Classical Design Elements In Architecture Essay, Research Paper
Throughout history, Classical ideals of the ancient Greeks and Romans have been prevalent in all aspects of art. In architecture this is particularly true. A few of the Classical ideals employed in architecture are colonnaded porticoes, domed centres and symmetrical designs. Architects such as Andrea di Pietro, Christopher Wren and Thomas Jefferson used these Classical design elements in their several plants. These extremely regarded persons were designers of the Mannerist, Baroque and Neo-Classical Ages severally. They each used Classical design elements in their architecture to portray a sense of simpleness and harmoniousness in their work, every bit good as to reflect Classical ideals of order and mathematical proportion.
Andrea di Pietro, an designer of the Mannerist Age, employed the elements of Classical design in his plants to accomplish simpleness and harmoniousness. & # 8220 ; The preeminent designer of the Mannerist manner was Andrea di Pietro, known as Palladio & # 8221 ; ( Matthews And Platt 340 ) . The work that Palladio is most synonymous with is the Villa Capra, besides known as the Villa Rotunda. The Villa Rotunda, based on the Classical design of a Roman farmhouse, was built for a affluent Venetian ( Matthews and Platt 340,341 ) . The Villa high spots Classical rules of architecture in a figure of ways. Palladio employed the usage of colonnaded porticoes in the Villa, a covered porch supported by columns, which is typically located at the forepart of the edifice. The Villa Rotunda has four of these colonnaded porticoes. The porticoes supply a smooth passage between the entryway of the edifice and the environing evidences. In add-on to the porticoes, Palladio used the vaulted centre on the Villa, non merely for aesthetics, but besides to make a cardinal point in the edifice. The symmetrical design of the Villa is seeable from this cardinal point. The symmetricalness of the Villa reflects the Classical ideals of order, every bit good as mathematical proportion. These elements of Classical design were used with great success in Palladio & # 8217 ; s clip and were besides used by designers in later periods, such as the Baroque Age.
Christopher Wren, an designer of the Baroque Age, besides used Classical design elements in his plants as a contemplation of Classical ideals. Wren is credited with the design of a figure of edifices in England, but is best known for the churches he was commissioned to plan and reconstruct after the Great Fire of London in 1666 ( Matthews and Platt 394 ) . & # 8220 ; His chef-d’oeuvre is St. Paul & # 8217 ; s Cathedral in London & # 8221 ; ( Matthews and Platt 394 ) , which, to this twenty-four hours, is one of London & # 8217 ; s most celebrated churches. St. Paul & # 8217 ; s colonnaded portico is a premier illustration of the Classical elements employed by Wren. The colonnaded portico of St
Paul’s Cathedral is surmounted by another colonnaded portico, making a figure of clean, ordered lines that add to the symmetricalness and mathematical proportion of the church. Wren besides used the dome on the cathedral as a show of Classical design elements. The dome creates a cardinal point of focal point for aesthetics and symmetricalness. The symmetricalness of St. Paul’s Cathedral is similar to the symmetricalness of Palladio’s Villa Rotunda, and is besides similar to plan seen in American Neo-Classical edifices.
The Neo-Classical Period evidenced Classical design elements that can be seen in edifices of the former British settlements in the United States. The Neo-Classical Period, synonymous with the Federal Period in the United States, was a clip when the designs and thoughts of designers such as Thomas Jefferson became widely used. Jefferson, & # 8220 ; historically revered as a solon and politician, was besides a brilliant designer and urban contriver & # 8221 ; ( Unknown 1 ) . Jefferson & # 8217 ; s Virginia place Monticello, intending & # 8220 ; small mountain & # 8221 ; in Italian ( Unknown 1 ) , exemplifies his usage of Classical design elements. The colonnaded portico of Monticello allowed a smooth passage between the place and the calm scene of the environing evidences in the same mode that Palladio used this component of design on the Villa Rotunda. In fact, the Villa Rotunda served as Jefferson & # 8217 ; s theoretical account for Monticello during its design and building. Furthermore, the vaulted centre is used to make a cardinal point of symmetricalness, similar to Christopher Wren & # 8217 ; s usage of the dome on St. Paul & # 8217 ; s Cathedral. The symmetrical design of Monticello reinforces Jefferson & # 8217 ; s & # 8220 ; esteem for the orderly and simplistic ideals of the Roman republic & # 8221 ; ( Matthews and Platt 460 ) . The design elements of Monticello employed by Jefferson created an seemingly simple construction in harmoniousness with its milieus, in much the same manner as Palladio and Wren.
Each of these designers made important parts to architecture, and their plants remain widely recognized in the modern epoch. Palladio, Christopher Wren and Thomas Jefferson are considered by many to be the most influential designers of their several times. Elementss of Classical design such as colonnaded porticoes, domed centres and symmetrical designs have been used throughout history, and are still widely used today. These elements reflect Classical ideals, and are still used to portray a sense of simpleness and harmoniousness, every bit good as to reflect the Classical ideals of order and mathematical proportion.
820 Wordss
Saint matthews, Roy T. and F. Dewitt Platt. The Western Humanities 4th Ed. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 2001
Unknown. & # 8220 ; Architectural side of Thomas Jefferson. & # 8221 ; USA Today Magazine December 1993: 122. Academic Search Elite. EBSCOhost. 24 March 2001.
