PARTS: WHOLE
SOURCE- any thing or place from which something comes, arises, or is obtained (dictionary.com)
Over the course of this week I believed we have covered quite a bit, we finished up in Greece and then moved into Rome and the other day began in Pompeii. But relating source to these subjects feels fairly easy, considering I believe that Greece was a very significant source to the way architecture was for many years to come. Even considering modern architecture, it encompasses so many ideas relating to ancient Greece. But Rome, the major architecture civilization that appeared after Greece, had many of the same basic structures throughout as the same to Greece. The use of columns was popular in Rome and the hierarchical system played a huge role in both Rome and Greece, many of the structures were built to honor the God’s. Also there is a quote in Roth that states that, “the most important political contribution of Greek civilization was the invention of democracy in the polis of Athens, spread with particular fervor by Athenians to the cities over which Athens had influence.” (Roth 221) So I would also consider that as a source being that democracy arose from Greece in the Acropolis area, even though are modern way of democracy is completely different, still they gave us the basic structure for our political system we still carry with us till this day.
ARCHETYPE: PROTOTYPE: HYBRID- a three part process, archetype being the first stages even before a prototype maybe even just the initial idea, prototype is now where you actually construct a rough version of what you are eventually hoping to create, and hybrid being your perfect product, the one that you were striving for
“The Greeks were proud of their public and sacred architecture, and even in antiquity, the white marble Parthenon atop the Acropolis hill in Athens was recognized as a special achievement.” (Roth 215) When we started our Demos: Empire lecture this was one of the first phrases introduced, and I think that was purely because we learned that Greece created some of the first orders used ever. The archetype order they created was known as the Tuscan order. Then over time, cities that appeared especially in Rome at the coliseum, the facade or the exterior of that massive structure held within it essentially all five different orders just on the outside. At the Apollo in Beissa this is where the Ionic order was thought to be perfected which would be the hybrid because they have now perfected the order. I think in my mind, that this is truly how all things began starting with the archetype or either prototype stage. And you eventually want to be able to create that perfect idea you had being the hybrid, it completely suiting you and just you being happy in your final piece.
ENTOURAGE- a group of attendants or associates, as of a person of rank or importance (dictionary.com)
Basilica would honestly be the first thing that pops into my head when I think of the term entourage. The reason being is because when we got into Rome this is where they first appeared and we learned that basilicas were mostly used for the officials and law makers to congregate and discuss their issues. I also tend to think of the “hearth” as Patrick calls it, and that being the center piece of the entire city, usually where the most important thing. And when I think of the hearth it brings to mind of entourages surrounding the head of that structure, protecting basically.
HIERARCHY- any system of persons or things ranked one above another (dictionary.com)
So I am currently taking intro to art, taught by Professor Perrill as she prefers, but something we learned in our last section was how important in late civilizations the use of hierarchical scale was used to depict things in a socially correct way at the time. In the architecture sense this is used quite often to, not so much in today’s society that I am aware of. But in Greece such as the Parthenon in Acropolis the figures in the top of the structure that span across the whole vaulting are probably bigger than real life people, just to let you know that whoever is up there served as a major role to that time period. And in Leland’s book he states that, “by far the most important Greek building was the temple” (Roth 229), reason being is it arouses a hierarchical sense that Athena is the ruler and that she is a God and is a massive figure and the temple is there just to serve as a place to her.
ORDER- a condition in which each thing is properly disposed with reference to other things and to its purpose; methodical or harmonious arrangement (dictionary.com)
“The activity we call building creates the physical order of the world, constantly, unendingly, day after day. In the last five millennia, human beings have created millions upon millions of cubic yards of building, and millions of buildings, houses, roads, and cities-entire worlds. Our world is dominated by the order we create.” (Alexander 1) Christopher Alexander a theorist who touches on many different subjects in his book one of four, The Nature of Order, he also heavily discusses life, and how do we distinguish what life is. But I think the same goes for order, how does something allow it to have order throughout. Is it order or is it chaos that makes that structure successful? It is a phenomenon we do still not currently understand, but somehow we relate some beautiful architecture that has been created throughout the world’s existence to having a certain amount of order being embedded in it. I believe Alexander’s book is a very different book and so far allows me to kind of think in a way I usually do not think, allowing me to focus on different things from different perspectives.
REFLECTION
“Roman architecture shapes spaces” (Roth 247), this I do believe to be complete fact because the great, powerful Rome provided us with so many different new and innovative architecture structures that were yet to be created by any one civilization. These structures being bathes first created the market/forum, basilica, coliseum, arches, and temples. Some of these yes were already present in Greece but they are widely used throughout Rome thanks to the use of concrete and vaulting being created and being able to use a mortar for the concrete. In the last week I feel like I’ve learned two of the most vital cities in the architecture aspect, these are the places where innovativeness and new ideas were tested and structures were created on such a grand massive scale seeming to loom over you and just provide an awing sense. Knowing that that can be accomplished such a long time ago, makes me honestly feel like we today granted the technology we have, can create and design anything our minds can possibly think of.
CITATIONS
1. Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, and Meaning
Leland M. Roth
2. The Nature of Order Book One
Christopher Alexander
Hi,the photograph is beuityful kindly send the overall photo's of the roman churches. I would like to follow you blogs and send to friends. Thanks.
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