Posts Tagged Architecture
Architectural & Cultural Transformations after the Industrial Revolution
Posted by BenzuJK in Architecture on January 20, 2010
Industrial Revolution had a great impact on the field of Architecture. Technological innovations brought about a great deal of change in the work of an Architect. This was the period of “expansion of creativity” and brought about various Architectural Transformations.
The three major divisions of the Architectural Transformations are as follows:
- Cultural Transfromations
- Technical Transformations
- Territorial Transformations
Cultural Transformations
The architecture of Neo-classicism seems to have emerged out of two different but related developments which radically transformed the relationship between man and nature.
Neoclassical style - Monticello House
There was a sudden change and increase in man’s capacity to have control over nature, which by 17th century had begun to advance beyond the technical frontiers of Renaissance. There was change in the nature of human consciousness, in response to major changes taking place in the society. It gave birth to the cultural transformation taking place in the society.
Evolution of Persian Gardening Style | The Paradise Gardens
Persian Garden Style evolved after the Egyptian Style of gardening. It marked the beginning of “Modern Garden Architecture”. The Persian garden was an answer to the aridity of the local climate where the high walled garden and the shady trees with its air cooled by streams and fountains, was a simple recipe for paradise. Mediterranean and hence all Western Gardens have their origins in Egypt between three and four thousand years ago. Since Egypt is a natural desert depending on the Nile for its fertility, its gardens were planted along reservoirs and irrigation canals.
Taj Mughal Gardens - Persian Style
The canals were straight for practical reasons; trees planted followed straight lines along the canals, It was also natural for the canal to have fish, lotus and supply of water. Hence, the theory goes that axial designs and layouts of gardens, the ‘formality’ of all classical Mediterranean inspired gardens to the present – via the Persians whose style swept eastwards to India and westwards via Spain with spread of Islam, and by the Romans whose adaptation of the Egyptian Style was repeated in the Renaissance.
Development of the Modern Garden | Landscape Architecture
Our present set of ideas as to what constitutes a garden has long roots back into history. As far as we know gardening started quite independently in two different places – Egypt and China.
Chinese Garden
Egyptian gardens were based on irrigated small land holdings in the desert and Chinese Gardens were based on Imperial Hunting Parks. These two sources started two diametrically opposite traditions that can be termed as formal and informal; the straight edge and the flowing; the architectonic and the naturalistic.
Natural Landscape Vs Artificial Environment
Landscape Architecture is the art of designing the environment with the help of natural elements like stones, bricks, water, landforms… etc.
Italian Gardens
If we design a building aesthetically good and also decorate it beautifully from inside, yet if its surrounding outside area is rubbish, then the beauty of the building will be considered reduced. As such the building must have a beautiful surrounding. This is achieved by landscape development.
Landscaping is an art of planning the drives, walks, lawns, shrubs, gardens, flower-beds etc. so as to form a beautiful setting for a building. The main purpose of landscaping is to create a joyful environment round the building and give the occupants a healthy breath, good appearance and natural beauty.
Landscape design enhances the aesthetic appeal of a building. It entails planning the space outside or surrounding a construction or a building.
The job of the landscape designer is to manipulate and shape the natural layout of the site to suit his uses and create aesthetic pleasure. The outdoor environment could be designed with natural or man-made components i.e., it could be natural or artificial.
The importance of Landscape Architecture should not be undermined.
The Evolution of European Gothic Architecture
Posted by BenzuJK in Architecture on December 28, 2009
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period.
Originating in 12th-century France and lasting into the 16th century, Gothic architecture was known during the period as “the French Style”, with the term Gothic first appearing during the latter part of the as a Renaissance stylistic insult.
Kylemore Gothic Church
It evolved from Romanesque Architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance Architecture. The Goths contributed many architectural ideas. Those ideas have been used in various structures in the Gothic Period most importantly in the construction of Cathedrals. Renaissance Architecture which flourished after the Gothic Architecture adopted some of its ideas but modified it according to their architectural sense of understanding.
The elements that developed during the Gothic Period are as follows:
- Pointed Arch
- Fan-like Vault
- Flying Buttress