Week 13

Lesson 8

Architecture as a Visual Art

Objectives:

1. State some definitions of

architecture

2. Differentiate and explain each

architecture by describing the
architectural

representative of cultures and of the

artistic style of some countries

3. Recognize the local and foreign

architects and their works

Introduction:

What is architecture as an art? Since works of arts are expressions of what is seen and
felt, then the study of architecture can give us some hints as to the values and
sensitivities of the culture of a particular place.

Architecture is an art form that reflects how we present ourselves across the earth’s
landscape, and, like other expressive mediums, it changes with styles, technologies and
cultural adaptations.

Furthermore, Architecture not only provides worldly needs of shelter, workspace and
storage but also represents human ideals in buildings like courthouses and government
buildings and manifestations of the spirit in churches and temples. Traditional
architecture
has survived over thousands of years in one form or another, while contemporary
design offers new approaches in how we use materials and technology to shape the
look of our environment.

Pre-Assessment:

Identify the country where the following architectural works are found. Write your
answer on the blank.

1. Burj Khalifa

2. Taj Mahal

3. Petronas Towers

4. Linked Hybrid

5. Leaning Tower of Pisa

6. Statue of Unity

7. Sydney Opera House

8. Gardens By the Bay

9. Metropol Parasol

10. Hagia Sophia

Lesson Presentation:

Architecture is the art and science of designing structures and spaces for human use.
Architectural design is an art form realized through considerations of spatial design and
aesthetics. Related to sculpture, architecture creates three-dimensional objects that
serve human purposes and forms visual relationships with the surrounding areas.

Related to sculpture, architecture creates three-dimensional objects that occupy a given

space and create a visual relationship with the space around them. The differences
between the sculpture and architecture are in their scale and utility. Early human
structures provided shelter from the elements. As hunter- gatherer societies transitioned
to farming they made more permanent shelters, eventually formed communities, towns
and cities. For thousands of years,
architecture reflected the specific
environment and materials available in any
given region, including rock caves or huts
of wood, soil and brick. Many were
assemblages of materials like grasses,
leaves and animal hides. Nomadic people
still utilize these materials.

Turkman woman standing at the entry to a grass and hide

covered yurt. Collection of the Library of Congress Prints and Images File

In simple design terms, architecture adheres to the dictum that "form follows function".
Architecture's function reflects different human needs. For example, warehouses take
the shape of large squares or rectangles because they need only to enclose a space
that protects and stores products and materials in the most efficient manner. A home is
designed with other functions in mind, including cooking, resting, cleaning and
entertaining. So the interior design of a home includes specialized areas for these
different functions.
A church or school design would have their own set of spatial requirements because
they provide for large groups of people at once.

Architecture solves problems concerning the use of space, interior design and the
landscape that surrounds it. The limitations imposed on architecture by the laws of
physics are solved to a large extent by engineering. The greatest limitations on design
are the physical loads exerted by a structure's weight. Compression loads refer to
vertical weight and shear loads travel at an angle or horizontally. Buildings need stable
foundations and framing systems that support the spanning of open space.

Types of Architecture

The design of a building is one of the first things that will capture your attention. If a
building is architecturally remarkable, it often becomes a landmark that defines a city
and is visited by tourists from all over the world.

Memorable buildings often follow certain architectural styles that are immediately
identifiable. Many of these design elements are still being utilised by architecture and
design consultants adopting timeless principles of good design as an inspiration for their
design projects.

1. Greek and Roman Classical Architecture

Timeline: 850 BC to 476 AD

This type of architecture refers to the style that

was prominently used in ancient Greece and
Rome. This architectural style adhered to the
concept of building structures utilising a set
template. Classical architecture is often
expressed by the temple, an oblong enclosure
or surrounded by columns.
The Greek order of columns, Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, are some of the more
identifiable elements of classical architecture. These guidelines were followed by
Roman architects, with the Corinthian being the more favored style used in many
Roman buildings.

Some of the most popular examples of classical architecture are the Acropolis complex
in Athens and the Colosseum in Rome.

2. Gothic Architecture

Timeline: 1150 to c. 1530

Some of the most famous churches in

Europe feature the Gothic style of
architecture. This architectural type
that dominated for hundreds of years
began in France and was then adapted
throughout the continent. This is a style
of stonework/masonry building that is
characterized by three main features: sharply pointed arch, ribbed and vaulted columns,
and flying support.

