Module 02 Gothic Architecture PDF

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology 2024-2025 MODULE 02 GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE KEY NOTES: 1. Plans are usually Latin cross 2. Introduction and use of pointed arch, ribbed vaulting, fan vaulting, flying buttress (not attached to walls)...

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology 2024-2025 MODULE 02 GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE KEY NOTES: 1. Plans are usually Latin cross 2. Introduction and use of pointed arch, ribbed vaulting, fan vaulting, flying buttress (not attached to walls) 3. Use of traceries, rose windows and gargoyles 4. The load of the roof and the building travels from the roof to the columns and flying buttress 5. Thin walls with a large expanse of glass with mosaics and patters 6. Heights of buildings are impressive due to man’s aspiration to heaven, with the addition of large expanse of interior space (made possible by vaults) 7. Light played and important role in setting the interior mood. I. BRIEF BACKGROUND - a sequel and outgrowth of Romanesque Architecture - developed in 12th century France - kind of architecture known for being meticulous in both aesthetic and technological senses - represents a break with Greek and Roman architecture - also known as Pointed Architecture - characterized by the building of great cathedrals - Gothic was fundamentally ecclesiastical style - Local masonry materials were use for building (limestone in France, red sandstone in England, brick in Germany, Poland and Scandinavia) II. INFLUENCES 1. RELIGION greatly influenced by religious men and saints that resulted to incorporation of more architectural sculptures on different parts of the church e.g. door 2. Gothic society was also feudal but it was a comparative ordered feudalism 3. Centralized government was established (law and order instilled confidence in the people of all walks of life) 4. Abbot Suger – designed Church of Saint Denis in Paris which became the prototype in building Gothic Cathedrals. He introduced the use of new structural features (pointed arch, ribbed vault and flying buttress) that allowed the construction of higher and lighter buildings with focus on religious structures. IV. ROMANESQUE ARCHITECTURE A. ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER - When applied to ecclesiastical building emphasizes verticality (aspiration to heaven) - Generally the landmark building rising above all domestic structure and often surmounted by one or more towers and spires - Columns or clustered columns became the skeleton of the building that absorbs the weight/ force of the structure together with the addition of the flying buttress and roof vaults. Ar. Ralph Intal 1|Page [email protected] HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology 2024-2025 - Appears light due to extremity of windows allowing more illumination within the interior B. PREVAILING BUILDING TYPES 1. CATHEDRALS and CHURCHES - supremacy of papal authority-where church and state was established - Master builder – specialization of one man to a certain task-bishops or abbots who provides the general arrangement of building leaving precise form as the work advance - Church became the symbol of heaven. Nave- way to heaven and Altar-as the heaven itself a. Plan - Cruciform or Latin Cross but took away the large masonry masses that characterized the older Romanesque churches - has long nave making the body of the church and transverse arm (transept) – sometimes double - side aisles were doubled on some areas continuing up to the transept/s and ambulatory - inclusion of “chevet” in the church plan Chevet – combination of choir apse and ambulatory Ar. Ralph Intal 2|Page [email protected] HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology 2024-2025 - gothic vaulting made it possible to create higher elevations - addition of long narrow window opening that emphasizes height and created a sense of lightness within the interior (tall windows) - roofing of irregular plans was made possible due to the innovation on vaulting - niches with arcading became major external feature - the height represents man’s aspiration to heaven - nave is normally higher than the aisle (clerestory windows) - vertical emphasis was also achieved through the addition of flying buttresses that are terminated by pinnacles - towers and spires were external characteristics of Gothic architecture that varies in location regionally (Italy-detached from the building, France and Spain – two towers in front, England and Germany-enormous tower at the crossing) - continuous vertical shaft from floor to ceiling that meets the rib of the vaulting b. Facade - referred to as the West Front - creates a powerful impression on the approaching worshipper - rich traceries, triple portals and rose windows on façade - there are usually three richly carved doorways on main entrance (West Front) PARTS OF A GOTHIC FACADE 1. Crocket - a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylized carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles 2. Gable 3. Arcade – a series of arches supported by columns or piers 4. Finial – an ornament at the tip of a pinnacle, spire or other tapering vertical architectural element 5. Pinnacle – a pointed termination of a spire, buttress, or other extremity of a building sometimes decorated 6. Niche – a recess in the thickness of a wall 7. Rose Window – a circular window composed of patterned tracery arranged in petal-like formation 8. Archivolt – bands or mouldings surrounding an arched opening 9. Tympanum – significant piece of sculpture, semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance 10. Jamb – a vertical element of a doorway or window frame 11. Lintel – a flat horizontal beam which spans the space between two supports 12. Trumeau – vertical architectural member between the leaves of a doorway, often highly decorated 2. SECULAR and CIVIC BUILDINGS - Development of market and market spaces and conversion of early buildings originally for military purposes was made - Buildings developed from religious organizations and were associated with charity, like hospitals and universities a. Castles - were