Salisbury Cathedral

Introduction

Once known as the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an Anglicacathedral is now
referred to as Salisbury Cathedral. The cathedral has been identified as one of the leading
examples of Early English Gothic architecture. This style emphasized height and light and
compared to the bulkier, heavier buildings of the 11th and 12th centuries, it was quite
revolutionary. Salisbury was built nearly to completion within a single generation. As a
result, the final structure presents a unity of vision that is very satisfying and evocative of a
single era of English architecture and is probably the finest example of the Early English
style in the country.

Building Name: Salisbury Cathedral

Building/architecture style: Gothic style

Location: Wiltshire, England, SP1 2EF

Date: 1220-1258 (the original cathedral was completed ), the cathedral was finally completed
by 25 March 1266

Architect: Richard Poore

Historical Influence: The cathedral made use of the new techniques of style from Early
English Gothic architecture, also known as “Lancet”. Additionally, the cathedral shows the
reference to the Romanesque architectural style.

The most fundamental element of the Gothic style of architecture is the pointed arch, which
was likely borrowed from Islamic architecture. The pointed arch relieved some of the thrust,
and therefore, the stress on other structural elements. It then became possible to reduce the
size of the columns or piers that supported the arch. Moreover, principal structural features of
what came to be called classical High Gothic were established at Charters and refined in the
later buildings. These are, the quadripartite ribbing, slender towers topped with spires, lancet
windows – both single and grouped and the piers with narrow, clustered shafts.

Characteristics:

Roof – A characteristic of Gothic church architecture is its height, both absolute and
proportion to its width. Salisbury Cathedral has the tallest spire in the world, at 123 metres
(403 ft), equivalent to a modern forty story building. The spire originated in the 12 th century
as a simple, four-sided pyramidal roof, generally abrupt and stunted, capping the church
tower. Having only one spire, it is positioned perfectly over the meeting of the nave and the
transept giving it architectural completeness that is exceedingly rare.

Building materials – Since the gothic movement in Europe arose as a response to

Romanesque ideas about religion and art. The new Christian doctrine that was focused on
Christ avoided the Romanesque’s focus on hell and doomsday. Therefore, to translate lighter,
happier religious ideas into architecture, architects began to deconstruct the cathedrals.
Unnecessary weight was removed from the exterior walls and in its place, flying buttresses
were added to the exterior of churches to support the great vaults that spanned the naves. This
technique is used at Salisbury Cathedral, where several different buttressing techniques were
used.

The first was a system concealed beneath the side aisle roofs. The second system was a
system of more visible external flying buttresses located around the larger cross arms, which
was added to prevent damage caused by the weight of the spire. The third was added for extra
stability which is located at the choir transept transitions into the Trinity Chapel. Hence,
from an architecture standpoint, the flying buttresses were necessary to help support the
weight of Salisbury Cathedral’s spanning ribbed vaults; a technique developed within the
Gothic movement. The ribs created a web-like design in each of the vaults that emphasized
their span and heights as well as supported them structurally. Therefore, with the flying
buttresses as support, the vaults added to the airy feeling of the Cathedral and allowed in an
ample amount of sunlight through its stained glass windows.

The cathedral makes exceptional use of Purbeck marble. This is a crystalline limestone and it
was quarried in Corfe Castle, Dorset. The Purbeck marble is used primarily in column shafts
of the nave and aisles, and the vault ribs.

Windows – stained glass windows are another element associated with the gothic period.
The beautiful coloured glass allows light into the Salisbury Cathedral and creates a jewel-like
glow on the grey stone. The flying buttresses support larger spans of glass, allowing for large,
tall lancet style windows to line the Cathedral. Therefore, depicting religious scenes or rituals
associated with historical events through the glass.

Doors:

West Door to Nave - The primary entrance to the Cathedral was through the west end of the
nave. A pair of doors measuring 12ft 4in high by 6ft 5in wide consist of between six and
seven wide, square-edged, boards of the finest quality quartered oak, mounted on a frame of
fifteen diagonal ledges in each direction. The doors are hung by three large strap hinges
sandwiched between the crossed ledges and, unusually, riveted to the front boards first,
before the boards were fixed to the rear frame of support ledges.

Upper Door from Pavis Chamber – The door at the top of the Parvis Chamber above the
north porch leading into the north triforium measures 4ft Si n high and 3ft 6Y2in wide. The
door is much heavier than the other doors before described, being constructed of three heavy
planks measuring 2in thick nailed to five horizontal ledges, the joints between the planks
being covered with noggins nailed between the ledges. Additionally, the door is interesting in
that it still retains its original draw-bar in its original socket lining made up of thin fine-
grained oak boards, set within the stone wall dividing the north triforium from the Parvis
Chamber.

