Most animals are builders for the birds build nests and the bees build hives.
What probably differentiates humans from other animals is that humans go beyond the functional requirements of shelters to create works of art. But architecture as art is bounded by both environmental conditions and the resources and technology available in a given space and time.
In this manner, architecture in the Maldives takes account of the islands’ climate, the meager resources available and the islands’ close relationship to the sea (virtually no point in the Maldives is more than 500 metres away from the sea or two metres above the water table).
Buildings, therefore, made extensive use of indigenous material. Architectural principles and practices were green and sustainable. In fact, until about 1800, almost all the buildings were made from what is available, coral stone and plant material.
