INT231-AJN

 Prehistory: Paleolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age

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Summary & What I Learned

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For this week, we focused on the first chapter of the book History of Interior Architecture by Mark Hinchman. This was specifically about the Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age. The chapter started with a basic understanding that before architecture became a profession or design became a formal job, humans were already creating spaces that responded to their physical, social, and spiritual needs. The Prehistory chapter introduces design through architecture, interiors, furniture, art, technology, and culture. One of the first intentionally designed objects was a hand ax. I found this very intriguing since we rarely use them anymore. Symmetry is also a major interest since it was highly valued, such as whole seashells, flowers, and their own bodies.

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What I found most interesting is that designing was not really about decoration in the way we think of it today. It was first about survival, protection, community, and meaningful connections to the surroundings or environment. Early humans used caves, natural materials, stone, earth, wood, and other local resources to create shelter since they did not have access to machines or long-distance trading yet. Over time, these shelters became increasingly intentional spaces. This shows that interior architecture began as a response to human need rather than an attempt to make something “pretty” or aesthetically pleasing.

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One of the main ideas I took from this time period was that the environment strongly influenced design. Early shelters had to respond to the climate, geography, available materials, and the needs of the people living inside them. This makes prehistoric architecture surprisingly relevant to new contemporary designs; both values are needed the most. Even though our technology is completely different, designers today still think about orientation, natural light, temperature, materials, sustainability, and the relationship between a building and its surroundings.

Some of my favorite pieces from this time period are Skara Brae, Stonehenge, and Çatalhöyük. Skara Brae is my favorite example because it demonstrates how much can be accomplished with limited materials. The stone furniture, built-ins, and furniture all show a deep early understanding of functionality and spatial organization. It dates back to about 3200-2200 BCE and is one of the best preserved Neolithic structures in Scotland. I especially appreciate the attention to how the curved houses were built with stone but no mortar. In today's world, the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D. C. uses a similar concept in the idea of taking stone blocks or pieces and creating curvilinear shapes with them. We use very different technology today, and yet we still sometimes use ideas or concepts from thousands of years ago.

Saka Brae (1.1)

National Museum of the American Indian (1.2)

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Stonehenge is too iconic and important to miss. It demonstrates prehistoric monumental construction. It represents the ability to organize labor, transport massive materials, and create a meaningful relationship between architecture, landscape, and ritualistic events. The wide Neolithic landscape of Britain shows that prehistoric architecture could be both functional and deeply symbolic. Modern-day structures can also use solar alignment, like how Stonehenge was built to align with the solstices; the Salk Institute for Biological Studies was designed to align with the setting sun.

Stonehenge (2.1)

Salk Institute for Biological Studies (2.2)

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The Çatalhöyük was interesting because of its central rectangular hearth. The houses were built with wooden beams, posts, and mud bricks, with platforms used for sitting, working, or sleeping. Although these houses had many purposes, one of the main ones was to gather around the hearth, similar to how we gather in a living or family room, which typically has a fireplace of some sort.

Çatalhöyük  (3.1)

Modern Style Living Room (3.2)

One Step Further

One architect from prehistoric times that stood out to me was Imhotep. He was one of the first ever recorded architects in history, roughly around the 27th century. I chose him because he represents an important transition in the early Bronze Age to more monumental architecture. He served as an adviser and architect to the King of Egypt and designed the Pyramid of Djoser, which was the first major step pyramid built. The Step Pyramid is especially interesting because of its cultural significance and massive size. It included courtyards, ceremonial spaces, underground passageways, and shrines. This showed a more complex understanding of architecture as an organized experience rather than one simple objective. Later on, Egyptians associated him with more than just architecture, but also writing, medicine, wisdom, and he was even worshiped as a divine figure.

Pyramid of Djoser (4.1)

The Pyramid of Sekhemkhet (4.2)

Saqqara Interior (4.3)

Conclusion 

Furthermore, structures and spaces in prehistoric times are still very present and influential in modern-day architecture. People use their environment and local resources to influence their architectural choices and styles even today. Although modern designs might use different technology or have very different styles, it all comes down to the same principles, concepts, and functions.