Architecture Unit 1
It isn't special, unique, or hand-crafted buildings but mass-produced, factory-made consumer goods, like plastic bottles. Most lack visual distinction and serve utilitarian instead of a culturally significant purpose.
Using Pevsner's bicycle shed example, what might make a building non-architecture?
monumentality
a structure built to preserve a cultural memory
Bimah
raised platform for reading scriptures and preaching in a synogogue
eucharist
ritual enactment of christs last supper
divination
ritual that analyzed potential site's soil, geography, and stars to ensure the god would feel welcome
hypostyle hall
room filled with closely spaced columns
clerestory
row of windows placed along top of high wall
mandala
sacred composition of circles and squares that symbolize the earth, with its corners, elements, and cardinal directions and heaven, perfect, balanced, and eternal
utilitarian
serving practical, direct needs
megalith
single large stone used in construction
stupa
solid dome structure built over remains of Buddha
pylon
solid, trapezoidal wall covered with sacred imagery
Harmika
square fence symbolizing enclosure where Buddha received enlightment
authenticity
state of genuineness as opposed to artificially or falsehood
axis
straight, organizing line of alignment with in a spatial composition
Hierarchy
structural arrangement where certain elements are more important than others
monument
structure built to preserve a cultural memory; derived from latin word memory
mortise
tenon inserted into in a corresponding void
pediment
triangular end of a gable roof
trilithons
two vertical megaliths supporting a horizontal one
columns
vertical support with round cross-section and cylindrical form
piers
verticle arch support, with cross section that isnt round
universality def
view that all buildings should be labeled "architecture"
selective definition
view that only certain buildings or designs should be labeled "architecture"
It is a sacred space for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
why is modern ownership of Jerusalem both a political and a religious issue?
vernacular architecture
"everyday" structures built by non-architects that constitute most of the built environment
must face towards mecca, quibla wall, mihrab, hypostyle, minaret
Name at least four design elements that are necessary for a mosque. Why do you need a map and a compass to build one
torah
1st of 5 books of the bible
favela
A neighborhood outside of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. People build homes illegally out of whatever they can find. Have become major tourist attractions.
Subjective View
All buildings are architecture
they each want sole claim to certain churches, and they each have different ideas as to why certain places are sacred
Give two examples of how Christians disagree about sacred sites in Jerusalem.
The eastern bank of the Nile River was for life, while the western bank was the realm of the spirit. also a surface for carved imagery. A gateway to something important. There is more than just an inside or outside, you must make your way further and further in to make it to sacred space. The room with the most barriers is the most sacred.
How can literal boundaries, like rivers, monumental gateways, walls, or sequences of rooms, establish certain realms as "sacred"?
many adopted early churches humility and saw elaborate arch as a pompous distraction.
How did Protestant Christianity approach church design? What factors generally influence any denomination's attitude towards architecture?
Acropolis temples were sacred spaces and athenians never stepped inside
How did most people experience the Acropolis and its temples? Why is the east-west orientation important here?
reflects distinctions we make b/w noble and humble buildings, marking a boundary b/w these categories is hard. We must either judge for ourselves or rely on a critic who sorts for us.
How does a selective definition of architecture create the role of critic or judge?
It is a site of pilgrimage that preserves the memory of a conflict and a shift in a nation's cultural identity. The memorial uses an arch vocab of movement, surface, material, site, and form to build a commemorative experience through design.
How does the design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial address a specific cultural "need"?
diagrams cosmic order, constructing spiritualized space, where heaven and earth, human, and divine intersect
How does the exterior of a Hindu temple tell visitors the location of its most sacred space inside?
For agrarian people, knowing when to plant and harvest was crucial for survival, so accurate prediction of seasonal changes was vital info. ancient farmers experienced celestial bodies and weather patterns as powerful forces, arbiters of life and death
How does the geometric layout of Stonehenge support the idea that this was a ceremonial monument
After the destruction of the temple, synagogues became the substitute
How is a synagogue different from the Jewish temple? Why did it become so important?
Egyptian pyramids are built as tombs and religious instruments. Egyptian pyramids aren't made to be climbed
How is an Egyptian pyramid symbolically and functionally different from a Mayan pyramid or Sumerian ziggurat?
The great Stupa used the square as a more sacred space than the circle.
