Vincent September M. Aunzo
BS ARCH II-3
A Brief History of Architectural Styles and Movements Here is your opportunity to catch up on the equivalent of three classes in architectural history in a few short pages! The following is a brief survey of the history of architecture, emphasizing the most significant movements still discussed today. It is critical to understand these basics about the history of the built environment in order to understand the history of human civilization and the nature of contemporary culture. The emphasis here is placed on more recent (and consequently more influential) movements though the following includes a summary of styles and movements predating written human histories and leading up through the present. Prehistoric architectural Prehistoric architectural structures that remain partially intact today were typically religious in nature, because religious architecture was made of more permanent materials (like brick and stone). Such structures vary dramatically in terms of style and appearance, but reveal much about the building technologies (and, where there are engravings or paintings) the cultural histories of peoples. These are our strongest link to the distant past, and demonstrate at once how far we have come as a species and how much we still rely on beliefs and stories to sustain us. Classical architecture Classical architecture falls into two primary sub-categories: Greek and Roman architecture. The Greeks were perhaps most well known for the subtle and highly calculated visual effects or illusions produced by their incredibly crafted buildings. They would use devices like a subtle taper (narrowing) of a column to change the apparent size, depth or proportion of a structure. Rigid geometries defined their temples and ornaments applied to them. Roman architecture tended to focus less on religious structures and more on public or civic ones. In terms of style, the Romans borrowed much from the Greeks but were considerably less interested in subtly preferring grandeur and opulence instead. Their buildings became monuments to their pride and power more so than examples of their cunning c unning and creativity. Medieval architecture Medieval architecture is perhaps most well known for the production of incredible Gothic churches. Religious architecture was again at the forefront of society, and in a culture where very few people could read the stories depicted through sculptures and engravings were critical for telling Biblical stories to believers. Medieval churches emphasized heaven by accentuating the thinness of structural elements and using visual devices to focus one's eye up toward the heavens. Medieval architects were also less exacting in their execution of buildings than classical architects, allowing individual craftsmen to create specific sculptures within the overall system that weren't required required to match symmetrically symmetrically with others. Renaissance architecture Renaissance architecture shifted the focus from religiosity to reason, and, in turn, returned to certain Classical ideals of rigorous geometry and proportion. As such, the prevailing Renaissance style could be described as highly restrictive, formal, symmetrical and ordered, as opposed to the more decorative, creative and sublime work of the Medieval period. This was simply an outgrowth of the philosophy of the times, which believed that science would fix all the wrongs of the world. Baroque architecture Baroque architecture can be best understood as both an extension and rejection of Renaissance architecture. While it largely draws on the stylistic motifs and organization organization of the Renaissance, Baroque Baroque architecture deformed perfect geometries - emphasizing, for example, the ellipse instead of the circle. In a way, it was an attempt to test the limits or question the authority of the rigid Renaissance - a time of creative deformations that pushed the boundaries of convention. convention. Neo-Classical and Neo-Classical and Greek Revival Revival architecture became popular as more people turned back to the ancient world for architectural, civic and political inspiration. The increasing availability of printed texts showing heretofore little-seen actual works of Greek and Roman architecture played a roll in the development and refinement of these movements. Art Deco (or Deco (or Jugendstiel in Germany) was a short-lived but highly creative and expressive collection of styles from around Europe that sought to make sense of the industrial revolution, using new materials in strangely dynamic and often organic ways. Due largely to its relative expense and incoherence as a movement it did not last long. The Arts The Arts and Crafts Movement Crafts Movement began in England with a renewed interest in Gothic architecture, which was argued by some to be a more creative and liberating form of work for the craftsman - as an alternative to dirty industrial craft work. The movement spread to the United States and influenced various regional styles. This
Vincent September M. Aunzo
BS ARCH II-3
movement too was short-lived - due in part to the relative expensive of handicraft which was pitted against the ease and inexpensive of modern mass-production The Modern Movement began in the early 1900's and evolved with the development of new building and transportation technologies, most particularly steel and the automobile (respectively). The modern movement celebrated these new technologies, emphasizing the simplicity, efficiency and speed of them. Some regional Modernists also tried to blend ideals of the Arts and Crafts with their designs. Here is a short list of the most famous, influential and studied Modern architects of the first generation: Mies van der Rohe, LeCorbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright. Of the so-called second generation, it is worth looking at the work of Louis Kahn. The Postmodern Movement started in the 1960's as a rejection of the overly functional and undecorated buildings of the Modern Movement. Post-Modernists advocated the reintroduction of creativity, complexity and ornament to buildings in various ways. This movement, however, has been largely criticized in recent years for never being able to resolve its philosophies into aesthetically pleasing buildings. Its most notable proponent, Robert Venturi, is widely respected as a scholar, for example, but largely ignored as an architectural designer. The excesses of the Post-Modern Movement reached a climax in the 1980's, after which time it largely died out as a popular approach to design. The Deconstructivist movement is a contentious issue and difficult to speak with authority about, given that many believe it describes our currently predominant style of architecture. Also, many people who are described as its practitioners do not describe themselves using this term. People who consider this a style or movement would characterize it in terms of it being a fragmentation or rearrangement of Modernist forms. Like Modernism and unlike Post-Modernism, the style tends not to include overt symbols with specific meanings. However, it is also anything but sleek or straightforward in its appearance - often being a rearrangement or 'deconstruction' of a pure form. This is said to be in response to deconstructivist philosophies like those of Jacques Derrida, which maintain that everything is subjective and things can have multiple meanings to different people. On this philosophy, it is argued, a 'pure' or 'whole' object is not desirable, but something that can be understood and appreciated by different people in different ways is. There is always more information about contemporary cultures and architectural styles than historical ones, However, without critical time to distance oneself from the present state of affairs it is always hard to tell what the nature of the present truly is. As such, it is important to keep an open mind - particularly about recent developments - and always consider the possibility of radically different future perspectives. For more brief introductions to topics related to architecture - from how to become and architect to how to hire architect.
