NEO CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE

INTRODUCTION:
Neoclassicism,refers to a movement in the 18th and 19th Centuries which took inspiration from
the Classical worlds of ancient Greece (8th to 4th Centuries BC) and Rome (5th to 1st
Centuries BC).
• which takes inspiration from Classical culture: whether that means using motifs and ideas
from Classical art, that they set about trying to recreate them or outright copying it
• The sudden and newfound interest in Classical culture, which was sparked in the 18th
Century, was expressed not just in the arts and architecture, but also in literature,
philosophy, archaeology, history, music and theatre.

• Neoclassical architecture is traditionally thought to have • Then, from 1750, we see ‘High Neoclassicism’, or often simply
developed in two phases: Neoclassicism. It differed from Palladianism in that, instead of being
• first was the Palladian period, from roughly 1700-1750, so Roman in style, it incorporated features taken from Greek buildings as
called because it was directly inspired by Palladio’s designs. well
. •
• It was spearheaded by the British architects Inigo Jones and The Hermitage Museum on the banks of the River Neva, for example,
Colen Campbell. London’s Chiswick House is perhaps the most utilises all the classic features of Neoclassical architecture: Ionic order,
famous example of this style. minimal use of ornamentation, and straight lines.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF NEOCLASSICAL
ARCHITECTURE FURNITURE
• Neoclassical decorative objects borrowed
•  Neoclassicism focus on harmony, simplicity, shapes and motifs from Classical antiquity,
proportion and symmetry. they used contemporary materials,
• This applied not only to art and design, but to including porcelain and ormolu, both of
literature,music and theatre which had become popular during the
• Neoclassicism was about clean, straight lines, 17th and 18th Centuries.
simple, geometric motifs, and plain, block colours. •  Silver was another popular medium used
• It featured long, blank walls and flat roofs.  by Neoclassical makers in the decorative
• Portico, colonnade, capital, frieze are all words
arts.
we now associate with Neoclassical architecture.
• Vases were by far the most popular and
ORDERS important.
• The distinctive feature of Neoclassical architecture was its use of Classical orders,
that is, different types of columns which support the structure. • Symmetrical floorplans
• These were, of course, based on examples taken from surviving Roman and Greek
buildings. • Gardens around buildings follow geometric patterns
• Traditionally there were thought to be three orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian, all
taken from Greek architecture.
U.S CAPITOL BULDING:
The United States Capitol Building is located in Washington, D.C., at the eastern end
of the National Mall on a plateau 88 feet above the level of the Potomac River,
commanding a westward view across the U.S

The U.S. Capitol's design was selected by President George Washington in 1793 and
construction began shortly thereafter.

Its designs derived from ancient Greece and Rome evoke.Harmony with the existing
portions was carefully maintained.

It is crowned by a magnificent white dome that overlooks the city of Washington 

The U.S. Capitol is the centerpiece of the Capitol Campus, which includes the principal
Congressional office buildings and three Library of Congress buildings constructed on
Capitol Hill in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The U.S. Capitol covers a ground area of 175,170 square feet, or about 4 acres, and
has a floor area of approximately 16-1/2 acres.

Its length, from north to south, is 751 feet 4 inches; its greatest width, including
approaches, is 350 feet.

Its height above the base line on the east front to the top of the Statue of Freedom is
288 feet. The building contains approximately 540 rooms and has 658 windows (108 in
the dome alone) and approximately 850 doorways.
The U.S. Capitol Building is divided into five levels:
1. The first, or ground, floor is occupied chiefly by committee rooms and
the spaces allocated to various congressional officers. The areas
accessible to visitors on this level include the Hall of Columns, the 
Brumidi Corridors, the restored Old Supreme Court Chamber, and the 
Crypt beneath the Rotunda, where historical exhibits are presented.
2. The second floor holds the Chambers of the House of Representatives
(in the south wing) and the Senate (in the north wing) as well as the
offices of the congressional leadership. This floor also contains three
major public areas. In the center under the dome is the Rotunda, a
circular ceremonial space that also serves as a gallery of paintings and
sculpture depicting significant people and events in the nation's history.
The semicircular chamber south of the Rotunda served as the Hall of
the House until 1857; now designated National Statuary Hall, it houses
part of the Capitol's collection of statues donated by the states in
commemoration of notable citizens. The Old Senate Chamber
 northeast of the Rotunda, which was used by the Senate until 1859,
has been returned to its mid-19th-century appearance.
3. The third floor allows access to the galleries from which visitors to the
U.S. Capitol may watch the proceedings of the House and the Senate
when Congress is in session. The rest of this floor is occupied by
offices, committee rooms and press galleries.
4. The fourth floor and the basement/terrace level of the U.S. Capitol are
occupied by offices, machinery rooms, workshops and other support
areas.