One of the most famous examples of French Gothic architecture is the Notre-Dame in
Paris, France. Other prominent examples of structures that used Gothic architecture are
Canterbury Cathedral in England, Cologne Cathedral in Germany, Milan Cathedral in
Italy, Basilica of St. Denis in Paris, and Salisbury Cathedral in England.
3. Baroque

Timeline: Late 16th Century to 18th

Century

This style of architecture originated in

Italy and was said to be a more
emotional and dramatic style designed
to appeal to the senses. Baroque
architecture usually includes curving
forms such as ovals, as well as
concave and convex forms that
suggest motion. Distortion is also
another key aspect in this style where
you will see figures that are broken, elongated or manipulated to make them stand out.

Some of the examples of buildings with the Baroque style are the Palace of Versailles in
France, St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, St. Peter’s Square in Vatican, and Schönbrunn
Palace in Vienna.

4. Neoclassical Architecture

Timeline: 18th Century to early 19th Century

As the name suggests, Neoclassical

architecture is the revival of Classical
architecture. The style is very reminiscent of the
Greek and Roman forms. This resulted in 18th-
century buildings somewhat resembling Greek
and Roman temples.
Neoclassical architecture is defined by clean, elegant lines, uncluttered appearance,
free-standing columns and massive buildings. Some of the more popular examples are
the Bank of England Building in Liverpool, the White House in the United States, and
the General Post Office in Dublin.

5. Victorian Architecture

Timeline: 1837-1901

This style of architecture refers to buildings

that were constructed during the reign of
England’s Queen Victoria. Unlike other
styles, Victorian architecture is not limited to
a single particular design but is used as a
broad term that saw the revival of Gothic,
Romanesque, and Tudor elements.

The Victorian style was applied to residential house designs during the industrial
revolution. Many homes in the UK, US, and Australia utilised this style. One
characteristic that most Victorian homes share is the “dollhouse” look having elaborate
trims, vivid colours, and asymmetrical designs.

Some of the more prominent Victorian buildings are the Palace of Westminster and
Royal Albert Hall in London, Osborne House in the Isle of Wight, Balmoral Castle in
Scotland, and Postcard Row in San Francisco, California.
6. Modern Architecture

Timeline: 1900s to 1960s

This architectural style is an umbrella

term that encompasses several
different styles that became prominent
during the first half of the 20th century.
This is a minimalist style that was
practised by many architects until after
World War 2.

The modernist style prioritise simplicity

of form, clean structure, lack of ornamentation, and function over form. This style also
took advantage of the advances in steel, glass and concrete. Some of the best known
architects of the 20th century flourished during this era including Frank Lloyd Wright and
Le Corbusier.

It follows that some of the most iconic examples of Modern architecture include Frank
Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house in the United States, Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye in
France, and Ludwig Mies van Der Rohe’s Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin.
 7. Post-Modern Architecture

Timeline: 1960s to 1990s

As a reaction to the austerity and

rigidity promoted by Modern
architecture, the Post-Modernist
architects launched this design
movement in the 1960s. The post-
modern designs incorporated artistic
ornamentation and decorative
elements into the building’s façade as opposed to just the clean lines upheld by
modernist styles.

The Post-modernist style refused to be boxed to just one type so designs often drew
inspiration from a mix of architectural styles. For some buildings, this combination often
resulted to a somewhat hybrid and whimsical design.

The Vanna Venturi House in Pennsylvania, USA designed by Robvert Venturi is one of
the first prominent structures of the post-modern architecture movement. Two famous
structures designed by architect Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao,
Spain and the Dancing House in Prague are also notable examples. In the UK, the SIS
Building and the No 1 Poulty in London are some examples.

8. Neofuturist Architecture

Timeline: 2007 to Present

Neofuturism is an architectural style that is seen as a

more idealistic approach to the future. The designs
increasingly take advantage of new technologies to
build seemingly impossible forms and innovative
structures that have never been done before.
Neofuturist architecture is identified with structures that seem to defy natural physics
which were only previously seen in sci-fi movies.

One of the best-known architects of Neofuturist architecture is ground-breaking Iraqi-

British architect Zaha Hadid. In 2004, she was the first female architect to be awarded
the Pritzker Prize in Architecture which was considered the Nobel Prize in the
architecture world. She was also a two-time recipient of the Riba Stirling Prize- the UK’s
most prestigious architecture award.

Hadid, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 65, was known for her distinctive
projects including The New Riverside Museum in Glasgow, Serpentine Sackler Gallery
in Hyde Park, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Stadium in Japan, the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Stadium in Qatar, and the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre in Azerbaijan.