How is the mandala diagram used differently at Lingaraja and the Great Stupa at Sanchi?
They believed that in the afterlife, the pharaoh would join the gods and become an advocate on their behalf. The royal burial was a very elaborate ritual
How was a pharaoh's burial a geographic, spiritual, and architectural journey? Why was it both politically and religiously significant for ancient Egyptians?
1. it is built by a famous architect, Frank Gehry 2. it's design is distinctive and memorable 3. building is influential 4.Serves as a dignified public function
List three reasons why the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao might be considered "architecture" instead of "just" a building.
Sim: LC: large in scale, its profile is different in style than the brick houses in the foreground, yellowish-gray color derives from another material, it is visually distinctive: its scale, style, age, and material claim our attention and mark it as special TM: large, its towers and domes give it a distinctive recognizable appearance: scale, style, and material distinguish the building from its context. Cultural important Both share garden settings Diff: TM: focus of a coordinated complex of buildings and gardens, bordered by a river, enclosing walls and gateways that frame our view as we approach. setting is perfectly symmetrical and geometric. building raised on podium and towers at its corners defining a box of space that sets it apart from surroundings LC: stands within an irregular urban context, can glimpse it through city streets, but entire building visible only up close or from a far
Name some of the architectural similarities and differences between Lincoln Cathedral and the Taj Mahal.
Taj Mahal meets all of the criteria in that it has aesthetic and cultural significance and has authenticity. They differ in their relations to the areas around them. Lincoln is integrated into a city. Taj Mahal is on its own in an open field. The design of Taj Mahal shows careful planning by one team of architects. The design of the Lincoln Cathedral shows that the building was continuously built up a church gained a higher role in the lives of people
Name some of the architectural similarities and differences between Lincoln Cathedral and the Taj Mahal.
all used to house entire congregations, all use enclosed spaces, and all have certain orientations of their worship places...christians pointing their churches skyward, jews pointing their synagogues towards Jerusalem, and muslims pointing their mosques towards mecca
Name three design features that unite synagogues, early Christian churches, and mosques
Selective View
Only certain buildings
protestant christian church with membership of many thousands. megachurches are designed to house as many people as possible. they usually have great sound and display systems. the crystal cathedral is unusual because it has similar architecture to a cathedral
What architectural features are typical of megachurches? What makes the Crystal Cathedral an unusual megachurch in design?
They make the architecture very available visibly while not as accessible physically. Divine powers are associated with the heavens, so the closer you go to the heavens, the more holy the land. Putting a temple high up above the ground will make the gods pay more attention to it.
What do mountaintop sites contribute to sacred architecture?
they are qualities we can see. suggest differences in design history. Ex: Taj's consistency and discipline imply a coherent plan. Lincoln's irregularity reflects a gradual evolution over many phases and centuries as church and town adapted to each other over time
What do we mean by "formal" characteristics in architecture? Give an example of one.
He establishes a hierarchy between "mere" buildings and a subset of structures that are better than others, "architecture"
What does Pevsner's distinction between Lincoln Cathedral and a bicycle shed tell you about what he thinks defines real architecture?
it borrows the domes, as well as ordainments on the outside of the mosque. it reflects Judaic tradition by not showing any pictures of God, rather using calligraphy and colors
What does an early Islamic structure like the Dome of the Rock borrow from Christian architecture? What aspect(s) reflect Judaic tradition?
The gothic style came about after it was determined that god is LIGHT
What drove the development of the 'Gothic' style of building, and what were its architectural effects?
the four domes, minarets, and iwans
What elements of sacred, especially Islamic architecture are present at the Taj Mahal?
Buddhist architecture: Commemorative sites. Buddha's ashes distributed to 10 stupas.
What is a stupa? What makes it 'sacred'?
both memorials use an abstract design vocab instead of one drawn from religious arch. We associate LC with christianity but our indiv beliefs help determine whether we experience sacredness in that church. World TC design to express death, loss, and memory through methods that begin in prehistory, and recur in multiple forms of religious arch. St. Patrick's Cathedral has religious significance, while the WTCM stays away from religious significance and sets itself apart with geometric shapes and nature
What is different about the way St. Patrick's Cathedral and the World Trade Center Memorial design communicate the sacredness of their sites? Why do they take these contrasting approaches?
