Architecture Final
What are the Cardo and Decumanus of a Roman city or Roman army encampment?
A North-South street and an East-West street, respectively, crossing a gridded town or army camp.
According to the principles of "Speaking Architecture" developed by LeDoux, we should be able to "read" the specific purpose of the building depicted below. As we learned in class, who was intended to live in this house?
A Water Inspector
Which of the following best describes the architecture of Alvar Aalto?
A gentler modernism, more materially eclectic and devoted the enhancing human experience and detail.
Which of the following best describes the structural system of the Bibliotheque St. Genevieve?
A load-bearing masonry exterior wall conceals a cast-iron frame inside.
What is a Stoa?
A long, thin building with a row of columns in front and a series of small rooms behind the columns.
Which of the following is the best description of the Erechtheion in Athens?
A mysterious and complex counterpoint to the Parthenon on the Acropolis.
Which of the following best describes the basic parts of a small Roman city?
A north/south street, an east/west street and a forum near the intersection.
Which of the following best describes the Tempietto in Rome?
A small chapel in the form of a round "temple" revealing architecture's return to correct classical form.
Which statement best describes Bramante's Tempietto?
A small, circular chapel building with a dome above and encircled by correct classical columns.
Which of the following best describes the organization of buildings at the University of Virginia?
A vast lawn defined on two sides by colonnades connecting faculty houses, and by a library on one narrow end.
In the recent New Orleans Morphology presentation we discussed the topography of the city - with high-ground and low-lying areas. How much of the City of New Orleans is located below sea-level and where is most of the high-ground located?
About 50% of the City of New Orleans is at or below sea-level with high-ground areas located near the Mississippi River
Which of the following best describes the Open Plan as we have explored it in class?
An Open Plan uses fewer walls to separate functions than a traditional plan.
Which of the following best describes the structural system of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (Istanbul)?
An ascending series of partial domes supporting an enormous central dome.
Which statement best describes the Baroque Church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (four fountains)?
An exuberant and extreme manipulation of classical architectural forms.
Which statement best describes the Baroque Church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (four fountains)?
An exuberant and extreme manipulation or distortion of classical architectural forms.
Brunelleschi's famous Dome in Florence, Italy is sometimes described as two types of dome built simultaneously. What are these two simultaneous structures?
An octagonal "ribbed dome" was supported by a circular set of corbelled rings during construction.
Which of the following best describes the structural system of the dome at S. Maria Della Fiore (Il Duomo) in Florence?
An octagonal ribbed dome and a circular "corbeled dome" built simultaneously with an "external shell" layer on top.
What is an Agora?
An open meeting place or market place in a Greek city.
Which of the following is not an element or component of the Bordeaux Villa by Rem Koolhaas?
An underground sauna and mineral bath fed by hot springs deep within the Bordeaux landscape.
Which of the following is true regarding the use of the title "architect" in the United States today?
Any person who has completed an accredited professional degree in architecture, completed a required internshipand passed the A.R.E. may be called an Architect in the United States.
Which of the following best describes a Portico?
At the front of a Roman Temple, a portico is a porch-like space before the engaged cella.
How was the idea of a "Campus," introduced by Jefferson at UVa, different than traditional university organization in the early 19th Century?
Before Jefferson's University of Virginia, university organization was usually based on traditional monasteries.
Our exploration of the Sendai Mediatheque revealed an interesting similarity between this "High Tech" building made in 2000 and the 1929 "Villa Savoye" by Le Corbusier. Which answer best describes that similarity?
Both buildings use a variation on the "Domino" frame with columns (or "tubes" at Sendai) and flat floor slabs.
As discussed in class, what relationship was observed between Baroque sculpture and Baroque architecture?
Both tended to express twisting or exaggerated form
The creator of the great dome at Santa Maria della Fiore (Il Duomo) in Florence has often been described as the first great architect of the Renaissance. He was instrumental in developing perspective drawing and in the development of structural engineering. He was also a key figure in renewing interest in "classical architectural forms." Who was this important figure in Renaissance Architecture?
Brunelleschi
Which of the following best describes the concept of "speaking architecture" or architecture parlante?
Buildings attempting to communicate their purpose through their form and organization were thought to "speak."
Which of the following best describes the change in the classical orders from the Pantheon to Hagia Sophia?
Classical Orders, based on ancient Greek models, were no longer thought to be important or relevant when Hagia Sophia was built.
In the image below, a yellow arrow represents the path of sunlight as it enters the main space of this Basilica from above. Which of the following is the correct term for the row of uppermost windows that allow light directly into the tall central space as shown?
Clerestory
What is the term used to describe the uppermost level of windows in the nave of a Christian Basilica? (Hint: these windows are above the roof of the side aisles and bring light directly into the nave.)