Structural and ornament/ decorative features – Walking up the entrance of the cathedral,
individuals get the chance to look up at the façade. Apart from the seventy-nine statues, each
side is a perfect copy of the other, as this style of symmetry was well known to medieval
architects, e.g. Ellias Wereham who was the master designer behind Salisbury Cathedral. The
statues are found on the front façade in seven tiers and some were added as recently as the
twenty-first century.

Cologne Cathedral
Introduction

Cologne Cathedral, along with Charters Cathedral and Notre-Dame-Cathedral, is one of

Western Europe’s most famous medieval sites of Christian art. The cathedral was
commissioned by Konrad von Hochstaden (1200-61), Archbishop of Cologne from 1238 to
1261, construction on the cathedral began in 1248, halted in 1473, and was only completed in
1880. The cathedral is famous for its architectural statues, steep gables, blind tracery and
unifying series of spires, as well as its rare works of religious art, such as the
sumptuous Shrine of the Three Kings (1191), the Gero Cross (960). Lastly, from an
architectural standpoint, the cathedral exemplifies the Rayonnant Gothic style although its
design also includes some elements of extra-decorative Flamboyant Gothic architecture.

Building Name: Cologne Cathedral

Building/architecture style: Gothic

Location: Cologne, North Rhine, Westphalia, Germany

Date: Begun in 1248, and construction completed in 1880

Architect: Mater Gerhard, Ernst Friedrich Zwirner and Richard Voigtel (guided architectural
drawings made in 1300), Arnold Wolff

Historical Influence: The cathedral is regarded as one of the finest pieces of systematic
architecture to be found in any cathedral to that date. In terms of architectural history, the
Cologne Cathedral is a culmination of French cathedral Gothic. Rayonnant forms of Gothic
art spread rapidly across the borders of France and were quickly adopted in the leading
commercial cities. Cologne, like its contemporary Strasbourg, became one of the principal
centres for the elaboration of Rayonnant Gothic. Moreover, references from Romanesque
architectural structures are identified through the gabled roof in the centre of the building,
arched entryways, as well as symmetry throughout the cathedral. To conclude, the general
design of the building repeats that of the Cathedral of Amiens, but not without variations.

Characteristics:

Roof – The roof area of Cologne Cathedral takes up over 12,000 m². They are covered with
large-format 3 mm thick lead plates which together weigh around 600 tons. The roof
structure is not composed of wooden beams, but of iron girders. The cathedral currently has
the tallest twin-spired church in the world and the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe.
At 157.38 m (515 ft) tall, the northern tower is 7 cm taller than the southern one. When the
cathedral resumed construction in 1842, modern techniques such as iron roof grinders were
used while following the original medieval plans and drawings.

Building materials – Owing to its long building history, different types of building stones
comprised the construction of the Cologne Cathedral. The severe damage was observed on
the different stones, e.g. sandstone, carbonate, and volcanic rocks; the different stone
materials neighbour the medieval ‘‘Drachenfels trachyte’’ from the ‘‘Siebengebirge’’.

The first construction phase (1248-1520/30) consisted of the use of Dranchenfels trachyte,
until the end of the construction of the medieval cathedral. By the second phase (1842-the
1860s), the building material were sandstones, e.g. Schlaitdorfer sandstone, Obernkirchner
sandstone and Heilbronner sandstone. Moreover, other materials used onwards included
Londorfer basalt lava, Bozanov sandstone and Montemerlo trachyte.

Windows – The entire architecture of Cologne Cathedral is designed to accommodate the

largest possible windows. Hence, it is described as an “extremely harmonious glass house”.
The windows at the cathedral cover an area of around 10,000 m², which roughly corresponds
to the area of the building. Therefore, making the cathedral have the largest window area in
correspondence to the length of the church. The windows come from different epochs and
shape the overall impression of the cathedral. They reflect the respective contemporary
demands on the design and function of the windows.

The stained glass window in the south transept of the Cologne Cathedral designed

by Cologne artist Gerhard Richter. The window was inaugurated in the year 2007, August
25. Each window depicts religious scenes from past kings to scenes of Christ’s life presented
in a typological point of view.

