English Period Peer Eval

Madelyn: Her post was short, simple, and too the point. What she wrote as well as the supporting images made for a easy understanding of the time period.

Holli: I like how she talked about a different time period than myself. It ads for a diverse sense of understanding other times.

English Period

The English period was made up of three different sections, the Early, Middle, and Late Renaissance.

Early Renaissance is the age of oak. What was brought during this era was the Tudor style, Elizabethan, Jacobean, and Cromwellian. English architecture was the last to fall to the Renaissance, but it was the first indication of a change in style. It is believed that the reason for this delay is because it was isolated from other countries and it took time to travel. Climate was a huge influence on how design was brought to be. Gothic Cathedrals sheltered the nave and side aisles. The use of French doors allows to open directly into the church, and finally the windows were larger in England to allow more floods of light and warmth.

Due to the location the materials ere chosen based off of this. Stones of Cornwall and Devonshire are a very hard material used to sculpt was almost impossible. Because of the vast oak forests in England, the use of Oak was widely used, hence it being the time of oak.


Like I mentioned before Tudor style was brought about in this era and is seen with the timber framed construction. This time period officially marks the start of the Renaissance.

Middle Renaissance is the Restoration, Stuart or Carolean period. It was also the age of Walnut, where Queen Anne style was seen, and Early Georgian.

Finally Late Renaissance brought about Georgian style with the age of mahogany and satinwood.

French Period - Baroque Style

Louis XIV was a style of design that was named after the obvious, King Louis XIV, and was proclaimed king at the age of five! He created a national style of art with the help of Jean Baptiste Colbert, a French statesman. Under the king, Colbert enforced a lot of different art regulation. This included that of venetian glassmakers, Flemish weavers, French workmen could not emigrate, the enforcement of textile regulations, and the organization of the Academy of painting and sculpture.


Vaux Le Vicomte


This home was owned by Nicolas Fouquet, who was the Superintendent of Finances under King Louis XIV. This man renovated the original structure to host thousands of guests as well as the King. However, the impressive structure was so impressive that when the King was invited, he thought that he used funds from where he was in charge of the finances. So with this in mind the King imprisoned him for life and exiled Fouquet's wife. The King purchased a lot of arts, tapestries, and orange trees from Vaux Le Vicomte, so that they would be used for an even grander place.


The Vaux Le Vicomte included:


105 lavish rooms
170 acres of garden
Persian Carpets
Crystal Chandeliers
Gold Clocks
Silver vases
Entertained 6,000 guests


This structure was the first major project that incorporated multiple designers of different fields, this was what made Louis XIV's style what it was. The designers included Louis Le Vau the architect, Andre Le Notre garden designer, Charles LeBrun painter, and Puget sculptor.

 

Click link to see designers of this Chateau its a short clip with the designers

Modern Interior Spaces

 

 

French

The French style had a lot of influence from several factors. Design in France was influenced by the Rulers of the time, the Royal taste, and also Romanesque and Gothic. 




The French period brought upon the decorator. The position of the decorator required a person that could not only conceive an interior design, but also explain the design through a process called "engraving". The decorator was the supervisor of the artisans to produce the highest quality design.


Francois I was a famous patron of the arts with traditional style. He created gothic forms with Italian renaissance ornament. Some of his works include Louire Valley, Chateau de Chambord, Chateau de Chambord, Chateau de Fontainebleau, Chateau de Blois, and the Renovation of the Louvre to the now Renaissance style.




Architecture in France




Because of the weather their was a need for steeper roofs, several chimneys for the amount of fireplaces, and large windows.




Chateau Chambord - Francois I




This was a Royal hunting lodge in the Loire Valley. The estate is built on 14,300 acres of forest, lakes and grassland is enclosed by a 22 mile long wall. It is known to be the largest and most majestic of the chateaus, and is where Francois I and Leonardo Da Vinci met and the famous double stair case which is attribute to Da Vinci began.