Clerestory
Which of the following best describes Piranesi's Carceri series of etchings?
Dark, chaotic depictions of the makeshift inhabitation of enormous classical ruins—the opposite of classical order.
Which of the following best describes Piranesi's Carceri series of etchings?
Dark, macabre depictions of the makeshift inhabitation of enormous classical ruins—the opposite of classical order.
What attitude toward programmatic function is evidenced by the work of Peter Eisenman?
Eisenman insists on detaching architectural form from the immediate or conspicuous service of practical function.
In the Baroque Period architects often employed the use of a particular geometry which was thought to embody the idea of duality or the unity of opposite qualities. What was the name of this geometric shape seen in the dome of the Church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (four fountains)?
Ellipse
Which of the following is not typically a feature of Gothic architecture?
Elliptical Domes merging two circles in one geometry.
Which of the following best describes the Faculty Houses at the original University of Virginia?
Faculty Houses on the colonnade had meeting spaces on the ground floor and living quarters on the upper levels.
Which of the following best describes the concept of "Forced Perspective" as we have discussed in class?
Forced Perspective refers to a manipulation of visual perception intended to change the perceived size or location of objects.
The blocks of the French Quarter in New Orleans are characterized by which of the following?
French Quarter blocks are square, with long, thin lots and buildings featuring abundant covered outdoor spaces.
What transition or change of time periods can be marked by the technological achievement of Brunelleschi's Dome?
From Gothic to Renaissance
The Image below depicts the dining space of the Robie House by Frank Lloyd Wright. In class, we discussed the intricate integration of all the many design elements in the dwelling—from the structural system and climate control to the design of the carpet and furniture (even the place settings at the dining table). Which of the following is the term used to describe this comprehensive control of design in a single building?
Gesamkunstwerk - meaning "Total Work of Art" in English
At the Campidoglio in Rome, Michelangelo developed a new technique for unifying a facade composition by adding multi-story, ground-to-cornice columns over-laid upon single-story columns. In the building below, this technique is, in turn, stacked one upon another, creating a building that can be read as four stories, or two stories - but is, in fact, only one story inside. What is the term used to describe the arrangement of multi-story columns such as those seen on the Campidoglio or in the building below?
Giant Order
Each of the buildings depicted below was representative of its culture and the era of its construction. In addition, each building had an "ideal geometry" associated with it - a geometry that represented the ideals of the culture that made the building. Please recall the geometry or geometric system that was considered ideal, perfect or pure in each case as discussed in class when the building was presented - and select the answer below that describes those geometric ideals.
Golden Section and Perfect Sphere
Which of the following best describes the relationship of building structure and building enclosure (glass skin) at the Pompidou Center?
In an unusual configuration, the primary structure of the Pompidou Center is outside the enclosing glass walls.
Why was the Crystal Palace considered a "turning point" in architectural history?
It exposed the potentials of mass production and the capabilities of the iron frame.
Which of the following best describes the Eames House?
It is a "Case Study House" (#8) which explored the use of "off-the-shelf" parts to make a simple frame building.
Which of the following is not true of the Altes Museum by Karl F. Schinkel?
It is isolated from other buildings—the only building on the Spree Island (Museum Island) in Berlin.
Which of the following best describes the house called "Fallingwater" by Frank Lloyd Wright?
It was built directly above the most spectacular natural feature of its location in Pennsylvania.
Which of the following describes the Katsura Imperial Villa near Kyoto, Japan (from 1616 to 1660)?
Katsura is a complex array of spaces forming interconnected pavilions interspersed with gardens and outdoor areas.
In class last week, we considered the housing proposal pictured below - a building which contained apartments, a shopping level with a grocery store, a roof deck with an elementary school and views from nearly all apartments to the sea. Who was the architect who created this vision of living in a single building with so many of life's necessary elements contained within?
Le Corbuiser
Which of the following Architects was an employer and a mentor to the young Frank Lloyd Wright?
Louis Sullivan
The dome of the Pantheon was an extraordinary technological achievement in Ancient Rome and its span was not equalled for another 1500 years. The dome admits a single source of natural light into the enormous space below it, what is the name given to the opening at the top of the dome to allow light into the interior?
Oculus
Last week, we studied a building constructed in Seattle, Washington in 2013. That building used Solar Panels (photovoltaics) to generate much of its own power. The building was described as "Net-Zero" or "Net-Positive" in its energy use. What does the phrase "Net-Zero" mean?
On an annual basis, the building, (connected to the urban power grid), generates as much energy as it uses.
Please observe the plan of a Basilica below. Which of the following best describes the numbered spaces shown in this typical Basilica plan?
