If you have ever looked out the window or admired the view from a home’s deck or balcony, you may credit it to the owner’s excellent choice when selecting a plot to build on. However, far more goes into a custom residential or Commercial building design than just deciding how the building looks. A lot of thought goes into where it’s built, and how to utilize the land’s best attributes.

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“Architects meticulously construct these [landscape] experiences as part of their design, bringing the structure and its setting together in an ambiance that creates an emotional response. This is the Relationship between Architecture and scenery, and it’s an important element to every construction,” said South Florida Architecture.

But how do they do it, and why? The secret lies in synergy.

The Relationship Between Building and Landscape

Thought goes into every element of a home, from the exterior to the placement of the rooms and even the lighting. A good piece of architecture creates an atmosphere that registers the moment you step into the room.

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Next time you walk into your home or even a commercial residence, take a moment to think about how you feel as you step inside. Take a look around and notice the subtle details that help define your experience.

For example, skylights and large windows welcome in natural lighting, subtly bringing inside a touch of the outdoors while illuminating the room. This placement is never random. Consideration of where the sun rises and sets often goes into the design, as well as the view outside of your window. Even if you live in the city where vegetation is scarce and backyards are few and far between, there is still something to capture, such as the cityscape from a high floor or a street view with a clean sidewalk and well manicured shrubs.

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In order to find and capture the relationship between landscape, buildings, and lighting, architects often visit the lot where their work is intended to be built prior to starting on the design.

What About Lots Without a View?

There are many ways to optimize on a scenic landscape. Windows, lanais, outdoor patios, balconies, and even landscaping and hardscaping help to create a relationship between the home and outdoors.

However, what do you do when a location simply doesn’t have much to offer? This can and does happen, but architects are prepared to deal with that, too. Just as design can help capture the best of a landscape’s view, it can also shield homeowners from a negative setting.

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Sound architecture can pull a homeowner away from unsightly views by providing an interior environment that promotes social interaction, stimulates the senses, and feels open and non-confining.

The Balance Between Form and Function

While the relationship between landscape and architecture is pivotal to a good design, it’s important to note that this connection isn’t just about form and aesthetics. Function is also a critical element of architectural design. From staging outdoor patios designed to facilitate social interaction and connectedness to designing each room to capture both function and emotional response, there is a lot that goes into the process.

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When it comes down to it, architecture isn’t a product, but an experience.

How does your home make you feel?