EVALUATING TOURIST ARCHITECTURE

The buildings are evaluated according to their architectural qualities and typologies.

According to the Roman architect and theorist Vitruvius, a good architecture is defined by three qualities firmitas, utilitas and venustas.

Firmitas or firmness concerns the structural and technical aspects of the building. Firmness conditions include materials used, structures, types of architectural elements and spaces created, and environmental conditions including light, acoustics, air, heat and ventilation.

Utilities include the functional, economic and social performance of buildings, which vary according to the intent of the use, attraction and seduction of the building. Delight refers to “what the building looks like and how it looks to the eye of the beholder.

Subsequently, the aesthetics / typology of a building extends to the means by which buildings can engage the spirit and even desire.

Examples include iconic buildings such as the British Hotel and Symmes Inn in Old Aylmer that make cities easily recognizable, historic buildings that commemorate the celebration of events and famous personalities, as well as the galleries and museums that hold and display cultural values ​​and serve as places of concentration and inspiration that bring people and communities closer together.

Aesthetic value or image and cultural value were added later. Aesthetic value is achieved through the contribution of identity, vision and reputation, as well as by the means used by groups, institutions and cities to express their ideas, ambitions and intentions.

Cultural value creates a sense of belonging by linking location, context and patterns of historical development by incorporating cultural symbolism and social meaning.

Aesthetic and cultural value creates intangible social and community benefits that extend value beyond the value of the building’s materials.

Architecturally yours,

Micheline Lemieux, President of APA-AHA

Luc L. Paquette, Member of the Board of Directors and the Architectural Committee