Doors – The front, or west facade, has three portals and the portals are very similar to
Strasbourg. Each door has statues fanning out from the doors, a tympanum with the scenes
from the featured subject and archivolts with mini-scenes in them. Additionally, the portals in
the centre have two doors with Mary as the main figure, just visible below, with the
tympanum and archivolts above her.  The portal on the left, with one door, is the Magi portal,
which is considered to be an important theme of the cathedral. The right portal, also with one
door, has Peter as the main figure, to whom the cathedral is dedicated.  Above the door, in the
tympanum, one of the scenes from the life of Peter shows him being crucified on an upside-
down cross. This depicts that the focus of the architecture at the cathedral was gothic.

Structural and ornament/ decorative features – The architectural design and layout is
perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the cathedral. From the dominating spires and
pinnacles to the façade’s intricate stone carvings, the plans for the structure demonstrate both
an engineering and artistic grandness.

The exterior of the cathedral serves as a stunning example of German Gothic architecture,
while its interior depicts and houses a variety of gothic sculptures and artwork. One of the
important works in the cathedral is the High Altar, which was installed in 1322. It is
constructed out of black marble, with a solid fifteen feet forming the top. The front and sides
are overlaid with white marble, with the Coronation of the Virgin at the centre.

The South façade is now considered to be one of the most important and artistically perfect
works of the neo-Gothic. The portal sculptures found there represent a high point of
romantic- Nazarene sculpture with religious content in Germany.
The statue of  St. Christopher in Cologne Cathedral is a monumental sculpture made of tuff
stone, cerated around 1470.  It is placed on a column at the transition from the southern
transept to the ambulatory of the chapel wreath.

Bourges Cathedral
Introduction

The construction of the Bourges Cathedral began at the end of the 12 th century and the late
13th century. Bourges Cathedral is a five aisled basilica with no transept and a double
ambulatory so that the radiating chapels are reduced to bays of relatively tiny size. The
structure constitutes an outstanding, highly inventive achievement with no trace of Early
Gothic. The aisles are graduated in height, which means the dividing arcades are extremely
high, but there is no gallery on the upper wall, only the triforium and clerestory survive.
Hence, in this respect, Bourges Cathedral is a Gothic Cluny.

Building Name: Bourges Cathedral

Building/architecture style: High gothic architectural style, Romanesque style

Location: Bourges, France

Date: 1195 – 1230 A.D

Architect: Archbishop Gozlin

Historical Influence: The monumental concept of Bourges Cathedral is an expression of the

ascent to the French throne of Captain Phillip II. The structural analysis of Gothic cathedrals
is facilitated by the linear form taken by their main vessels: repeated bays, the ends of each
bay being defamed by the principal load-bearing elements of the structure, the piers and
buttresses arranged as a transverse, planar frame.

Characteristics:

Firstly, the cathedral has an intriguing and very unusual design, since it lacks a transept, and
since its five aisles are staggered in height, creating a cross-section whose roughly triangular
outline is emphasized by the steep slope of its flying buttresses. Lastly, it ranks as one of the
largest Gothic structures in which the fabric produced in the first building campaign survives
substantially unaltered by later modifications and accretions.

Roof – the roofs of the great cathedrals were framed in massive and, often known as ‘the
forest’. Due to its vulnerability to fire, ‘the forest’ has been a great bane for gothic cathedrals
from the earliest times. This regularly caused great damage to the cathedral at large, by
damaging the stonework, as well as setting fire to the cathedral structure and furnishings.
Hence, the restorations are turning to reinforced concrete for roof framing. Iron and steel
have also been used on occasion in past, e.g. Bourges Cathedral.

Building materials – the building of gothic cathedrals developed in step with the
development of the design process. Through the medieval apprenticeship system,
accumulated knowledge was passed down. Over a period of about a century and a half,
designs increased in complexity and sophistication as the new techniques developed into a
coherent ‘gothic’ style.

The cathedral is quite radical in design, as it has sexpartite vaulting. A sexpartite design is

substituted to further spread the vault load. For example, an extra arch would run between the
two mauve arches, joining with the tip of the yellow arches. Each end of this extra arch will
then be supported on two more intermediate pillars, normally of a narrower section, which
will thus transmit some of the weight downwards.

Windows – Bourges cathedral has two walkways [A and B] between the upper, middle and
lower rows of stained glass windows. On the external view of the cathedral, these triforia are
beneath a sloped roof protecting them as the roof extends outwards beyond the row of
windows above.

Magnificent stained glass windows fill the Cathedral of Bourges but are especially
astonishing in the ambulatory at the east end, where they can be examined up close. The
iconography used in many of these windows uses typology (such as Old Testament, events in
the life of Christ) and symbolism to communicate theological messages. However, from the
original twenty-five windows, only twenty-two survived, as the three windows in the central
east chapel were lost.

