel, in
which a large horizontal
piece is supported by
two vertical pillars. The
pillars are the post, and
the horizontal piece is
the lintel.

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 Mastaba
Mastaba, is a rectangular superstructure of
ancient Egyptian tombs, built of mud brick
or, later of stone, with sloping walls and a
flat roof.
Mastaba was consist of: Chapel, Offering
Table, Serdab with Statue of KA,
Deep shaft descended to the underground
Burial Chamber that was blockage .

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