Monumental Architecture: 22 Architectural Elements

monumental architecture 22 architectural elements

austin britt

table of contents prologue

2-3

dialogue

30-31

analysis

4-5

tropes

32-33

concept

6-7

defamiliarization

34-35

representation

8-9

transformation

36-37

context

10-11

grid

38-39

environment

12-13

geometry

40-41

mass

14-15

fabrication

42-43

structure

16-17

prefabrication

44-45

surface

18-19

color

46-47

materials

20-21

citations

48-49

space

22-23

scale

24-25

light

26-27

movement

28-29

prologue

Architecture as monuments among men serve to justify the accomplishments of architects throughout history. Past works showcase the different elements of architecture that define how the spaces and forms of the buildings and structures all work together. My work allows these elements to be compared to smaller projects that exemplify the same principles. The overarching theme, monumnetal architecture, displays the elements on a larger scale that connects to my smaller-scale projects and analyses.

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analysis

An analysis provides a way to look into a deeper meaning or structural and design elements of works of architecture. This analysis is on the Glass House by Lina Bo Bardi. It shows connections between different aspects of the house and how it is organized. In terms of monumental architecture, analyses allow the design concepts and elements to reveal themselves.

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concept

Architectural works originate from concepts and initial ideas. This work is by Frank Lloyd Wright, and it revolves around skylights placed above columns that are scattered around the space.

This concept allows light to be diffused into the room instead of having it directly enter the space. Concepts remain important in monumental architecture since they are the fundamental bases of design and how the architects initially begin designing the works.

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7

representation

In this work of monumental architecture, the architect represents an idea, which is that architecture should express purpose. The concept of representation in architecture allows architects to express different ideas and represent different concepts through the elements of the buildings or structures.

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Newton - Etienne-Louis Boullee

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context

Context in architecture supplies the building blocks for the connection of the structures to ideas and concepts. It allows the works to develop meanings.

In monumental architecture, the meaning of the works establishes importance, so the context of the buildings and structures remains detrimental.

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environment

In all works or architecture, environment plays a major factor in the design and construction. On a non-monumental scale, this group of buildings was built with natural mud that is found in the area. It allows the building to keep heat out during the day but keep it in at night. In monumental architecture, the environment sets the context for the works.

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mass

Mass fills a space and develops a sense of solid within a void. In this exercise, the objective was to take three objects and center the organization of the space around those. By adding other objects, it creates a sense of mass. In monumental architecture, mass establishes the monumentality of the space.

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structure

Architecture revolves around the ability for the structure to stand. Ancient architecture best established this principle through the use of columns and pediments. These monumental structures and buildings proved to be some of the first examples of structural elements with the design taken into consideration.

16

Arc de Triumphe du Carrousel

17

surface

Symmetry remains a prevalent design style utilized throughout the history or architecture. It continues to be a vital tool for architects to use when faced with constructing the surfaces of their projects. The Azadi Temple shows a symmetrical facade disconnected from itself at the base of the structure. In my analysis of II Redentore, Palladio establishes a distinct central axis that only has differences from each side in the sculptures. While the temple is a simpler, more geometric structure, Palladio’s work also contains simple shapes despite its neo-classicis.

18

Azadi Temple – Hossein Amanat

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space

Within an architectural project or building, space allows for people to occupy the work of an architect. The Al Shaheed Monument appears to be a monumental mass, yet it remains hollow in both structures. The contradiction establishes a unique space within the monument. Conversely, my project made from wooden dowels and bristol paper establishes space without creating a large mass.

The spaces both show how space is establishes within architectural projects.

20

Al Shaheed Monument - Saman Kamal

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scale

In architecture, scale remians an important aspect of designing. The exercise shown explores scale through placing objects around a space and expanding upon them with other objects.

Monumental architecture utilizes scale to establish the sense of monumentality. Architects use large spaces and masses in structures and buildings to accomplish this.

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light

Light allows a viewer to gain a sense of how the space interacts with the environment and is presented. The exercise shown utlized direct lighting to create fine shadows and show a major contrast between the presented models and the shadows created by them. Monumental architecture also utilizes light in this same way.