Additionally, outside the cathedral, the flying buttresses press against the cathedral wall in
line with the pillars on the inside, leaving the window walls unobstructed.

Doors – Tympanum above the entrance door of Bourges Cathedral has an exquisite carving
that characterizes the art above the main entrance. Some of the original colourings are still
visible on the stone.

Structural and ornament/ decorative features – the façade or west front, the main entrance
to the cathedral is on a particularly grand scale when compared to the cathedrals of the
period. The cathedral has five portals accessing the central aisle and four side aisles, more
than Notre Dame de Paris, or any other cathedral from that period.

Sculptures from the west front portals illustrate the day of judgement in the tympanum over
the central portal, whilst the punishment of sinners is depicted on the tympanum of the central
portal. Additionally, other images, such as the stoning of Saint Stephen (portal right of
centre) and the portal of Saint Guillaume depicting the spire of the Cathedral are sculptures
found on the exterior of the building. Moreover, other decorations found on the outside
exterior include, the top of the north tower, with flamboyant decoration and bronze pelican,
the flamboyant Grand Housteau and west rose window and the bell of Duke Jean and bronze
pelican on the north tower. The north tower is the only one finished and is the tallest of the
two. Hence, it was given an elaborate Flamboyant Gothic decoration including the profusion
of ornamental pinnacles and crockets.
Urnes Stave Church
Introduction

The wooden church of Urnes stands in the natural setting of Sogn of Fjordane. The church is
a basilica-style church and it was built in the 12th and 14th centuries, making it an outstanding
example of Scandinavian wooden architecture. During this period, the Vikings were being
Christianized, hence, the building brings together traces of Celtic art, Viking traditions and
Romanesque spatial structures. Their architecture and construction technique, besides the
lack of their survival and presence around the world, make Stave churches in Norwegian
stavkirker unique buildings that not only complete Norway’s wooden architecture tradition
but are also fundamental to their heritage.
Building Name: Urnes Stave Church

Building/architecture style: Romanesque

Location: Ornes, Luster, Vestland county, Norway

Date: 1132

Architect: Bendik Urne

Historical Influence: In Norway, from an architectural and artistic standpoint, the

Romanesque style falls into the date range of c. AD 1100-c.1200 and Gothic s seen to begin
c. AD 1200. However, the ‘stave church era’ is generally recognized to be from c. AD 1130
to c.1350. Today, the Urnes Stave Church is said to be dendrochronologically dated between
1129 and 1131.

The church at Urnes is inspired primarily by the shipbuilding designs and pre-Christian
mythology of the Viking culture, as the northern architects of Urnes incorporated elements of
Celtic and early Romanesque art.  Interestingly, the method by which the Norsemen viewed
these exterior artistic styles was due to those very same Viking ships. Moreover, the
cylindrical columns and semi-circular arches came from Romanesque stone architecture.
Despite the new religion, the architects of the churches clung to the familiar, as their
attention to verticality was likely borrowed from early Romanesque influences in Britain.

Characteristics:

Roof – The roof was tiled at one point, however, the current shingles date to the twentieth
century when the church underwent restoration when much of the protective cladding was
added. Additionally, Urnes has tired overhanging roofs topped with a tower. However, unlike
Borgund, the Urnes Stave Church does not have carved dragon heads found on the tower.

Building materials – Years back, there were over a thousand stave churches in Norway,
however, only twenty-eight remain. The survival of the twenty-eight churches is because the
churches have a stone foundation that stops them from rotting from the ground up. This is
because the building is made of vertical wooden boards or staves that form their walls, hence
the name “stave church.”.  The rest of the staves then rise from the ground sills, each stave
notched and grooved along the sides so that they lock into one another, forming a sturdy wall.
Stave church which therefore can be seen as a wooden building in a three-dimensional cubic
structure covered with wall planks. The frame of the overall structure is constructed with
timber balks and the wall planks will are still fitted into the frames where convenient.

Windows – Windows at the Urnes Church were added in the eighteenth century. The
building materials used also included timber.

Doors – The main entrance to the church is on the west end and you can see medieval
carvings on the capitals, which is thought to be original ironwork done in the past. The
material used to make the doors, and building were all made using wood.

Structural and ornament/ decorative features – The Urnes Stave Church is unique because
of its because of detailed wood carving work and extensive interior ornamentation. In the
Urnes style, there is a turn to elegant, schematic forms., as animals are portrayed with tapered
anatomical features and in regal stances.