converted/adapted to make convenient residences-Chateau Ar. Ralph Intal 3|Page [email protected] HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology 2024-2025 Castles which retained their defenses largely for stylistic reasons; eventually there - developed the fortified and moated manor houses b. Hotels - noblemen ceased to be feudal lords and instead decided to built houses that are more comfortable and convenient for living c. Town Halls - national forms of Gothic were manifested; expressed their commercial dignity through steep-pitched roofs often cut into with dormer windows and combined with narrow decorative towers d. Merchant Houses - simple massing complemented by the delicacy of the double row of arcades and discretely patterned rose and white marble on the upper storey C. STRUCTURAL INNOVATIONS 1. POINTED ARCH - used to roof irregular plan layouts - brought about the stylistic change that separated Gothic from Romanesque architecture-broke the tradition of having massive masonry and solid walls. - transfers weight of roof to piers and columns allowing construction of buildings at greater height - allowed the concentration of the masses at certain points and walls became filling in between the piers or buttress and in time, immense windows filled with stained glass TYPES OF GOTHIC ARCHES 1. Lancet – tall thin arches like the medieval lances (spearhead) usually paired or in triplets often with a hoodmould-a projecting piece of stone that allows the upper curve of the window opening deflecting the rain and snow 2. Equilateral – the radius of arch is exactly the same as the width of the opening 3. Cinquefoil 4. Ogee – or flamboyant arch; these arches create a rich and lively effect. Structurally this type is weak and not normally employed for vaulting 5. Four Centered 6. Depressed – wider than its height; effect of having been flatten 2. VAULTING a. Ribbed Vault – transfer weight not to the wall but to a series of columns, thus opening the wall and freeing the plan b. Fan Vault – used by the English elaborately; fan shaped cluster of tracery like ribs springing from slender column PARTS OF A GOTHIC ARCH 1. Boss – an ornamental, knoblike projection as a carved keystone at the intersection of the ogives 2. Ridge rib – a horizontal rib making the crown of a vaulting compartment 3. Ogives – rib crossing a compartment of a rib vault on a diagonal; also called diagonal rib or groin rib 4. Tierceron – a rib springing from a point of support on either side of the ogives also called as intermediate ribs Ar. Ralph Intal 4|Page [email protected] HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology 2024-2025 5. Lierne – an ornamental vaulting rib other than one springing from a pier or a ridge rib 3. FLYING BUTTRESS - use to resist lateral force pushing a wall outwards redirecting to the ground - allows larger opening on outside wall for windows and doors - consist of a massive vertical masonry block (buttress) on the outside of the building and the segmental or quadrant arch bridging gap between the buttress and wall (flyer) - an inclined bar of masonry carried on a segmental arch and transmitting an outward and downward thrust from the roof or vault to a solid buttress directing to the ground PARTS OF A GOTHIC FLYING BUTTRESS 1. Pinnacle – a vertical structure terminating in a pyramid or spire to add weight to a buttress pier 2. Buttress Pier – Part of a pier that rises to take the thrust of a flying buttress 3. Finial 4. Amortizement - a sloping top on a buttress or projecting pier to shed rainwater 4. TRACERY WINDOW - Stonework elements that support the glass; a decoration in which a frame is filled with interlacing bands - If grouped normally divided into segments by stone mullions - stone tracery was developed to divide the window and give them strength a. Plated Tracery - stone infilling occupies larger area than the glass - where the stone plates where joined to the masonry on either side of the window by holes pierced in the wall b. Bar Tracery – composed of thin stone elements so that glass dominates - designed principally for the pleasing forms produced by combinations of geometrical figures and formed by interlocking bars of stone 5. ROSE WINDOW - a circular window with mullions and traceries generally radiating from the center and filled with stained glass - term is suggested by the fancied resemblance of the window with its traceries to the rose and its petals 6. GARGOYLES - symbolizes evil, drives away bad spirits - carved stone grotesque used as water spouts - due to lack of education used of symbols are often incorporated D. THREE PHASES OF GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE (French) 1. Early Gothic Ar. Ralph Intal 5|Page [email protected] HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology 2024-2025 period where structural innovations such as pointed arch, flying buttress and pointed - vaults were introduced to building construction (churches and cathedrals) – started in France 2. High Gothic - pushed building size to limits beyond which it was unsafe to go – spread to other parts of Europe central, Italy, and the British Isle - Architects became less interested in size and more interested in decoration a.Rayonnant Style - opened up as much of the wall surface as possible - combination of triforium gallery and clerestory into one large glazed area producing a unifying effect on the elevation b. Flamboyant Style - dominance in stone window tracery of a flame like S-shape curve – up to late gothic - wall space was reduced to minimum of supporting vertical shafts to allow an almost continuous expanse of glass and tracery 3. Late Gothic - largest possible expanse of ceiling space through vaulting - development of Perpendicular Style (England) where tracery panels were inserted into the vault. - There is the extension of window traceries to cover adjacent wall surface E. GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN EUROPE 1. FRENCH GOTHIC - because the arches could vary in height and in width, this opened endless possibilities for both the nave and the transepts so that the light could flood in from the apse - walls were not thought of so much as main support systems but