ARTICLES
5 benefits that the internet brought to architecture
28/04/2021
By BAM Team
For more than 1,100 years, books have undoubtedly been one of the primary sources of knowledge par excellence. They have been the essence of the greatest works created by human beings and have served as inspiration for many others. However, over time we have seen how generations have migrated to new tools that allow us to speed up the informative process and its development.
A long time ago, people that needed information quickly would turn to magazines, digital encyclopedias, repositories, among others; but since almost 3 decades ago when the ultimate tool came into our hands, an inexhaustible source of information that can only continue to grow with the passage of time: The Internet. Nowadays, we are able to access, for FREE, a large amount of information in a matter of seconds.
With its lovers and haters, the internet has become an indispensable tool in the lives of men and women, allowing them to have any kind of information in the palm of their hands with just one click. Certainly, not all the data found through the internet is necessarily the most reliable, and for this reason, it should be consumed with caution. However, it’s true that any topic which anyone has doubts about can be consulted in this almost infinite library.
Of course, the world of architecture could not be deprived of the effects of the internet that, with its flaws and virtues, has allowed us to advance so much. Here is a list of 5 benefits that the Internet has brought to architecture when developing a project:
1.- Search for references
The internet allows the search for references to be used as inspiration, through tools and sites such as Pinterest, which by the configuration of boards allows us to group in one place as many references as we need to shape our idea. Other platforms like Archdaily or Dezeen, share really nice architecture from the five continents, and you can also find inspirantion directly into the websites of architects that can help us to reach the desired result.
Before, we depended entirely on the books we had at hand, or what we could get in libraries. It was more difficult to access information, although it was more curated.
2.- Context understanding
Google Earth is a very powerful tool that, without needing to travel to the place you are investigating, allows both a satellite and «almost face-to-face» approach to the context in which the project will be located, through Google View.
In previous times, it would have been necessary to travel to the site to appreciate the context in the right way.
3.- Teamwork
The Internet allows us to work remotely with professionals who add value to our project, regardless of where they are located.
Tools of all kind like email (Gmail, Outlook, Thunderbird…), cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive…), project management and organization (Trello, Asana, Airtable…), meetings (Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet…) and collaborative work (Office 365, Slack, Bandcamp…), make it possible for multidisciplinary teams to develop projects from anywhere in the world as long as they have an internet connection.
Previously, this type of work was only possible through large investments in mobility, which made it very expensive or complicated to develop projects outside of your vicinity.
To learn more about online tools that can help you to work remotely as a team, visit our article 11 online tools to work from home during COVID-19 situation, by clicking here
4.- Visibility
Nowadays, thanks to the internet, it is possible to expose our work in a much easier way, through our web pages, or social networks like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest; as well as some other websites like Archdaily, which offer the possibility of suggesting projects to publish. These types of platforms allow us to reach audiences that otherwise would have been very difficult.
Previously, we had to do a lot of paperwork and investment to get our projects published in magazines, books, etc.
5.- Being updated
The Internet allows us to be aware of all the constructions, designs, and trends that are being worked on, practically in real-time; as well as to show our projects so that others are aware of them too. It also makes it easier for us to keep up with the latest news from around the world. A great example of this is our news section.
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