The exterior decorations are evidence of how the Viking’s culture transformed and adopted
Christianity. Strap-work panels were taken from one of the earlier churches and incorporated
into the new structure, keeping elements of Viking tradition alive. This is most evident in the
North Portal. In mythology and religion, the portal is meant to let other people enter God’s
house. The portals are the symbolic embodiment that represents the chaos and struggle with
evil. At the Urnes stave church, the portal depicts the struggle between a serpent and a beast.

There are three primary motifs; a standing four-legged animal that resembles the Great Beast,
a snake-like creature with a foreleg and thin ribbon, which is perhaps associated with the
growth of Christianity. These carvings fully embody the style’s characteristics that have been
the subject of art-historical interpretation over the years. Additionally, the use of spiral hip
joints persists, the proportions of creatures’ bodies curve and swell in a fashion that
differentiates them from previous styles. For example, the feet of the Great Beast standing
next to the door gracefully end in wisps that rest between delicate vegetal motifs. Therefore,
although the structure is Christian in function, the decorative forms remain indebted to pre-
Christian styles.
The Edge (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Introduction

The Edge is a 40,000m² Office building in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The building was
designed for the global financial firm and main tenant, Deloitte. Additionally, the design of
the building aimed to consolidate Deloitte’s employees from multiple buildings throughout
the city, into a single environment whilst creating a ‘smart building’ to act as a catalyst for
the company’s transition into the digital age. Therefore, “The Edge” represents the pursuit of
a vibrant and collaborative working environment that can be combined successfully with
achieving the highest levels of sustainability.

Building Name: The Edge

Building/architecture style: Contemporary, High Tech, Post Modern

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Date: 2015

Architect: PLP Architecture Ltd., OeverZaaijer Architectuur En Stedebouw

Historical Influence: Glass, which is considered as one of the green elements in construction
is widely used in buildings to reduce the use of electricity during day time. With a wide
variety of options to be used, it helps to blend the interiors with exteriors, its stained property
and access to natural light has increased its market usage in Contemporary construction.
Moreover, the building creates a radically new working environment that is enabled by
sustainable technologies, as it integrates numerous smart technologies to create adaptable and
intelligent workspaces.

Characteristics:

Roof – The atrium is the gravitational centre of the Edge’s solar system. Mesh panels
between each floor let stale office air spill into open space, where it rises and is exhaled
through the roof, creating a loop of natural ventilation. Sixty-five thousand (65,000 sq ft)
square feet of solar panels are located on the facades and roof of the building The solar
panels that cover the roof provide electricity for the aquifer thermal energy storage that
generates all energy required for heating and cooling the building.

Steel structure features - The steel roof is designed so that the girders, spanning more than 30
m, look as slim as possible. This has been achieved by placing the beams in a diagonal grid
connection.

Building material – The building's façade is approximately 13,000 square meters of glass.
Different shapes and sizes of glass are arranged in a row of solid aluminium panels. The
north-facing atrium facade includes seventy per cent of glass, hence, allowing the interior
space to benefit from indirect sunlight without overheating. The east- and west-facing facades
are balanced by forty-five per cent glass and fifty-five per cent concrete to provide heat. The
south-facing facade is forty per cent glass, but the concrete at this elevation has been covered
by photovoltaic panels.

To maintain sustainability, glass material was used as it is considered the most versatile and
oldest material in the construction industry. Therefore, the materials used in the construction
of the Edge consists of forty per cent of glass, and the rest are solar panels.
Windows – The Edge is orientated and shaped in such a way that the power of the sun is
optimally utilised. The glass façade ensures that daylight can be benefited from as long as
possible, without the heat of the sun influencing the temperature inside The outside view of
the building depicts a building with a lot of windows. The windows are integrated with metal
frames. As a result, the glass façade ensures that a lot of natural lightning comes into the
building.

Doors –  Flush Glass doors, Framed Glass and Steel doors are the different types of doors
used at the building.

Flush doors – This glass door has flush glazing on both sides and is available in various types
of glass. A door design that fits perfectly into its wall system; creates a coherent overall
picture.

Steel doors – this type of door is available for various designs as it is versatile. Moreover, it is
a durable door that perfectly blends with the interior design.

Glass doors – Glass doors can be designed with all wall systems, as it helps create a coherent
overall picture.

Structural and ornament/ decorative features – It is clear to say that outside of ‘The
Edge’ building is an exquisite masterpiece of a building., displaying an exceptional work of
art and a sustainable ‘green’ building.