Rooms: 444
Staircases: 84
Chimneys: 365




After looking at all the work from the French style I am amazing at the scale at which the structures are. I could not imagine designing a space with that amount detail.

Modern day applications

Click here to see a tour of Chateau de Chambord

Peer Review: Italian Rennessaince

Hailey: I really enjoyed her visual aids. They gave a different look from what we learned in class as well as the modern day applications I felt were represented very well.

Lisa: Her style of writing was very descriptive and in depth allowing the reader to better understand the content of the era.

Italian Renaissance

This was the time of the Rebirth, which began in Italy, specifically in Florence, Venice, and Rome. This time is different that what we have studied in the past. The reason for this is because it is a time where Religious emphasis was fading away and it began to put emphasis on the human man/women. With the rapid growth of the Catholic church comes obvious issues and conflicts, which is where this needed for change came about. A lot of corruption and religious reform was occurring.

We began to see an strong focus on the Interior Architecture during this time. Rather than just the building façade itself or the furniture, the Interior spaces began to show a lot of importance. These interiors showed:

• Decorative Moldings
• Doors and Frames
• Elaborate Ceilings- coffered
• Painted wall and Ceiling Décor
• Elaborate Fireplace Mantels
• Pilasters
• Floors of Brick, Terra-Cotta, or Marble in a geometric pattern.

Palazzo

A generic design term referring to the general shape and characteristic of a building, the characteristics have symmetry, compound repeated windows and cornice detail.

Has a central courtyard like Roman Domus with no hallways, people living on 2nd and 3rd floor, walls contain niches, and the living spaces were over a store. The main ground floor had businesses and shops, a repair shop, Grand staircase to the main living area on the next floor, as well as summer apartments.

Palazzo Davanzati - Florence, Italy

Palazzo Farnese - Rome, Italy

Palazzo Medici- Riccardi - Florence Italy

Palazzo Ducale - Gubbio, Italy

Villa Rotonda

This is the most influential architect in all of the renaissance. He wrote The Four Books on Architecture, and designed Villa Rotondo which is said to be "Perfect."

Modern Application

Click here to watch video on the Secretes of the Last Supper by Da Vinci

Peer Review Gothic

Rachael: She gave a really good timeline of events in her post, this paired with the characteristics of Gothic design I feel made for a great post for people to understand the Gothic Design.


Lisa: Her information she presented in her post was I feel the most important that was discussed in class, did a great job!

Gothic

The Gothic era has been probably my favorite era we have covered in this course. Paris is seen to be the center of the Gothic World, while churches were the center of city life. Something that many of us have learned in a history course is the Black Plague which affected the population by killing nearly 1/3 of the population or an equivalent of 75 million people.


Like the Islamic design that I discussed previously, religious expression is the heart of design here in the Gothic era as well. With the larger number of worshipers there became a need for even larger worshiping facilities and with this came the construction of many incredible cathedrals.


Gothic Architecture Characteristics:

• Described as the bridge from Romanesque to Renaissance
• Birthed from the Romanesque era
• Introduced:
• Pointed Arch
• Ribbed Vault
• Fly Buttress
• Cathedrals
• Appeared as if they are weightless
• Tall walls of stained glass allowing floods of light into space

Notre Dame at Chartes

Wells Cathedral

Above are my two favorite Gothic Architecture cathedrals!

Modern Residential Home in Arizona

Gothic Inspired Bed Frame



Click Here to see Very short Clip of a Modern Table with Gothic Inspiration

Peer Review Romanesque and Islamic

Romanesque

Claire: I enjoyed her post it was short and to the point. It had the information we learned in class which I feel was the most important for this era.

Becca: Her format and images she used for this post I feel made it easy for those reading it to better understand the information and about the era.

Islamic

Haley: She began with a short history lesson which I felt was a good intro to the Islamic Design period it gives the reader a great understanding on how the design was impacted and where it gets its inspiration from.

Holli: I really enjoyed the images used in her post, especially the modern day influence.

