In the design section of this course it was shown how there are several basic forces or tendencies in nature and how nature expresses itself through these forces. 

The forces of opposition, radiance, parallelism, are also used by human beings in expressing their natures and the nature of their ideas.

The basic lines and shapes in which nature expresses itself such as the circle, oval, horizontal line, vertical line, diagonal line, etc are also the elements in which humans express their ideas through art.

One of the ways in which humans collectively express themselves is through architecture.

You will find in the study of architecture, that exactly the same graphic language is used in designing buildings as is used in designing any art expression.

As with individual artists that have adopted particular ways of expressing their ideas based upon a particular philosophy or point of view, societies throughout the ages have been founded upon certain belief systems.

This has added cohesiveness to the fabric of societies, and enabled members of these societies to function with the assumption of expected ways of acting and thinking from other members of that society.

Whenever groups of humans act upon a particular viewpoint or philosophy, they, like an individual, usually tend to express themselves in a way that is compatible with that viewpoint (except the oppositions).

Buildings throughout the ages and from one society to another have incorporated the particular elements of design that best reflected or was compatible with the philosophy of the society that built them. Just as certain artists are drawn to some elements over others.

Societies have been built around the view of life as a circle and the shelter reflected that philosophy.

Technology and the basic availability of building materials play an important role in the design of architecture. 

Common social beliefs and values, the basic philosophy of a society, tends to have an even greater influence on the structures that are built, especially the public structures, that hold special significance to the society as a whole.

Significant social statements tend to be made with buildings that hold special social or religious significance.  

Those buildings, because they are usually built to last an unlimited amount of time and symbolize important beliefs of the society, have also been the ones most likely to survive beyond the original society that built them.

So when viewing architecture through the ages, an understanding of the people that built the buildings, as well as the system, or reasoning behind their choice of elements is easier to come by, when looking at their significant buildings as you would a piece of art. 

Architecture has been called the 'mother' of all the arts. 

You will also see how architecture styles have been to a great extent mirrored in painting and sculpture styles throughout these time periods.