Architecture

Architecture is an artistic discipline that involves the design of buildings and other permanent structures.

Cave Carving
The earliest structures built on Tetro were caves carved into the cliffs of Reldiga's southern coast by Protopyronates 580 million Earth-years ago. Some caves served as family residences, while others stored food and supplies, or were used as recreation facilities. Most adults were trained in architecture, as they were expected to construct their own dwellings. The caves were grouped into cities in which nearly every interior space was connected to the others by tunnels, allowing movement through the city without venturing into the dangerous storms outside. Flooding was an ever-present risk, so entrances generally sloped upwards at a steep angle, or included drainage tunnels leading from a low point in the floor back out to the sea.

New Building Materials
With the discovery of fire 577 million Earth-years ago, Tetrians gained the ability to forge metal and glass, which allowed them to build structures above ground. They were used to working with negative space, and thus would simply design the interior layout based on familiar cave designs, then create a structure to enclose that space without regard for the exterior appearance. As a result, most buildings consisted of round chambers connected by spiralling corridors, arranged haphazardly. It was not until after the Great Migration that artistic considerations began to influence architecture.

Artistic Freedom
The migration to new continents with plentiful food sources and a more forgiving climate gave Tetrians more free time in which to pursure art and science. Trends in other forms of art began to influence building design as well, and architects began to focus on making their creations aesthetically pleasing both inside and outside.