The question of the house’s renovation has become acute, since people started regarding exterior design, functionality and efficiency of a building as well as its eco-friendliness, as a vital part of their dwelling. The prime functions of any building are to serve as workspace and a shelter. However, we do not restrict buildings on these 2 functions, as buildings may also be a part of the cultural heritage. Some people cherish these so called remnants of the past, hence strongly oppose their demolishment; whereas others prioritize comfortable and safe dwelling of buildings’ inhabitants, which according to them can be attained by pulling down traditional buildings and erecting new ones. In the essay, we will consider both points of view and arrive at the most reasonable solution.
Buildings are another way to read history and understand the societal preferences, lifestyle, tastes, even the economic situation of a particular period of time, and how it was reflected on architectural solutions. The common architecture in Saint-Petersburg in Russia serves as an example of it. The vicinity of the city to European countries helps find similarity in building approach, lavish façade decoration and other European elements, which are unlikely to be encountered in farther from European border cities of Russia. Another reason against knocking down traditional buildings is that such buildings are durable and may last for centuries either because of higher quality materials, which used to be relatively abundant in the past, or simply they were designed in such a way that they were energy-efficient, practical in all senses, which is relevant nowadays in the wake of the current environment-connected needs.
Nevertheless, the issue of comfortable, free from danger of falling ceilings or walls, economical housing is urgent nowadays. With ever growing society or movements of labour to big cities or developed countries, the demand for new buildings corresponding to modern day lifestyle has only been reinforced. In most cases old-fashioned buildings are too spacious to comprise one person, and at the same time they are not designed in a way to house more than one family. Thus, a need for new types of building arouses. Besides, modern buildings are planned in response to changing ecological and environmental situation. By that I mean, new buildings tend to maximise their efficiency and, simultaneously, minimise energy supply and waste. Another argument to support old buildings replacement with modern ones is that they are cheaper to maintain as they do not require replacement of wirers, pipelines entirely, which may be inconveniently hidden, since we can attend to them locally once a problem occurs.
In conclusion, however strongly does sense of beauty matter, modern people will inevitably prioritise high-tech dwelling over houses constituting a list of cultural heritage. Modern buildings cater for both people’s and environmental needs. Nonetheless, it does not exclude the appropriacy of the modern design: houses should be built with harmony with surrounding and due respect to the local culture.