FORWARD

Etienne Louis Boulle was a French architect who, until the late 1920’s, was almost forgotten to time Boulle lived from 1728 to 1799 and while he is currently considered one of the monumented figures in 18th century neoclassical Architecture, the career and the man himself was averse in the pursuit of fame or grandeur. Boulle’s theory on ‘Architecture parlante’ is the ideology and concept of architecture that speaks for itself, Boulle’s use of symmetries and geometries to create megastructures that are symbolic of his views on democracy and a republic at the time of the French revolution, inspiring many students and future architects to use classical architecture as a form of expression of liberty. While Boulle’s major work was never built, his influence of shape and symmetry has left its lasting and timeless mark on history and even if the initial concept and idealisation of his work had changed and even juxtaposed itself over time, the beauty and ingenuity behind his use of geometries has and will remain unchanged.

This exhibition aims to explore the Boulles work as a neoclassical architect and to display how they weave through the ironic history behind neoclassical architecture

The model for the Louvre Pyramid contrasts the spherical nature of the Cenotaph with defined triangular features. However, it serves to draw a connection between the two as both serve as key monuments, characterised by their geometric nature.

Boulle’s Cenotaph for Sir Isaac Newton is a primary example of architecture parlante, the model sets a standard of Etienne Boulle’s work and fundamentally establishes the geometric and symmetric features of neoclassical architecture.

The section of the Louvre Pyramid depicts that the structure beneath the pyramid is not symmetrical but is centred by the apex of the pyramid. This serve to actively show the contract between how classical architecture is presented today comparatively to the enlightenment era on a design level.

Albert Spier’s “Volkshalle” was a building designed in 1944 for the purpose of establishing a Pantheon that would rival the one in Rome. It symbolised the ‘purity and strength’ of the Nazi Party. A perspective was drawn to demonstrate the magnitude of the structure and how unsettling it is see a physical depiction of what could have been.

The axonometric of the French National Library depicts the use of domes and roof light. This has a strong connection to Boulle’s work as he also imagined dome and spherical structures for the national library. It also contrasts the way light enters the space as opposed to the Louvre Pyramid.

This graphic timeline is a simplistically designed timeline to effectively narrate the origins of classical architecture and how it developed and changed over time. Each period describes how classical or neoclassic structure were created and viewed. Giving periodic context to the artifacts and works discussed in the exhibition.