Islamic

Mohammed is the main man of the Islamic Religion, and the religion of Islam is the foundation for Islamic design. The central facility for prayer and worship is known as a mosque. The first one every created, Mohammad's, is the prototype or building block for others to come.

 

Features of a mosque are:

• Perimeter walls
• Covered hall of columns
• Courtyard

The Taj Mahal was the piece we studied that I felt was the most interesting in many aspects. This is a white domed marble mausoleum. Upon the death of Emperor Shah Jahan's wife he wanted this to be build in her honor. The overall engineer and construction of this building replicates a lot of modern day applications. The foundation of the building used piers that replicate modern caissons which I found to be very cool. Also, they were able to address drainage and other issues that are a common problem. With the video we watched it was very cool to see that he build a "replica" of the Taj Mahol across the lake in Black stone. However, it was actually not a structure but rather a plane of water that reflected the original Taj Mahal, its the symbolism that I loved.

Interior of Taj Mahal

Interior of Taj Mahal

Other structures from this era are: Great Mosque of Cardoba, Mosque of Sultan Ahmed, and The Great Mosque of Kairouan.

Modern Influence

 

Modern Influence

 

 Click here to Watch Clip on the Taj Mahal

Romanesque

During the Romanesque era Charlemagne heavily encouraged that individuals learn scholarly and of the arts, and schools and monasteries were established. The biggest influence and structure we see a lot  of focus on is that of the Romanesque churches. Below is a list of features that they usually have:

• Semicircular Arches and Vaults
• Plans from the Early Christian Basilica
• Nave, Transept, and Apse modifies for better space
• Side Chapel added in the Transept
• Vaulting Present
• Multiple Aisles
• Better Illumination
• Larger Allowing more worship space
• Choir

The roofs of the churches are made of masonry, not the typical wood. The walls are painted in rich colors; Greens, Blues, Purples, and Gold. Also rich tapestries are used throughout the spaces.

Fontenay Abbey

Fontenay Abbey, Pisa Baptistery, and Cluny Abbey are well-known Churches from the Romanesque era.

Interior of Pisa

Something that thought was interesting is the fact that the Leaning Tower at Pisa is not a structure on it own but rather with the Pisa Baptistery!

Caesar's Palace

Caesar's Palace Vegas


Click Here to Watch Short Clip on Why the Leaning Tower is the Way it is

Early Christianity

The Early Christian era lies between 330-800 C.E. Upon the death of Christ Christianity began in ancient Judea, an outpost of the Roman Empire. Because of this new religion it was seen to be a threat in the Roman Empire because it did not declare divinity of the Emperor. With Christianity not being well accepted in Rome, it resulted in it being difficult to study and had to be done in secrecy. The lower class was the group that more prominently practiced this religion "underground."

Finally, in 313 C.E. Constantine recognized Christianity as a valid religion, this was done through the Edict of Milan. He declared this religion as the religion with all rights and privileges as any other religion.

With this validity of Christianity, Christians were able to worship in homes and display artifacts representing and symbolizing characters of their faith. The Emperor believed he had a vision from God during the battle of Milvian were their was a Christian cross.

Since this religion became legal to publicly worship, a need for a proper worshiping facilities become apparent.



Characteristics of Early Christian Architecture:

• Centrally Planned Buildings
• Separate Baptisteries
• Adaptation of Roman Basilica (Church)
• Separation of Interior of Churches into Nave and Flanking Aisles
• Clerestory Windows
• Entrance of Church - Opposite apse
• Towers Flanking the Exonarthex
• Chief goal was to glorify God.



Modern Church



Modern Church

Click Here to Watch a Short YouTube Clip on a "Secret" from Old St. Pete's Bascilla

Ancient Rome

Rome was the civilization that had the major development in architectural engineering. This development was of the arch, barrel vault, and domes.


Coliseum

The Coliseum is a large venue that is capable of seating 50,000! This structure is constructed from concrete and stone, acting as a modern day sports arena. Like discussed above, the use of arch and barrel vaults structures are prominently used in this design.