Other Architecture Types Worth Mentioning:

1. Egyptian Architecture

Ancient Egyptian architecture was

mostly that of the monumental
temple and tomb, and featured
obelisks, battered walls, pylon-
towers, pyramids, cavetto (or gorge)
cornices, large columns with lotus,
papyrus, palm, and other capitals,
hypostyle halls, courts, vast
processional axes (called dromos)
flanked by sphinxes, stylized sculpture, and hieroglyphs. It was an architecture of the
columnar and trabeated type.
The early stone-built funerary complex at Saqqara (c.2630–c.2611 BC) had many
buildings including a stepped pyramid, processional hall with reeded and fluted engaged
columns, courts, and a vast wall containing the whole: it was designed by Imhotep.
Stepped pyramids were superseded by the smooth-sided type, of which the Gizeh
pyramids (mid-third millennium BC) are exemplars. The big temple complex at Deïr-el-
Bahari (middle of the second millennium BC) was designed with three main levels
approached by ramps and having long façades of plain square columns that were
greatly influential in C20 Neo-Classicism and Rational architecture. The temple-groups
of Karnak and Luxor were also started around the same time, and their remaining ruins
are still impressive. There are many surviving buildings of the Graeco-Roman period
(332 bc–395 bc), including the Philae and Edfu temples.

2. Early Christian Architecture

Early Christian art and architecture or

Paleochristian art is the art produced by
Christians or under Christian patronage
from the earliest period of Christianity to,
depending on the definition used, sometime
between 260 and 525. In practice,
identifiably Christian art only survives from
the 2nd century onwards
 3. Byzantine Architecture

Byzantine architecture is a style of building that

flourished under the rule of Roman Emperor
Justinian between A.D. 527 and 565. In addition to
extensive use of interior mosaics, its defining
characteristic is a heightened dome, the result of the
latest sixth-century engineering techniques.

Byzantine architecture dominated the eastern half of

the Roman Empire during the reign of Justinian the Great, but the influences spanned
centuries, from 330 until the fall of Constantinople in 1453 and on into today's church
architecture.

4. Romanesque Architecture

Romanesque architecture is an
architectural style of medieval Europe
characterized by semi-circular
arches. ... The style can be identified
right across Europe, despite regional
characteristics and different materials.
Many castles were built during this
period, but they are greatly
outnumbered by churches.
5. Renaissance Architecture

Renaissance architecture is the

European architecture of the period
between the early 14th and early
16th centuries in different regions,
demonstrating a conscious revival
and development of certain
elements of ancient Greek and
Roman thought and material culture.

Renaissance architecture, style of

architecture, reflecting the rebirth of
Classical culture, that originated in
Florence in the early 15th century and spread throughout Europe, replacing the
medieval Gothic style. ... Filippo Brunelleschi is considered the first Renaissance
architect.

6.Philippine Architecture

The architecture of the classical period

of the Philippines is based on vernacular
architecture for most of its centuries and
Islamic architecture in some coastal
areas at the south, plus the interior of
Lanao, after the 13th century.

The bahay kubo is the term for huts built

out of nipa.
These types of edifices were characteristic of the way that indigenous people of the
Philippines built homes prior to the arrival of the Spanish colonizers. They are still in use
today, especially in rural areas. Different architectural designs are present among the
different ethnolinguistic groups in the country, although most homes built along the
shorelines conform to being stilt houses, similar to those found in neighboring countries
such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries of Southeast Asia.

Group work.

 Group I will visit the Las Pinas City Hall virtually

 Group II will visit the Bamboo Organ Church virtually
 Group III will visit the SM Southmall virtually
 Group IV will visit the DFCAM-Main virtually
 Group V will visit the DFCAM-IT virtually

Observe the types of architectural designs employed in the buildings / or houses found
in these places. Document your observations by taking pictures to be presented in class
together with a narrative on their output.

Generalization:

The question “what is architecture?” is one of the most basic but also one of the most
challenging stuff architects ask themselves. It is a philosophical question that repels a
complete answer yet incites an intellectual examination.

Architecture is a passion, a vocation, a calling — as well as a science and a business. It

has been described as a social art and also an artful science. Architecture must be of
the highest quality of design. Architecture provides, in the words of Marcus Vitruvius,
the great Roman architect and historian, “firmness, commodity and delight.
Additionally, architecture is everywhere. Each and every building: home, school, office,
hospital and supermarket were designed for their particular purpose.

It is of vital importance that these buildings, and in turn the environments they form and
the neighborhoods and cities they are a part of, are designed to be the best possible
buildings for their specific context, use and the people who use them.

Online References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_arts#:~:text=Architecture%20is%20the%20process
%20and,and%20as%20works%20of%20art.

https://www.barker-associates.co.uk/service/architecture/most-recognised-architectural-
styles