Gothic Architecture

Gothic architecture is a style that began in France during the 12th century. It was particularly associated with cathedrals and other churches. In Florence, Italy, the Gothic style became widespread in the 15th century AD. England could see a series of Gothic revivals in the mid 19th century and it spread across other parts of Europe. Across America, in the 20th century, this style was largely used for ecclesiastical and university structures.

Gothic style emphasizes the vertical plane and features largely skeletal stone structures. Gothic architecture structures have large stained-glass windows that allow more light to pass through. These windows are usually the point of focus to design other structures of the building. Usually, buildings have extensive glass windows, sharply pointed spires, cluster columns, flying buttresses, ribbed vaults, pointed arches using the ogive shapes, and inventive sculptural detail. Flying buttresses were used as a means to support higher ceilings and slender columns.

Building materials used in Gothic architecture are usually native stones. But in Northern Germany, Scandinavia, and Northern Poland, where native stones were unavailable, simplified provincial Gothic churches were built out of bricks. Gothic brick buildings were associated with Hanseatic league, an alliance of trading cities of Northern Europe. There are over a hundred brick Gothic castles across Northern Poland built by the Teutonic Knights.

The French Gothic style has different sub-styles, including Rayonnant and Flamboyant styles. The Gothic cathedrals of France are highly decorated with statues on the outside and paintings on the inside. They are built over several successive periods and the dominant architectural style changes throughout a particular building. In England, Gothic style was more widely revived as a decorative, whimsical alternative.

Roman Architecture

Roman architecture is a fusion of traditional Greek and the Etruscan elements, where arches were developed and horizontal beams were supported by columns. Later, three dimensional counterpart of the arch, namely the dome was introduced. Apart from this, Roman architects found their inspiration from the Greek architecture at large.

The basic building materials of the Roman architecture are stones, developed concrete, and highly expensive marble. The idea behind mosaic, a decoration of colorful chips of stone inset into cement, was brought from Greece. Roman homes joined the well known mural decorating floors, walls, and grottoes in geometric and pictorial designs.

Architecture of the Romans was always eclectic and was characterized by varying styles attributed to different regional tastes and diverse preferences of a wide range of patrons. In general, Roman monuments were designed to serve the needs of their patrons rather than to express the artistic ability of their makers.

Roman architecture was also considered to be an exact copy of the Greek building style. But, the Romans have also contributed to the classical architectural styles. The two developments of Roman buildings styles are the tuscan and composite orders. Tuscan is a shortened, simplified variant on the doric order of the Greek style. Composite is a tall order with the floral decoration of the Corinthian and the scrolls of the ionic building style of the Greeks.

Architecture

Architecture is the designing of buildings within cultural, social and historical constraints prevalent at the time of construction. American architecture experienced an influence of different styles and as a result today is a complex summation of multiple traditions and techniques.

When the first European immigrants entered the new continent, the Native Americans already had their architectural traditions in the forms of tipi, longhouses and pueblos. The immigrants followed with their own building standards of the countries they had come from but by the 18th century the rule of reason and practical planning took over. The mid-19th century saw stylistic Romantic period revivals of Grecian and Gothic forms. This was also the period for rapid urbanization and construction of row houses, multifamily tenements, lodgings, and the architectural innovation of the period: the skyscrapers. The first skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1884 and the first modern architect and designer of these early towers was Louis Sullivan. His most talented student was Frank Lloyd Wright, spawning a generation of followers.

By the 1930s, with the emigration of European architects to America before World War II, architecture underwent an oblivious shift to an austere and functional approach referred to as International design. The post war era saw a sudden shift in the reversal of architectural designs, with skyscrapers touching unprecedented heights, buildings displaying new colors and ornamental motifs, and motivating an innovative breed of architects willing to experiment with designs and elements. The architectural design and style of the 21st century has no boundaries, ranging from Mediterranean, French country chateaux, Modern glass and wood designs, Victorian or English Tudor, Florida and Villa estates, castles, Georgian mansions, and skyscrapers. The love of open greens made architecture turn outwards, with landscape architecture concerning itself with the design of outdoor public and private spaces.