One is the Narthex, two is the Apse, three is the nave and four are the side aisles.
Which of the following best describes the key differences between a Greek and Roman Temple type?
Roman Temples are frontal (with a portico) while Greek Temples have a cella surrounded by a peristyle.
Which of the following best describes the structural system of the Colosseum (or Flavian Amphitheater) in Rome?
Rows of curving barrel-vaults supported by masonry arcades stacked one-upon-another to form an oval "bowl shape."
Which of the following best describes the structural system of the Colosseum (or Flavian Amphitheater) in Rome?
Rows of curving barrel-vaults supported by masonry arcades stacked one-upon-another to form the oval "bowl shape."
Which is an accurate statement regarding the relationship between structure and enclosure in steel frame buildings?
Steel Frames may give structural support to buildings but enclosure must be provided separately.
Please observe the image of the SunShower House below. As we saw in the Weekend House 11 Video, this house was constructed using SSIP's. What does the acronym SSIP stand for?
Steel Structural Insulated Panel
Which of the following best describes the "Golden Section" or "Golden Rectangle" proportioning system?
The "Golden Section" is a proportioning system divisible into squares and yet more golden sections.
Which of the following is the best description of the AIA?
The AIA is a professional organization of architects offering government advocacy, public outreach, and support to its members.
Which of the following is true of the Auditorium Building by Louis Sullivan of Adler and Sullivan?
The Auditorium Building organizes a complex program with many functions into a "palazzo block" exterior.
When Frank Gehry completed his Guggenheim Museum in Spain it seemed to spark a period of rapid economic growth as a formerly declining industrial town became a center for cultural arts and design. What is the name given to this economic phenomenon generated by famous or conspicuous works of architecture?
The Bilbao Effect
What is the name of the largest and most famous Greek Temple on the Acropolis? (hint; this is a Doric Temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena).
The Parthenon
The photograph below illustrates a concern often encountered by architects. In our class lectures, what name did we give to this awkward situation?
The Problem of the Corner
What is the name of this famous house?
The Villa Maria
Which of the following is the correct name for the Villa designed by Andrea Palladio with four identical porticos facing away from a central dome in four different directions?
The Villa Rotunda (aka Villa Carpa)
Gothic buildings were constructed by teams of masons who's structural concepts were based on experience and estimation rather than on careful calculation or tested scientific principles. Which of the events below called that "pre-engineering" building method into question near the end of the Gothic period?
The catastrophic failure of two vaults in 1284 at the Cathedral of St. Pierre d' Beauvais.
Please examine the image of a chair below. Although not a work of architecture per se, furniture designed by architects has often been able to convey the design aesthetic and architectural qualities of interest to many modern and contemporary architects. Sometimes, as is the case below, the furniture designs of an architect or firm are even better known than their buildings and larger works. For the famous chair depicted below, which of the following best describes the material used to construct this an many related pieces of furniture:
The chair is made of molded plywood.
What important change can be conceptually marked by the collapse of vaults at Beauvais Cathedral in 1284?
The collapse can be seen to mark the end of the Gothic era.
The image below depicts a building with two structural systems at work. Which of the following best describes the location or position of each system of structure?
The exterior system is load bearing masonry, while the interior system is made of cast iron.
The image below depicts the Palazzo Medici. As we discussed in class, most palazzo buildings have three levels like the image below. Which of the following choices best describes the names of those levels or floors as described in the Palazzo presentation?
The lowest level is the Piano Rustico, the middle is the Piano Nobile, and the top level is the Piano Attico.
What is a Forum?
The political or cultural center of a Roman city.
In our discussion of the modern city last week, one factor stood out as the primary cause of the new visions of an urban environment. Sometimes thought of as "liberating" and sometimes as necessary, accommodating what new technology caused the greatest change in the way cities were envisioned?
The proliferation of the private automobile
Please look at the image below. This house is located on a somewhat unique site and is the second design by the architect's for that site. Which of the following is the best description of the unique features of the site which influenced the design?
The steep slope and the row of Eucalyptus trees.
In the "Ville Contemporaine" or Contemporary City project we explored in class, the city of Paris (with 3 million inhabitants at the time) was re-envisioned to have a rational organization with high-speed roadways and a systematic deployment of housing and work buildings. Please examine the image below and note the "+" shaped towers in the center of the urban design. What was the purpose of those towers? What use was intended for them?
The towers in the center were office buildings
Which of the following best describes the relationship between the architects Bernini and Borromini?
The two architect/artists were rivals, vying for the attention of elite patrons.
Which of the following best describes the "syntax of materials" at Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright?
Vertical piers clad with rough limestone; beige stucco edges on horizontal slabs; and red, steel-sash glazing.
