ARQ 2701 History of Architecture PDF

ARQ. HISTORY 2701 LECTURE 1 Altamira Cave - Spain Between 14,000-16,000 BCE It is renowned for prehistoric cave art featuring charcoal drawings and polychrome paintings of contemporary local fauna and human hands. A "three-dimensional painting on a two-dimensional surface"...

ARQ. HISTORY 2701 LECTURE 1 Altamira Cave - Spain Between 14,000-16,000 BCE It is renowned for prehistoric cave art featuring charcoal drawings and polychrome paintings of contemporary local fauna and human hands. A "three-dimensional painting on a two-dimensional surface" refers to an art technique where an artist creates the illusion of depth and form on a flat surface like a canvas, using techniques like perspective, shading, and overlapping to make the depicted objects appear as if they have volume and exist in three-dimensional space, even though the painting itself is only fla VOCABULARY: → Post and lintel: Basic architectural system where two vertical elements (posts) support a horizontal element (lintel) → Megalithic architecture: Refers to large stones structures or monuments from prehistory → Funerary architecture: structures built for the purpose of burial or the commemoration of the dead. Stonehenge - England Between 3000 and 1600 BCE Fiue post-and-lintel trilithons Made of bluestone, a bluish dolerite sourced from southern wales It likely served religious, ceremonial or astronomical functions, possibly linked to the cycles of the sun and the moon. FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF MEGALITHIC ARCHITECTURE → Connection with transcendental beliefs → The ability of buildings to claim territories (for the people that built them) → Social cohesiveness - this refers to the bonds that connect members of a society, group or community fostering a sense of unity and collaboration Megalithic temples - Malta ca. 3150-2600 B.C.E. One of the oldest megalithic sites on earth. The design is typical of the temples on the islands: an entrance through a monumental façade leads to a central passage connecting oval chambers and semi-circular recesses. The entrance in the middle of the main temple’s façade is a trilithon construction consisting of 2 uprights standing on either side of a threshold and supporting a horizontal lintel. Many temples on the islands share this feature. Catal Huyuk - Turkey Ca. 6000 BCE Architecture has always adapted to the needs and contexts of each society. In ancient settlements like Çatalhöyük, the lack of conventional streets was because there were no wheeled vehicles or a complex need for circulation. Instead, houses were built next to each other with access through the roofs, which also provided natural defense against potential external threats. →Trophy pieces: Bulls held significant symbolic and religious meaning. They were believed to be associated with fertility and abundance, as well as with sacrificial rituals. Jericho - Neolithic wall Jordan ca. 7000 B.C.E. Is one of the earliest known examples of a defensive structure. It consisted of a massive stone wall, approximately 3.6 meters (12 feet) high and 1.8 meters (6 feet) thick, surrounding the settlement. This wall, along with a watchtower, suggests that the inhabitants built it for protection, possibly against floods or human threats, indicating the development of organized communities with the capacity for large-scale construction and social organization. LECTURE 2 + 3 Rounded dates for the Egyptian Kingdoms: Old Kingdom: 2700 - 2200 BCE Middle Kingdom: 2100 - 1800 BCE New Kingdom: 1600 - 1100 BC What is a Mastaba? a type of ancient Egyptian tomb in the form of a flat-roofed, rectangular structure with inward sloping sides, constructed out of mud bricks or limestone. THE GREAT PYRAMIDS OF GIZA Each pyramid belonged to a different pharaoh: Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren), and Menkaure (Mykerinos). Building took a long time: Constructing a single pyramid took around 20-30 years, involving thousands of workers. Successive construction: Each pharaoh built his own pyramid after his predecessor, refining techniques and architecture over time. PERSPECTIVE AND MANIPULATION OF VIEWS The first of the three pyramids in Giza - Angle of 52 degrees CHEOPS ; The first one of the three; biggest pyramid / the Great pyramid of Giza CHEPHREN ; The second one, slightly smaller than the first pyramid MYKERINOS ; optical illusion that this pyramid was as