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movement

Circulation is an integral aspect in the design of a structure or building. Architects must take into consideration how a person is to travel from one space to another, and in monumental architecture, where more than one person will be in the spaces, the circulation remains a key element in the design.

The sketches shown display how movement can be controlled through stairs; this also showcases how circulation occurs from one floor to another.

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tropes

These sketches depict different types of tropes in architecture and their definitions. Tropes give deeper meanings to the works, and in monumental architecture, it alows the architects to pursue this meaning on a deeper level and further explore how to design a structure or building that encompasses the desired concept.

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defamiliarization

Defamiliarization disassociated the viewer from the expected an allows for more abstract concepts to enter the design. The Arc de Triomphe utilizes the idea of columns and a pediment and enlarges it to a monumental scale that defamiliarizes the viewer with the idea. Moreover, defamiliarization can be used to create more abstract concept with the designs through different operations that transform them.

30

Arc de Triomphe - Jean Chalgrin Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury

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transformation

Transformation allows an architect to further abstract and develop ideas. The assignment displayed the basic principles of the transformative process. The transformations depicted are carving and rotating, basic examples of this process.

Architects of monumental works utilize the operations of transformation to make their works more visually and conceptually interesting.

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grid

The grid allows for a breakdown of a building into its basic elements and organization. This grid is an analysis of a building with many vertical elements on its facade. In monumental architecture, a grid analysis of the work can be utilized in order to better understand its linearity and fundamental design and organization.

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geometry

Geometry provides a means to represent basic ideas and concepts in a simplified form. My charcoal drawing exemplifies the geometries and shapes making up a bristol model I created from a continuous plane. The National Holocaust Museum also showcases specific geometrical planes that distinguish the space and structure. Both architectural projects utilize simple geometry in order to convey the overarching purposes or functions.

36

National Holocaust Museum - Studio Libeskind

37

fabrication

Fabrication refers to the way that a structure or building is made and the process with regards to materiality. Both of these images showcase large monumental structures made of brick but laid in different ways. The sketch shows the curviature of the wall, with the brick having to continue this curve on the side. However, the Glenstone Museum depicts linearity in the way that the brick is laid.

38

Glenstone Museum - Thomas Pilfer and Partners

39

prefabrication

Prefabrication is the process of fabricating off-site then bringing it onto the site. The top image shows a basic idea ofhow prefabrication can work, with he internal planes being cut out then placed within the composition. The Dynamic Tower depicts a more monumental scale of this. The idea is that modules for the tower are to be made in a factory and then transported to the site to construct the final building.

40

Dynamic Tower - David Fisher

41

color

Many monumental structures and buildings do not utilize color in their design, or they use a neutral color pallete. However, color can be used in order to gain a better sense of light and shadow and the organization of the composition. Both of these images utilize color to emphasize how the models react to the lighting and how the shadows are cast by them.

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citations Newton - Etienne-Louis Boillee

image from https://architizer.com/blog/inspiration/collections/drawings-that-changed-architecture/ Arc de Triumphe du Carrousel

image from https://caddetailsblog.com/post/the-influence-of-roman-architecture-on-modern-design Azadi Temple - Hossein Amanat

image from https://www.archdaily.com/774683/ad-classics-azadi-tower-hossein-amanat?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab Al Saheed Monument - Saman Kamal

image from https://www.archdaily.com/868397/ad-classics-al-shaheed-monument-saman-kamal?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_ tab Arc deTriomphe - Jean Chalgrin Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury

image from https://www.parisperfect.com/blog/2012/10/arc-de-triomphe-paris/ National Holocaust Museum - Studio Libeskind

image from https://www.archdaily.com/881316/national-holocaust-monument-studio-libeskind?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab Glenstone Museum - Thomas Pilfer and Partners

image from https://www.archpaper.com/2020/02/thomas-phifer-and-partners-glenstone-museum-subtle-monumental-tectonics/ Dynamic Tower - David Fisher

image from https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/4494-a-prefab-rotating-skyscraper-coming-to-a-city-near-you

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monumental architecture: 22 architectural elements austin britt

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