CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE

Prescribed Learning Outcomes It is expected that student will:

*demonstrate awareness of artistic expression as a reflection of the culture in which it was created

*describe how societies preserve identity, transmit culture, and adapt to change

*identify periods of significant cultural achievement

What is Classical

Architecture?

Classical is the

term given to time

when Greeks and

Romans…

…influenced the

western world

500 B.C.E. to 500 C.E.

Also called Age of

Antiquity

The Greeks and Romans

Classical

architecture has

come to mean…

…the beautifully

balanced and

harmoniously

simple

…architecture of

the Greeks and

Romans

Classical Architecture

in Vancouver…

The Classical style

has influenced

many buildings in

the Vancouver

area, including:

The Vancouver

Public Library

Looks similar to

the Roman

Colosseum…

…the architects

even tried to

copy the wall

that has been

restored

Vancouver Art

Gallery, Georgia

Street

Federal Building,

West Hastings

Street

Seabus South Terminal

The History of Classical

Architecture is Simple…

Greeks developed classical forms

Romans copied and adapted them

Italians of the Renaissance

rediscovered it after the Middle Ages

Best Examples of Classical

Architecture…

…are Greek Temples

Greeks preferred to

work in marble

and…

…liked the POST-

AND-LINTEL STYLE

Post-and-Lintel Style…

Stonehenge in England…

Built in Post-and-Lintel Style

The Romans…

…called the post-

and-lintel style

“Trabeated”

…from the root

word “trabes”

which means beam

Romans copied

the trabeated

format

Romans also liked Arcuated

Style

Greeks did not

particularly like this

style

Three Classical Orders of

Architecture…

#1 Doric

#2 Ionic

#3 Corinthian

Look at the Capital First…

Capital, or top of

the column tells

you what order

the Temple is…

Oldest is Doric

used much by

Greeks

Romans Preferred

Corinthian

…From the Bottom up!

Once you have

determined the

order of the

temple…

You can then

begin to

examine its 4

parts

…From the Bottom up!

Start with steps

Next the entire

column

Then horizontal

section on top of

columns

Then the angled

section on roof

1. Start with the Steps…

Nimes, France 5 C.E.

Paestum, Italy

Many Greek Temples

have 3 steps

Roman Temples tend to have more

2. Next Section is the

Column…

Most columns have a

base at the bottom

…followed by a shaft…

…finally a capital on top

The only order that

usually does not have a

base is Doric

Columns can be…..

Fluted (vertical grooves)Plain or non-fluted

Doric Columns

Oldest and

simplest

order

Usually has

no base

Extensively

used by

Greeks

Doric Capital

Plain Capital

with no design

Looks like a

squished eraser

Ionic Capital

Next order is a

bit more fancy

Has scroll-like

volutes that

resemble sea

shells or ram’s

horns

Ionic columns

are slimmer

and usually

fluted

Corinthian Capital

Last order is the

most decorative

Used extensively

by the Romans

Leaves are called

Acanthus Leaves

Corinthian

Capitals often

contain small

volutes as well

Acanthus leaf

trees grew

throughout

Italy

Usually has two

rows of

acanthus leaves

3. Next Section is the

Entablature…

Sometimes

called the

Horizontal

Entablature

Think of a

temple as a

table…

columns are the

legs

Entablature is

the “Table top”

Entablature consists of…

…Three sections:

1. Architrave

2. Frieze

3. (Horizontal)

Cornice

Entablature

Frieze is

often

sculpted

Architrave

is often

plain

Entablature of the Parthenon, Athens, Greece

St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Rome, Italy

4. Next Section is the

Pediment…

Top section of a

classical style

temple is called

the Pediment

Triangular

portion

..usually contain

decorative

sculptureNational Archives, Washington D.C., USA

Pediment consists of…

Tympanum

which usually

contains

important

sculptures

Sloping Cornice

(usually matches

horizontal

cornice

Often located on the roof…

Acroterion:

sculptures

on the front

of the temple

Antefixes

(singular

antefix)

found on

side

5. Examples of Classical

Architecture…

Palazzo Rucellai in

Florence, Italy

Classical

Corinthian

Columns have been

incorporated into

side of building

Pantheon, Rome Italy

Forum, Rome Italy