Pantheon (126 AD)

Marcus Agrippa was the man who commissioned this structure, and it was then rebuild by Emperor Hadrian. The basic structure is a round temple with a dome, and it is the World's largest un-reinforced concrete domes in the world. This means that it has no added structural elements embedded in the concrete to act as a reinforcement to allow for better support, like modern day rebar.

Maison Carree

This structure is in South France, and it was built in 16BC. The same man who build the Pantheon, Agrippa. This Vitruvian style architecture is said to be one f the best examples of a Roman Temple. This has a deep porch, Corinthian columns, and Roman Sequence is present.

Interior Design

The interior of ancient design uses a lot of some aspects that we can even see today. They used mosaics, stucco, frescoes, ornamentation, patterned floor, and many other intricate and subtle design aspects.

 

Modern Interior Inspired by Roman Decor

Click Here to See Underground Cities found in Rome

Ancient Greece

Greek civilization was the beginning of western ideas and culture. This includes and is very visible in ancient times that they were masters of and had a large impact on the following; philosophy, science, fine arts, geography, medicine and many other important economic and social topics.


The topography of the Greek land, is that it is mountainous country, surrounded by three large sees. With this location, it made a lot of trade available like the Ancient Egyptian land, it was something that was hugely beneficial in the production of goods and structures.


Historical Civilizations


Minoan


The Minoan civilization was found in Crete around 2,000 BC. This civilization housed 40,000 inhabitants, where in the village had a central palace, called the Palace of Knossos. The design of this palace utilized inverted columns that were a sure sign of this civilization. A lot of the art work symbolized the environment around them, daily and spiritual activities, and were basically telling a story and documenting what life was like during the time period.




Artwork from this era

 

Minoan Pottery

Parthenon (Golden Age 480-400BC)


The Parthenon is the ancient temple of the Athenian Acropolis, and it was dedicated to the goddess Athena. It is said to be the most important, surviving, building of Classical Greece, it is the culmination of the Doric Order.


Interior Architecture and Décor


Flooring


The floors of this era were plastered and painted. This intricate method was done for the wealthy, and most surely should since it is so tedious. Also used was a mosaic technique with the use of pebbles, glass, and stone.


Walls


The walls are not plastered entirely but are constructed of mud bricks which are then plastered and finally finished with paint and paintings.


Motifs


Motifs of this era are something of importance because many motifs used are still used in design today. These include floral and marine life, Egg and Dart, and Greek Key.

Modern use of the Greek Key in Interior Design

US Capital Building using Egg and Dart






Click Here to See Short Clip on Secrets of The Parthenon!

Peer Review: Ancient Egypt

Lisa: I feel she did a really good job with the content chosen for her post, she really chose the best information that needed to be relayed to others interested in this topic.

Krista: I enjoyed how she focused on Nubia in her post, it was a different approach to the topic that others did not do.

Ancient Egypt

 

Near the Nile in Egypt and in Mesopotamia and Nubia, in around 4,000 B.C. signs of larger towns and more advance styles of living became prevalent in research. With the shelter and food becoming more solidified and secured people of this era were able to put more time and effort in the arts and complex inventions.

During this era their was a large growth in Mathematics, Architecture, Sculpture, and written laws. With the new style of living and advances in practices and technology came the construction of large scale buildings. These buildings were used to symbolize many things, including:

• Distinguish different classes of individuals
• Used to show power sometimes to intimidate others
• Artifacts were stored and used at tombs or burial sites

An example of Ancient Egyptian Art/Symbols
as well as patterns

Below is some information in regards to the environment and geographical location on Egypt. This allows us to better understand the construction methods and materials used during this time.

Furniture from the Ancient Egyptian Era

Nile River

The Nile River allowed for trade to be more readily available which allowed for easier access to materials that are not locally available. With the river nearby Agriculture was something that was easily doable. The water available was used for crops when it was not necessarily in the rainy season. And finally, along with the trade option the river allowed for communication with others who have access to the river.