Historic information clarifies what memories these monuments preserve. LC preserves memories of religious schism. TM symbol of modern India, but a reminder of a centuries-old cultural division
What is the connection between an architectural "monument" and cultural memory?
They spiritualized the environment to enhance faith visually. Art is a 'worship aid
What is the traditional role of visual art in the design of Christian churches?
The cathedral has a courtyard, narthex, axis, apse. The nave shape is a square instead of the usual circle. *The church has a large dome in the center. (inspired by the Pantheon)
What sort of design ambitions for Christian architecture can be seen in the cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople?
the discovery of over 200 sets of human remains in the aubrey holes. They were buried over a period of 500 years, mostly during the phase of sarsen stone construction. nearby remains of a circular wooden settlement date to this same period and cities for the living and the dead.
What sorts of additional archaeological and cultural information about this site's Neolithic builders enrich our understanding of its meaning?
the Erechtheion was origionally the place that held Poseidon's salt bath and Athena's olive tree-each gifts to the people of Athens. The Parthenon was used to house a temple to Athena after the Erechteion was torn down and sacked by Persians
What were the architectural and spiritual "jobs" of the Erechtheion and the Parthenon?
Churches needed to house large crowds. Paganism is their spiritual enemy. The religious ask that they only pray to god and not worship any figures or idols
Why did Christians reject the Roman temple as an architectural model for their churches? What did they use instead, and why?
mosques have mausoleums to commemorate the founder of that mosque. the mausoleum is usually located in between the prayer hall and mecca.
Why do some mosques also have prominent mausoleums? Where is the mausoleum usually located?
Because based on the subjective view of architecture, all buildings can be considered pieces of architecture. The disadvantage to this is that it make architecture too broad of a subject to study
Why might some people prefer to include all buildings, not just particular ones, in the category of architecture? Does that have any disadvantages?
prehistoric inhabitants settled here for safety. sacred because here the city forged its special relationship with athena, goddess of wisdom, through a divine contest. she and poseidon competed to be city's patron. each offered gift: P- salt spring and A- olive tree. After people picked olive tree, they named city after her, and the spring and tree were preserved as relics of god's presence, holy sites on a holy mountain.
Why was the Acropolis sacred to ancient Athenians? How do we know?
It is located at Mount Moriah, location of Abraham's sacrifice. It featured many images of gods creation It housed the Arc of the Covenant.
Why was the Temple of Jerusalem express the only truly sacred site for Jews? What was its architecture like?
context
buildings immediate environment, can be physical or cultural
pulpit
raised platform for reading and preaching in a christian church
cathedral
christian church that's also seat of Bishop
basilica
courthouse with large, longitudinal interior space
longitudinal plan
design which elements balanced around long, lateral axis
paper architecture
designs that only exist as images, not physical buildings
style
distinctive set of visual qualities that result from a common approach to design across multiple works
barrow
earth-covered burial mound with internal chamber
theory
explanation of a subject based on abstract, general principles
christian church
exterior plain, interior glorious this contrast mirrored the christian view of the body as a humble, temporary shell for the glorious soul inside
gothic cathedral
feel like heaven on Earth, a vision of paradise for the faithful
church
group of people who worshipped wherever possible
shikara
highest tower of a hindu temple
mandir
hindu temple (house)
chatra
honorific canopy; tiered symbolic tree on top of a stupa
frieze
horizontal strip of imagery
tenemos
in ancient greece, a walled sanctuary containing temples
apse
in basilica, semicircular nich with half dome
Pagoda
in buddhist arch, tower-like structure with multiple, vertically stacked roofs that protects sacred relics or scriptures
tenon
in construction a joint consisting of a projection
Torah ark
in synagogue, decorative cabinet to house sacred scriptures
kondo
large worship space in a buddhist sanctuary (golden hall in Japanese)
Stonehenge
largest most elaborate Neolithic monument still standing; built in three major phases: 1. wood structures and circular ditch with a gap toward northeast 2. builders added an inner circle of bluestones 3. a perimeter ring with a continuous lintel was built using the sarsen stones and 5 trilithons were arranged in u shape at the center.
menhir
megalith placed upright in the ground
dolmens
megalithic structure which multiple vertical monoliths support a horizontal one
toranas
monumental gateway into sacred sites in India
synagogues
public worship space for Jewish concregation