big as the two other pyramids - it was far away →The optical illusion of the Pyramid of Menkaure (Mykerinos) comes from its placement and perspective. Although it is significantly smaller than the other two pyramids, its location farther away from the viewer makes it appear closer in size to Khufu’s and Khafre’s pyramids. This deliberate positioning creates the visual impression that it is almost as large as the others, enhancing its perceived significance. Old Kingdom Mastabas Red Pyramid Pyramids of the Giza Step pyramids: MIDDLE KINGDOM Rock-cut tombs Tomb of Mentuhotep Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple, Senenmut - One of those earliest examples of monumental architecture on the basis of its human building NEW KINGDOM Temple of Khons Precinct of Karnack Characteristics/ formula: 1. All of these temples had a avenue of sphinxes 2. Pilum gate - two pilums between a gate 3. Peristyle court - columns going around something, in this case a patio 4. Hypostyle hall - a room with the biggest columns in the building in it 5. inner sanctum - The most sacred area of a temple, often housing the cult statue of the deity. Nave - in the center Isle - to the left and right ; lower roof Clerestory - The upper section of a wall, usually above the nave and aisles. LECTURE 4 Mesopotamia: Different than the egyptian civilization, very very different DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MESOPOTAMIA AND EGYPT MESOPOTAMIA EGYPT The rivers (Tigris and Euphrates) were The Nile River is predictable, flooding at unpredictable, leading to frequent regular intervals, which provided a stable flooding and requiring advanced agricultural environment. irrigation techniques. Mesopotamians built with sun-dried Egyptians primarily used granite and bricks, a softer material that was less hard stone for construction, allowing for durable and more prone to erosion. durable monuments and structures. Mesopotamia is a general term for Egyptian history is characterized by multiple civilizations (e.g., Sumerians, thousands of years of continuity, with Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians), relatively few interruptions in governance leading to frequent changes in power and culture. and culture. Mesopotamian city-states often operated Egypt was often unified under a independently and were frequently in centralized pharaoh, which contributed to conflict, leading to a less stable political stability and continuity landscape. →A building can be formal or informal →Mesopotamia civilization came with a sense of symmetry first than anyone Temple of Uruk approx 4000–3100 BCE The temple features a complex plan with a main cella (inner sanctum) for rituals, multiple altars, and a courtyard. Its design reflects the increasing complexity of urban religion in Mesopotamia People had a closeness, they often found a natural setting like the top of a mountain was sacred and they would buy something there. Later they learned how to build their own elevations to get closer to their god. The Ziggurat of Ur around 2100 BCE Ziggurats served as temples and were believed to connect the earth with the heavens. The Ziggurat of Ur was dedicated to the moon god Nanna (or Sin) and served as a religious center. ASPECTS OF MESOPOTAMIANS CITIES: 1. These cities were standing right next door from a river and this is called river city 2. Advanced urban planning 3. Pierced walls to make water canals 4. Cistern to store water and then use it 5. They would built their palaces right next to the walls, this to help the King or the Priest to escape if something happened The art of a people is a reflection of its architecture and vice versa There's a bridge between art and architecture - Citadel of Sargon II LECTURE 5 City Palace of Persepolis: Persepolis is a collectional building built to become a political-diplomatic weapon - The lavish construction and decoration of Persepolis demonstrated the immense wealth and resources of the empire. This display of opulence served to bot What is a Hilani? A Hilani is a sort of poarch. The hilani usually features a large, open courtyard or hall, supported by columns or pillars on one or more sides. This creates a spacious and airy environment. Hilani structures can be found in various ancient Near Eastern cultures, including the Assyrians and Babylonians. What is a telamon? A telamon is a sculptural figure used as a support in architecture, often depicted