IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic: Designing a Building

Zuhana

4 min read

Updated On Oct 04, 2023

Sample Essay
Band 9 Sample Essay

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The Essay Writing section of the IELTS Writing Module can be a difficult task for many IELTS Aspirants. Thus, it is vital that you polish your essay writing skills before attempting the IELTS.

Below is a sample IELTS Essay for the IELTS Essay topic:

While designing a building, the most important factor is the intended use of the building rather than its outward appearance. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sample Essay

Some individuals opine that the most vital aspect when designing a building is its function rather than its outer aesthetics. I somewhat agree with this viewpoint as although a good-looking building enhances the beauty of its surroundings, without meeting its basic function, it would be a waste.

On the one hand, a building with an appealing appearance may be a source of beautification of its locality that may encourage people to visit it as it may serve as an incentive for tourism, leisure, or work. For example, the bathhouses of Brighton are well-known for their bright and colourful designs and promote tourism in the state of Victoria. Similarly, attractive university campuses and office spaces are deemed to be popular study and work destinations among young adults.

However, the function of a building is of pivotal importance when considering its design. A building needs to accommodate the needs of its owners, residents, and patrons. Specifically, one basic necessity of any building is safety; that is, it needs to be sturdy and durable. However, nowadays, there are many fashionable styles of buildings that compromise their stability and safety. For example, in India, an architectural firm gained popularity for its one-of-a-kind designs and, a few years later, the designs were claimed as unsafe when many of the buildings collapsed during a minor earthquake. As a result, several resources were wasted, and many lives were endangered in light of the importance given to the outward appearance of the buildings over their basic functionality.

In conclusion, I agree to some extent that the purpose of a building is of utmost importance instead of the external aspects when designing it, as without serving the primary functions, a building would be a waste of essential resources and even risky.

Vocabulary:

Opine (v) to state your opinion
Aesthetics (n) the beautiful qualities of something
Appealing (a) attractive & interesting
Beautification (n) the process of making visual improvements to a person, place, or thing.
Locality (n) a particular area or district
Incentive (n) Inducement or supplemental reward that serves as a motivational device for a desired action or behaviour.
Deem someone/something to be something(v) to consider that someone or something has a particular quality
Pivotal (adj.) extremely important and affecting how something develops
Accommodate (v) to consider and include something when you are deciding what to do
Patron (n) someone who uses a particular restaurant, hotel, or other business
Sturdy (a) strong & not easily affected/damaged by what happens
Durable (a) able to stay in good condition for a long time and after being used a lot
compromise (v) settle a dispute by mutual concession
in light of (phrase) because of a particular fact

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The process of finalizing the design of a building can be a tedious task as such a decision has to be approved by several figures of authority. A common dilemma faced while making such choices is whether to focus more on the appearance of an establishment or its functionality. In my opinion, the blueprint of an edifice should always be formulated with the utility of the structure as a top priority, since a building that is simply visually pleasing serves little to no purpose.

Presently, it is quite evident that the focus of both corporate and private establishments has shifted from being practical to being attractive to on-lookers. Consequently, if a structure is planned and built with only the appearances in mind, the repercussions are not felt by the engineers, rather it is the people who either reside or work in such buildings who have to suffer the inefficiencies.

Furthermore, focussing only on the outward form of a property diverts the attention of the constructors from vital aspects of the premises. It is crucial for the authorities responsible for creating the outline of a structure to make sure that characteristics like the foundation, quality of materials used and other key attributes are in order before determining the external appearance of the establishment.

However, it is true that visual attributes also play a significant role in creating a positive image in the minds of the people. Nevertheless, it is important to understand that such features are entirely superficial in nature and are not an indicator of efficiency or productivity.

Finally, I would like to conclude by saying that the utility of the looks of an establishment cannot be discounted completely. That being said, such exterior qualities should not hold more value than the intrinsic components, especially during the planning process.