History of Architecture

Architecture??

• “The masterly, correct and magnificent play of masses brought together in light” Le.corbusier
• “Frozen music” von Schelling
• “An art for all because all are concerned with it” John Ruskin
• “The will of the epoch translated into space”    

Mies van der Rohe

• “Stone documents…an expression of the unity and power of the nation” A. Hitler

What is Architecture? 

• “Architecture is the art and science that disposes an edifice raised by human beings for what so ever purpose that the sight of them may contribute to their mental power health and pleasure; and operated in harmony with nature.”

 Sir Henry Wotton

Influences in architecture?

• Climate
• Culture
• Technology
• Society
• Needs  

Climate  

• People’s dwellings had to serve as filters to modify the climate…
• People created comfortable artificial environments within the potentially hostile natural environment.

Culture  

Our brain is divided into two parts

1. Dealing with logic and reasoning
2. Dealing with intuition and imagination

• Combining these two humans developed a tool for communication… Language  
• Dwelling building? /Ritual building?

Technology

• The great architect gave people two important advantages over the animals…large brain and a pair of hands
• Building technology was conditioned by the environment. In relation to available materials.
• Making tools, shaping houses, agriculture…

Society  

• The discovery of metals…
• The rise of class… farmers, metallurgists, merchants and others…
• With the rise of class there comes wealth and power…which leads to the birth of temples…

  ---

When did Architecture begun? 

• Architecture began when two bricks were put together well.  
• Architecture is the self - conscious act of building: of building not just with common sense, but with artistry.

How do we study history based on architecture

Architecture basically refers to:-

• Building style of a particular culture
• An artistic movement
• Historical periods
• Personal philosophies  

Architectural Style 

• Architectural style is a way of classifying architecture largely by morphological characteristics:  

• Form
• Techniques
• Materials

• Architectural style is a way of classifying architecture that gives emphasis to characteristic features of design, leading to a terminology such as “Gothic” style.

Architectural time line

• Pre-historic  
• Ancient architecture
• Classical architecture
• Medieval age
• The renaissance
• [pic 1]The baroque
• Neo- classical
• Industrial age
• Modern architecture
• Post modern architecture
• Contemporary architecture

Classical architecture Medieval age         The renaissance The baroque

Industrial age Neo- classical

Modern architecture

Contemporary architecture

Caves, huts, tents?

• In caves, huts, and tents we find the three primitive types of human dwellings, the three origins of later architectural developments

  ---

Nature's caves

• Hunters and fishermen in primitive times naturally sought shelter in rock caves, and these were manifestly the earliest form of human dwellings
• Nature's caves, with their rough openings and walls and roofs of rock, inevitably suggested the raising of stone walls to carry slabs of rock for roofs

Huts  

• Tillers of the soil took cover under shades of trees, and from them fashioned huts of wattle and daub
• Natural shades, again, would suggest huts with tree trunks for walls and closely laid branches, covered with turf, for roofs

Tents  

• While shepherds, who followed their flocks, would lie down under coverings of skins which only had to be raised on posts to form tents.
• Tents of sheepskins speak for themselves and are still as much in use among Bedouin Arabs, the Afar people and other nomadic tribes as they can have been in prehistoric times.

Neolithic Architecture 

• Also known as “Stone-Age” architecture contains some of the oldest known structures made by mankind.
• Distinguishable by Paleolithic and Mesolithic making and use of stone tools.

Neolithic Architecture

• Neolithic Architects were great builders who used mainly mud-brick to construct houses and villages.
• Houses were plastered and painted with ancient scenes of humans and animals.
• Many of the more famous Neolithic structures were remarkably made by enormous stones or monoliths.

Monoliths and Dolmens  

• Among prehistoric remains of archaeological interest, but of little architectural value, are monoliths, dolmens
• Monoliths are single upright stones
• Example:- Carnac in Brittany,

Monoliths and Dolmens  

• Dolmen is the name sometimes applied to two or more upright stones supporting a horizontal slab

  ---

Stonehenge (3000-1000BC)

• Is a series of concentric rings of standing stones around an altar stone at the center.

  ---

Stonehenge

• The construction was highly accurate for the period.
• Most scholars believe that Stonehenge was used as a ceremonial or religious center.