Australian Travel

Building construction is an ancient human activity. It began with the wholly practical need for a controlled environment to cope with the effects of climate. Built shelters were one way by which human beings were able to adapt themselves to the wide variety of climates and become a worldwide species.

Human abodes were in the beginning very unsophisticated and probably lasted only a few days or months. Over time, however, even temporary structures developed into such highly refined forms as the igloo. Eventually more durable structures began to arise, particularly after the start of agriculture, when people began to remain in one place for long periods. The early houses, but eventually other functions, such as food storage and ceremony, were housed in separate buildings. Some buildings began to have symbolic as well as functional value, marking the beginning of the characteristics between architecture and building.

The history of building is recognised by a number of trends. One is the increasing durability of the materials used. Early construction materials were flimsy, such as leaves, branches, and animal hides. Later, more durable natural materials—such as clay, stone, and timber—and, finally, modern materials—such as brick, concrete, metals, and plastics—are used. Another is a quest for buildings of ever greater height and span; this was made possible by the development of stronger materials and by knowledge of how materials act and how to exploit them to better advantage. A third major trend is 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 which affect human comfort has been made possible. Yet another trend is the change in energy available to the construction process, starting with human muscle power and developing toward the powerful machinery used today.

The current state of home construction is complex. There is a wide range of building products and systems which are aimed specifically at classes of building types or markets. The design process for buildings is very well organised and uses research establishments which study material properties and performance, code officials who adopt and enforce safety standards, and design professionals who determine user requirements 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 assemble 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 an important part of industrial culture, a product of its diversity and complexity and a measure of its control of natural forces, which can produce a widely varied built environment to serve the diverse needs of society. This article first traces the history of building construction, then looks at its development at the present time.

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