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Romanticism, Realism and Architecture

Chapters 29 and 30

Humanities 103

Instructor Beth Camp

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What is Architecture?

Context: What is the geographic, political, economic, religious,psychological, or historical context for this building?

Space: How is the building designed? How are different spaces used as they relate to FUNCTION and AESTHETICS?

Climate: How does climate affect the design of this building?

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Architecture is STRUCTURE

POST AND LINTEL= typically stone– Limited in ability to define space– Example: Stonehenge

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Architecture is STRUCTURE

ARCH = transfers stress outward– Buttress used on outside walls– Examples: early bridges, churches, mosques

Roman Arch Gothic Moorish

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Architecture is DESIGN

Line, repetition, balance– Architect may take a single design and repeat it– Result = balance or symmetry, regardless of style

Scale and proportion– SCALE = size of building– PROPORTION = how individual elements in the

overall design relate to each other Often in ratios: (2 to 1), (3 to 2) or (1 to 3)

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Architecture is DESIGN

Vitruvius (Roman architect, c. 26 CE)

Good architecture contains these elements– UTILITAS– FIRMITAS– BELLITAS

Usefulness Durability Beauty

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What is architecture?

Line, Repetition,

BalanceScale and

ProportionBuildingmaterials

Structure

Context, space and climate

Design principles

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Romanticism and Architecture

How would you expect Romanticism to influence architecture?

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Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

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Parliament

What architectural features are considered Romantic in the English Parliament? Or, in the Pavilion at Brighton that follows?

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Romantics and architecture

Neomedievalism (Gothic style)– Houses of Parliament, Big Ben

Restoration of churches and castles Exoticism (Nash, Indian Gothic)

– Royal Pavilion, Brighton

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Romantic Themes 1800-1850

Celebrates nature and natural landscape Glorifies heroism, suffering and death Supports nationalism and political

independence Emphasizes nature’s wild, mysterious, exotic,

melancholic, melodramatic aspects Stereotypes gender roles

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Realism and Architecture

How would you expect Realism to influence architecture?

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Realism and architecture

New materials meant new forms (cast iron)– First cast-iron suspension bridge, 1836– Paxton’s Crystal Palace, 1851

18,000 panes of glass 1,851 feet long

– Eiffel Tower, 1889 (1,064 feet high)

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Crystal Palace

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Crystal Palace

Visit a virtual tour at the University of Virginia

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Eiffel Tower

Source: Great Buildings Online, Everything Eiffel

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Realism and architecture

Ornamental structures functional structures New materials Steel new forms

– 1868 Equitable Life Building (6 stories)– 1880s Home Insurance building (Jenney)– 1890s Sullivan, multistory buildings

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Sullivan Building

Source: Digital Archive of American Architecture

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Realistic Themes 1800-1850

Reaction against sentimentality of Romanticism

Reaction against militarism, industrialism, colonialism

Concern for natural landscapes, rural and urban = Show nature as it truly is

Social realism (working class themes)

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Realism and Architecture 1800-1850

Reaction against sentimentality of Romanticism?

Reaction against militarism, industrialism, colonialism – but not with architecture?

Concern for natural landscapes, rural and urban = Show nature as it truly is?

Social realism (working class themes) Perhaps a blend that romanticizes labor?

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What’s Next?

As we move to the modern era over the next several weeks, notice how architecture changes in response to new ideas and new materials – keeping in mind the basics of design.

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What is architecture?

Line, Repetition,

BalanceScale and

ProportionBuildingmaterials

Structure

Context, space and climate

Design principles