as panels that could supply light - support from the weight of the roof and wind force come from the buttresses and the vault NOTABLE EXAMPLES Chartres Cathedral Bourges Cathedral Amiens Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris - transept is much smaller and sports a huge rose window 2. ITALIAN GOTHIC - Gothic style never penetrated deeply in Italy, Byzantine and Constantinople and classical antiquity continued to play a far more important role - BRICK was the most common building material and marble is used for decoration and ornaments - the conspicuous verticality of the Gothic style is tempered by horizontal stripes of marble and cornices; sculpture continued to be refined and more lifelike than the Northern Gothic sculptures Ar. Ralph Intal 6|Page [email protected] HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology 2024-2025 - construction of civic buildings testifying municipal life and business enterprise- building normally opens up onto a large bustling central square where the city’s commercial life unfolds NOTABLE EXAMPLES Sienna Cathedral - Its face is of distinctive polychrome marble Milan Cathedral - main body is basilica style but the tracery and ornament are distinctly Gothic - exterior is a gleaming mass of white marble with traceried window, panelled and flying buttresses and pinnacles crowned with statues - details such as quatrefoil are found on the stairway atop the roof which is edged with gothic designs Palazzo Publico, Siena - a palazzo with gothic influences - the tower has indentations and machicolations - the center of the palazzo is the contained inner courtyard 3. GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN CENTRAL EUROPE - style came from France, and brick became main building material - characterized by its massive and modular nature - huge size towers and spires are often projected but not always completed - towers are taller and usually surmounted by enormous openwork spires that are regional feature - the distinctive character of the interior is their breadth and openness NOTABLE EXAMPLES Ulm Cathedral, Switzerland Frauenkirche Church, Munich, Germany – first Gothic church hall in the region Strasbourg Cathedral St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague, Czech Republic 4. GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL - Gothic architecture arrived to Spain and Portugal via pilgrimage - Influence Mudejar architects who created a hybrid style, employing European techniques and Spanish-Arab decoration 4.1. SPAIN Plateresque - means in the manner of silversmith - appeared between Late Gothic and Early Renaissance - proliferation of decoration for all architectural surface and subfaces, which were in turn decorated profusely such as niches 4.2. PORTUGAL Manueline – (Late Gothic) - mixes aspects of Late Gothic and Renaissance architecture and decoration revealing influences from Spanish plateresque as well as elements borrowed from Islamic Mudejar tradition - Manueline buildings are often decorated with naturalistic motifs-spiralling motifs, rich array of animals and vegetables Ar. Ralph Intal 7|Page [email protected] HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology 2024-2025 NOTABLE EXAMPLE Burgos Cathedral Seville Cathedral – largest cathedral with exception of St. Peter 5. GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN THE BRITISH ISLES - it is usually only the spire which is very tall, unlike Gothic in other parts of Europe, the west end may have towers, but not exaggerated as they are in French models. - English church are normally surrounded by green space and is enclosed by a wall - less emphasis is given to calculations, ratios and fractions and more emphasis is given to an organic growth of the design based on harmony of forms Timber Roofing - used as roofing materials as well as for aesthetic purposes - early carpenters were given the authority to explore new forms of roofs both internally and externally a. Collar Braced Roof b. Beam Roof c. Trussed Rafter Roof d. Hammer Beam Roof PERPENDICULAR GOTHIC - has predominance of vertical lines in the stone tracery windows to great proportions and the conversion of the interior stories into a single unified vertical expanse - typical pointed vaults were replaced by Fan Vaults-fan shaped clusters of tracery like ribs springing from slender columns NOTABLE EXAMPLES Westminster Abbey Kings College Chapel, Cambridge - finest example of late British Gothic, north and south walls are almost exclusively glass, the buttresses and heavy finials bear the weight of the walls - windows are constructed from mullions and delicate tracery - fan vaults are the chief beauty of the chapel designs have a definite root in ship and marine design. - window tracery is a reminiscent of inverted ship hulls like the vaults in the interior of the chapel Durham Cathedrals Salisbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral Peterborough Cathedral – Late Romanesque and Early Gothic Ar. Ralph Intal 8|Page [email protected] HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE II School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology 2024-2025 SUPPLEMENTARY VIDEO: 1. Building the Great Cathedrals PBS Nova Documentaries S38E01 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D40JhGKVUVM SUPPLEMENTARY READING: 1. The Romanesque Churches of Tuscany San Miniato in Florence and Pisa Cathedral https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/romanesque-art/romanesque-art-italy/ a/the-romanesque-churches-of-tuscany-san-miniato-in-florence-and-pisa-cathedral References: Fletcher, B. (1905) A History of Architecture on The Comparative Method, Fifth Edition. Harbison, R. (2009) Travels in the History of Architecture. Romanesque. p.95-111. Reaktion Books Ltd. Salvan, G. (1986) Architectural Character and The History of Architecture. Romanesque Architecture. p.203-281. JMC Press, Inc. Harbison, R. (2009) Travels in the History of Architecture, Gothic p. 112-134 Pierre (2020) French Moments, Notre dame de Paris. Retrieved from: https://frenchmoments.eu/west-facade-of-notre-dame-cathedral-paris/#Description_of_the_West_Facade_of Notre-Dame Ar. Ralph Intal 9|Page [email protected]