Vitruvius, the father of architecture, is the ideologue of architecture throughout, through the

means of his theories and ideas that went on to become the basis of architecture, transforming
it as a discipline. Since then, architects and theorists of every era have been substantiating,
elucidating or transforming his ideas of various multitudes.
Vitruvius has been a prime contributor to the designing and shaping of human civilization
both in his time and after. He raised the writings of architectural theory above the level of
technical manuals to that of intellectual discourse bordering of philosophy. He brought the
focus of architecture back to the architect as well as to the pivotal role architecture plays in
shaping a society.
Theorists across ages and genres have been banking on his theory to further their arguments.
They have seen the importance of architecture in creating a beautiful and dignified society
which is healthy, well-planned and enhances civic-pride. Some have seen architecture as a
model of expression, parallel to language and similar in nature, as like language, architecture
is means whereby human society is not only formed, but it also is a cause of its formation.
While there have been literary and metaphysical descriptions of the importance of
architecture and architect, the modernist theorists have been more practical in their approach.
There is a visible shift towards the importance of the material used in architecture rather than
the architect, and how the structure and material can bring a society together or can have just
the reverse impact. Hence, architecture can play an instrumental role in a way people in a
society relate to each other.
There have been focuses on making housing available to everyone in the post-industrial
revolution scenario, where lack of planned cities was a huge crisis. Focus even was given on
the materials used for housing to cater to the need of the maximum people. The coming of
vertical tower housing due to paucity of space in cities has also been seen as a failure, which
has created isolation and lack of active interactions in the society.
However, an architects auxiliary role in improving the society through good design is
undeniable, and so is the fact that through new and rational thinking, they can bring in
hitherto unanticipated design and trend in the society. Thus, through the times of Vitruvius,
the importance of the role played by the architects in shaping the entire future discourse of a
society has been dwelled on to by the architects through time.
Vitruvius considered the training of architects, hence, a very important task, along the lines of
modern liberal arts, including eleven disciplines like history, philosophy, physics and even
music, medicine and law amongst other. Clearly for him architecture was a cross between
liberal arts and natural sciences, a sort of application of both, a bridge narrowing the gap.
However, there has always been a rift between the subsequent theorists as to what should be
given more leverage in architecture, the trend oscillating from liberal arts to natural sciences.
The modern curriculum is more close to the prescription of Vitruvius, at least in essence.

As for the role of an architect, Vitruvius has a wider idea of architects being the mixture of a
civil and mechanical engineer as well as an architect of our times. However, such a
description has been more theoretical than practical.
Finally, the conduct of an architect as prescribed by Vitruvius also is very important.
According to him, the onus of the responsibility of the success of a building project lies on
the shoulder of a professional, well-trained and well-behaved architect, who should be
proficient in making a realistic and accurate cost-analysis. Acquiring clients and displaying
probity are other virtues attached with an architect.
The Gothics, modernists, post-modernists as well as the post-structuralists have all in one
way or the other voiced Vitruvius. Although modern realities of design and conduct might
have seen a paradigm shift over time, the pivotal role the architect enjoys in the scheme of
things can justly credited to this great architect.