as a male figure or giant ART OF THE HILANI: 1. A hilani always always has a raised floor 2. A hilani always has a roof 3. A Hilani always has impost (columns), it can be as many as you want 4. A hilani always has side walls - walls in antis (latin term for walls in pairs) 5. A hilani always gives you access to something else and has doors TELAMON: is a sculptural term referring to a type of architectural support figure used in classical architecture. It is a representation of a male figure, often portrayed as a colossal, muscular man who acts as a column or pillar. The telamon is similar to the female figure known as a caryatid. LECTURE 6: What is a megaron? Megaron is the earliest and closest creation of a house PART OF THE MEGARON: 1. It will have a propylon 2. Atrium (courtyard) 3. It will have ciliary rooms (functional rooms)  4. It would have 5. Naous 6. Cella (main room of the megaron) Sir Arthur Evans: An english archeologist. He is famous for his excavation and discovery of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, particularly at the site of the Palace of Knossos. Megaron of the Queen Palatial Quarters - Knossos and Megaron of The King Cyclopean walls: large walls of helladic times (Greece) Cyclopean walls were primarily used for defensive purposes, surrounding important Mycenaean citadels and palaces Citadel of Mycenae Heinrich Schliemann - discovered Citadel of Mycenae and the city of Troye. Tympanum: - triangulated era with a design of the center. Triangular space enclosed by the horizontal and sloping cornices of a pediment, typically found above the entrance of a building in classical architecture. TERMS: Dromos: A dromos is a long, narrow passage or pathway leading to the entrance of a tomb, especially in Mycenaean architecture. Tholos: A tholos is a circular building, often used as a tomb or a sanctuary in ancient Greek architecture. Corbeled vault: A corbeled vault is a type of construction technique used to create an arched or domed roof by stacking progressively smaller layers of stone or brick, projecting slightly inward with each layer until they meet at the top. Temple of artemis LECTURE 7 Treasury of Atreus (Tholos Tomb): ca. 1250 BCE The Treasury of Atreus, also known as a tholos tomb, is a beehive-shaped burial structure located in Mycenae, Greece, and dates to the Bronze Age. It represents a key example of Mycenaean architecture. →The term tholos refers to this type of rounded structure. →The term dromos refers to the passageway leading to the entrance. Its unique architectural style involves corbeling, where stones were placed in layers to create the dome structure. Temple of Artemis There were multiple Temples of Artemis. This temple, dedicated to the goddess Artemis, was an iconic example of Ionic order architecture. Key features include a: →Peristyle of massive Ionic columns, →Sculpted friezes, and → The use of decorative elements typical of the Ionic style. Chart of the Doric Order (Memorization Aid): The Doric order is one of the classical orders of ancient Greek architecture and is characterized by: →Column (fluted, with no base): Simple, sturdy, and tapering upwards. →Capital: Plain, with a rounded echinus and a square abacus. →Entablature: - Architrave: The lowest part. - Frieze: Divided into alternating triglyphs (three vertical lines) and metopes (square panels, often sculpted). - Cornice: The uppermost projecting section. Corinthian Order: The Corinthian order is the most ornate of the classical Greek architectural orders, identifiable by: →Columns: Slender and fluted, often with a base. →Capital: Highly elaborate, featuring acanthus leaves and sometimes scrolls (volutes). →Entablature: Similar in structure to the Ionic and Doric orders but more decorative. Comparison with Ionic and Corinthian Orders: - Ionic order: Known for its volutes (scroll-like decorations on the capitals), and its frieze often featured a continuous sculpted decoration rather than the triglyph-metope design of the Doric order. - Corinthian order: As mentioned above, it is the most decorative, particularly in the capital design, making it suitable for monumental buildings or interior columns. Metaphor of the pendulum: Temple of Hera I: Hera I is top heavy and light below Temple of hera II: Is too heavy at the bottom too light at the top, there is no relation of equals Temple of Concord: There is a equal relation of equals between top and bottom