Timber


The use of natural materials was obviously the main option of materials available and to be used in construction and the artifacts. However, timber is one of the materials that is always widely used and in Egypt was not necessarily of abundance. For this reason timber was imported from Lebanon. Something that is seen now in a all furniture and carpentry is that of the joinery, which was first seen in the Ancient Egyptian era.


Interior Architecture and Design


The architecture and design during the Ancient Egyptian era was a time where hierarchy of the citizens was denoted by the style and type of home individuals lived in. Plaster was vastly used in the construction of the homes during this time. Hypostyle roof systems are used in the construction where it is column and beam, where these columns are made of sandstone. Sometimes, like the Temple of Karnak, the columns have inscriptions and relief designs.




MODERN: Chrysler building has Art Deco inspired Architecture
inspired by the Ancient Egyptian Design

Overall, in the design community we are able to see an impact from the Ancient Egyptian time in design over time and with current applications. The most significant and obvious impact is from the Art Deco period. The use of Egyptian patterns and color pallets are seen in the Art Deco style.

MODERN: Modern glass shelving unit


Click here to see a video on the engineering of the Egyptian Pyramids (1.5 hours long)

Prehistoric Period: Peer Review

Rachael: I enjoyed the approach Racheal took in explaining this era. The time line type format gave a great understanding to those that do not have knowledge of this topic ahead of time. It really does demonstrate an evolution of how it was to live during this era.

Madelyn: The visuals used in her blog really gave those reading her blog a better understanding of what it was she was discussing.

Prehistoric Periods

This period of time makes me think of the cavemen era, where places of dwelling were determined on what needs needed to be met, mainly determined on what individuals need to survive; food. To determine what type of dwelling one would live in the geographical location was a huge factor. Some examples of this would be an igloo in the more Arctic regions, or in the Sahara desert, the Matmata Underground houses.

During this time period furniture was not widely used, it was something that was not seen to be a necessity. However, their were visible signs of patterns and designs prevalent in the prehistoric period. Weaving was seen in blankets, baskets, rugs, and clothing. Like Wendy mentioned in class, the use of symbolism was instilled in a lot of different aspects during this time, like a current gang would use. The meaning would be in relative to different things such as, colors, patterns, and design-society, all of which were a determinate of where peoples allies played, with society, tribes, and religious views.

The artifacts of this time used what was available to them, that being natural materials. In many cases woods and stones were used to create artifacts that would usually depict humans or animals. Venus of Willendorf is the oldest known artifact/statue found that is from 30,000 B.C. which was found in 1908 and is said to be symbolize the goddess of fertility.

Overall, what I was I took out of this period as far as how living and priorities related to it were, is the basis of needs. It was a need for the individuals to get out of the elements for health, and safety. However, they needed to be able to up and leave when needed, dependent on the prey they were after or the season. Their were not signs of documentation really until 33,000 B.C. which were cave paintings done in charcoal and pigment.

It was not until 17,000 B.C. that it was obvious that their was a use for a dwelling place other than to just stay alive. The spaces were able to evolve during this time into a space with meaning, going from a shelter to more of a home. This was visible in a Paleolithic cave that was found in France, with over 2,000 figurines, that were used as decorations.

With even more of transformation into a home and a place that was more permanent place to live, where their was not as much movement was seen in 2,000-1,500 B.C. in Scotland called the Skara-brae. Here archeologists found a home with furniture, built-ins, hearth, shelves, and a lot of things found in modern day homes.



Stonehenge - Post and Lintel

Finally, mentioned in our lecture was that of the Stonehendge. A very iconic well-known landmark found in England. This is a place for religious practices, burial, and overall a monument. This is thought to be the first use of the post and lintel method, which is a main component in a structures to this day.


Parthenon - Post and Lintel

 Modern Uses

Modern Interior Exposed Beam (Post and Lintel)

Pergola Uses Post and Lintel (Beam)

Click here to see hour long video on the "Secrets of Stonehenge"