The foundations unit deals with many ideas and examples of architectural history and the human stories behind them. The idea, that we as human beings have been our own master and servant to architectural history. The time passage section revealed that with the creation of a large empire, comes the need to express the importance of self through built structures. Egypt rose as the first large empire and with this began to build structures never seen before in history. Egypt was remote and had limited material for construction, but had established trade with other areas close by. This meant that the majority of material they used for construction was stone; by importing other material such as hardwoods they began the practice, though on a small scale, of thinking of interior space in an aesthetic way. The exterior façade of Egyptian structures remained the dominant feature. Using engaged columns, inspired by lotus and papyrus plants, to decorate the smaller square or rectangle post and lintel religious structures they were building at the time. The column became a structure element, as it could hold weight overhead; the Hypostyle Hall became the first known building to use columns as structural elements. The Mastaba is thought to be the first large scale structure built in that part of the world, but when the Temple at Zoser was completed in 2750 B.C., this sparked a building frenzy by each new pharaoh to outdo the previous rulers achievements. Improved understanding of mathematics and new construction techniques allowed larger Temples to be built and a more exclusive society to grow out of them. Urban planning was beginning to be given some, but during the later dynasties buildings were loosely placed around important geographic or religious areas, with alleyways between the modest homes of the lower class. Spatial relationship became a more understood and important concept of the structures of the more important ruling class. Interior furnishings became more common as Egypt became a larger empire and Greek states become an empire themselves. The furniture has a more feminine style than the architectural style of the time period. Culture became constant and not as sporadic as when divided into individual territories or areas.
As Greek culture rises, travel by water becomes necessary for trade within and outside of Greece. This brought with it influence of style and culture from foreign lands. The Greek empire introduced the first attempt at democracy, even though it was limited to persons with affluence. Multiple opinions and ideas, under this limited democracy, allowed Greek culture to flourish and grow into a dominant empire. This allowed specialized buildings, beside temples, to be introduced for a more civic lifestyle for all. The ordinary people of Greece were not left out of the empire and with structures being build having importance to trade, the agora, began the rise of the merchant class. Division of spatial order in buildings, like the megaron and creation of the classical order of columns, put Greece ahead architecturally, of the rest of the known world of that time. The classical Greek order included columns that were influenced by female and male auras, Doric more maternal, Ionic more masculine. As these new styles of architecture were influenced on exposure to past cultures, they were improved upon and changed to make new or different styles. The Acropolis was the crowning achievement of the Greeks achieving their ideal of perfection, as each style of column was used in a specific area for a specific reason. Each of these four major structures, carried different themes and levels of importance. The view from the entrance being the most important, it allowed worshipers to fully experience the magnificence of the complex as they walk through, passing small temples (Nike) and into an open space that allowed a full view of the Parthenon on its rotated axis. The importance of site placement was defiantly standardized by the Greeks at Acropolis, as their idea of perfection was the only one. Interior furniture grew again in importance as did interior treatment of upper class homes. These new styles once again, were based on previous cultures and improved upon. All of this translated into the next empire of Rome, who added more civic building including banks which again allowed the merchant class to influence society. With Rome’s addition of having citizens under the protection of an empire, common people start to contribute to overall culture and a feeling of belonging. Much of today’s social demeanor, culture, and role of government was heavily influenced by Rome. The idea of assimilation and adaptation from Greek influence, allowed Rome the freedom to steal an idea and change it to their own needs. Romans also perfected the idea of (bread and circus) or bait and switch, the practice of occupying the common mans mind, so he is oblivious to the workings of the government, much like today in every country in the world. Rome became occupied by architectural surface not its system, to create the most diverse architecture of its time. Using new building techniques, like arches and also new materials, like concrete. Rome became the closest to a modern idea of a large city than any culture before it. It dominated the landscape rather than flowing with it like previous cultures, this too is relevant to today’s culture. With impressive structures like, the coliseum and the pantheon, Rome began the practice of dominating the urban cityscape. This dominance over all citizens and conquered lands faraway brought with it the importance of the Wu-Wu and its large scale. The biggest Wu-Wu indicated the more important the ruler or general.
Civility was more apparent and important in Rome than previously because the more you have (furnishing, land, and housing), the better you look to your neighbor. Plumbing, roads and the addition of the number rooms in the homes of all classes of Roman citizens added to this civility. With the advent of Christianity first underground, and then allowed as an official religion, new structures where invented, based again upon the past. First in catacombs, building extra rooms in private homes. Then separate buildings for separate functions, then morphing finally into the great churches of the coming years. Buildings began to have duel uses, since the concrete structure lasted longer than the ruling governments.
As Greek culture rises, travel by water becomes necessary for trade within and outside of Greece. This brought with it influence of style and culture from foreign lands. The Greek empire introduced the first attempt at democracy, even though it was limited to persons with affluence. Multiple opinions and ideas, under this limited democracy, allowed Greek culture to flourish and grow into a dominant empire. This allowed specialized buildings, beside temples, to be introduced for a more civic lifestyle for all. The ordinary people of Greece were not left out of the empire and with structures being build having importance to trade, the agora, began the rise of the merchant class. Division of spatial order in buildings, like the megaron and creation of the classical order of columns, put Greece ahead architecturally, of the rest of the known world of that time. The classical Greek order included columns that were influenced by female and male auras, Doric more maternal, Ionic more masculine. As these new styles of architecture were influenced on exposure to past cultures, they were improved upon and changed to make new or different styles. The Acropolis was the crowning achievement of the Greeks achieving their ideal of perfection, as each style of column was used in a specific area for a specific reason. Each of these four major structures, carried different themes and levels of importance. The view from the entrance being the most important, it allowed worshipers to fully experience the magnificence of the complex as they walk through, passing small temples (Nike) and into an open space that allowed a full view of the Parthenon on its rotated axis. The importance of site placement was defiantly standardized by the Greeks at Acropolis, as their idea of perfection was the only one. Interior furniture grew again in importance as did interior treatment of upper class homes. These new styles once again, were based on previous cultures and improved upon. All of this translated into the next empire of Rome, who added more civic building including banks which again allowed the merchant class to influence society. With Rome’s addition of having citizens under the protection of an empire, common people start to contribute to overall culture and a feeling of belonging. Much of today’s social demeanor, culture, and role of government was heavily influenced by Rome. The idea of assimilation and adaptation from Greek influence, allowed Rome the freedom to steal an idea and change it to their own needs. Romans also perfected the idea of (bread and circus) or bait and switch, the practice of occupying the common mans mind, so he is oblivious to the workings of the government, much like today in every country in the world. Rome became occupied by architectural surface not its system, to create the most diverse architecture of its time. Using new building techniques, like arches and also new materials, like concrete. Rome became the closest to a modern idea of a large city than any culture before it. It dominated the landscape rather than flowing with it like previous cultures, this too is relevant to today’s culture. With impressive structures like, the coliseum and the pantheon, Rome began the practice of dominating the urban cityscape. This dominance over all citizens and conquered lands faraway brought with it the importance of the Wu-Wu and its large scale. The biggest Wu-Wu indicated the more important the ruler or general.
Civility was more apparent and important in Rome than previously because the more you have (furnishing, land, and housing), the better you look to your neighbor. Plumbing, roads and the addition of the number rooms in the homes of all classes of Roman citizens added to this civility. With the advent of Christianity first underground, and then allowed as an official religion, new structures where invented, based again upon the past. First in catacombs, building extra rooms in private homes. Then separate buildings for separate functions, then morphing finally into the great churches of the coming years. Buildings began to have duel uses, since the concrete structure lasted longer than the ruling governments.
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