Paper Example on Prosthetics and Architecture

Architecture is intertwined with the evolutionary life of human beings from a social, cultural and biological perspective. In regards to the constitution of human life, human beings have the ability to interact with their environment in ways that defy the physical architecture of the human body. Through accumulation of resources, techniques and sheer resilience, human beings have been able to achieve a sense of comfort in their habitation of the planet. In essence human beings can be explained as prosthetic beings, the human body has a way of letting the outside interact with the inside. A prosthetic god is what a modern-day human being can be referred to, Sigmund Freud explains man's relationship with objects as an extension of himself a master of more than he can directly influence. The development of houses, clothing, armor and gadgets has placed human beings at the highest hierarchy of evolutionary charts (Grosz, 2005).

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Prosthetics can be explained in the aspect of non-human physical implements that have been made as a part of an interactive human co-existence (Grosz, 2005). Objects surrounding human beings have been used to create usefulness to humanistic ambitions, psychologically, man and his narcissistic reach has made his life on the planet much more hospitable as originally designed. Objects from the external realm of human reality have been personified and adorned with newer qualities that suit man's comfort ability. This raises the question of is architecture prosthetic? How architecture influences the life of the people who inhabit it? There is no clear cut between man and his prosthetics, an augmented sedentary life has propelled human progress more that evolutionary processes (Grosz, 2005).

Architecturally speaking, design and prototype development seek out to achieve the following common objectives; accessibility, aesthetics, cost-effectiveness, functionality, security and sustainability (Grosz, 2005). All the above mentioned qualities aid in creating a sense of comfort and aesthetics to the life of man, be it in the previous centuries or the 21st century. Human life sustainability is achieved partly through creative architectural designs. The comfort of inhabitants of a house, office building or a stadium is a key priority in architectural design, the interaction of the structures with the environment is also critical in achieving a sustainable future for coming generations. Safety is another key priority in design, protection against forces such as fire, natural hazards and external acts such as violence are highly considered in the design of architectural designs. It is clear to note that architecture is in simple terms a prosthetic feature that adds value to human life. Prosthetics and architecture helps to create a self-sustaining human beings who are in control of all physical and nonphysical inhibitions presented in their dwelling on the planet earth (Grosz, 2005).

It is important that develops a clear-cut concept on the influence of architecture in man's life. Does it aid in fulfilling human needs such as shelter, social ambitions and biological needs? Or is architecture a part of the many external factors that aid in making man what he is or what he is meant to be, a self-sustaining creature? Understanding the impacts of architecture leads to a conclusion that architecture can be defined as a prosthetic, hence creating an augmented reality. A reality where man is able to use external resources to satisfy the body's current needs and other recognized requirements, in this context architecture can be described as being prosthetic to human life.

Reference

Grosz, E. (2005). Time travels (1st ed.). Durham: Duke University Press.