History of Construction
Stone Age Construction
The first bridges constructed by humans were perhaps wooden logs put across a river. The first buildings were simple tents, huts, and houses meant to satisfy the basic needs of protection from the calamities.
Ancient Construction
As cities emerged, sections of professional expertise like metalworking, masonry, wood working etc. started taking shape. In the urban planning division the governments started regulating construction sector. Simple machines viz. levers and pulleys were used. Vaults, arches, and domes were leveraged to create spans. In ancient Rome, concrete was discovered. Occasionally, slaves were utilized as labors, but not as frequent as manifested in popular culture. Some construction works were undertaken as corvée.
History of Construction in the Modern Age
Building techniques
Bricks were accepted as a widespread building tool during the modern era, as it was easy to produce.
There were many tools which have gone obsolete after the advent of modern technology, but which were earlier significantly used by all builders.
Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution was displayed in new types of transportation establishments, like railways and macadam roads. It required large investment. The construction tools facilitated in this time were machine devices, steam engines and optical surveying.
Elevators and cranes facilitated high rise buildings and skyscrapers in the early 20th century with Second Industrial Revolution. In this era, heavy equipments and power tools took the place of time consuming man power. Other technologies were computer aided designs.
By the end of the 20th century, energy preservation, ecology, and sustainable development became more magnificent aspects of construction.
History of Construction
Ancient Egypt
In Ancient Egypt and other early cultures, people believed in the omnipotence of Almighty. Thus, the founding and planning of the city and the most significant buildings were generally executed by priests or by the ruler himself and the construction was followed by rituals. The architect should be a priest or the ruler, but, he was not the sole prominent figure; he was just a part of the tradition.
Pre-Columbian History of Construction
Mesoamerican construction is the series of architectural traditions invented by pre-Columbian tradition and civilizations of Mesoamerica. The distinctive features of Mesoamerican construction envisages a number of various regional and historical designs, which albeit are specifically associated. Mesoamerican architecture is generally famous for the pyramids which are the biggest such structures other than Ancient Egypt.
Greek History of Construction
Greek civic life was supported by new, open spaces termed as agora which were crowed with public buildings, temples and stores. Each place had its own specialty, thus temples were constructed atop mountains stretching towards the heavens.
In response to the changing social environment which asked for new buildings of increasing complexity — the coliseum, bigger hospitals, residential blocks and academic buildings were constructed. General civil construction like roads and bridges started to be constructed.
Roman History of Construction
The Romans widely deployed, and further established, designed the vault, arch, and dome, all of which were occasionally used earlier, specifically in Europe.
Roman domes allowed construction of vaulted ceilings and huge covered public spaces like public baths viz. Baths of Diocletian or the huge Pantheon in the city of Rome.
Asia
Persian Architecture
The post-Islamic construction of Iran got inspired by its pre-Islamic predecessor with surfaces that are decorated with lazed tiles, carved stucco, brickwork artifacts, calligraphy, and floral motifs.
Although Iran has witnessed its share of destruction, that includes Alexander the Great's decision to burn Persepolis, there are ample remains to create a picture of its great architecture.
Indian History of Construction
India's urban civilization is manifested in the form of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, now situated in Pakistan. From then onwards, Indian civil engineering and construction consistently developed and was manifested in the designs of palaces, temples, and forts across the Indian subcontinent and neighboring places.
Indian architecture covers a wide spectrum of historically and geographically disseminated structures, and was inspired by the history of the India. It led to an array of architectural production. Although it is tough to identify a particular representative style, it sustains a significant quantity of continuity throughout history. The diversity of Indian tradition and culture is manifested in its architecture and construction.
Chinese History of Construction
Islamic architecture is an embodiment of wide array of both religious and secular architecture designs from the foundation of Islam to the current day, effecting the design and construction of structures within the sphere of Islamic tradition. Some unique structures in Islamic construction are mosques, palaces, tombs, forts, although Islamic architects have also facilitated their exclusive design precepts to domestic architecture.
Africa
Great Zimbabwe is the greatest medieval city in sub-Saharan Africa continent. In the late nineteenth century, most structures reflected the stylish European eclecticism, or even Northern European designs. In the Western Sahel province, the architectural development and construction was influenced by Islamic culture from the period of the Kingdom of Ghana. At Kumbi Saleh, civilians dwelled in domed-shaped houses in the city, surrounded by a magnificent enclosure.
Europe
Medieval History of Construction
Medieval secular construction and architecture basically served for defense. Palaces and fortified walls offer the most significant non-religious examples of medieval construction. Windows owned a cross-shape for mostly aesthetic purposes: they also provided a suitable crossbowman to carefully attack invaders aiming from inside.
