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In France, this was dubbed as “style Guimard”; “stile floreale” in Italy; “modernisme” in Spain; “Sezessionstil” in Austria; and “Jugendstil” in Germany. Though each of these terms later developed their own definitive regional characteristics, they had some common features.

As a general artistic rule, Art Nouveau was characterized with flat, decorative patterns that made use of “organic” images such as flowers or stems. Artists upholding this style emphasize handcrafting as they made use of new materials for carving details such as curving and intertwining lines.

Gaudi, an Art Nouveau pioneer in the history of Spanish Architecture

Among the most notable artists that contributed much to the development of Art Nouveau in Spanish architecture is Antoni Plàcid Guillem Gaudí Cornet. Gaudi was born in June 25, 1852 in Catalonia, Spain. He was responsible for the construction of many notable buildings in Barcelona. In particular, these included Casa Vicens, Palau Güell, Colegio Teresiano, Casa Botines, Casa Calvet, Parque Güell, Finca Miralles, Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, Sagrada Familia School and the Sagrada Familia.

Antoni Gaudi was one of the pioneers of the modernist movement. His Spanish architecture masterpieces somehow depicted Gothicism and surrealism. However, many architectural experts pointed out that Gaudi’s structures were generally inspired by Art Nouveau. His building styles leaned on “organic designs”. Gaudi even expressed his style preferences when he noted that “Originality consists of returning to the origin. Thus, originality means returning, through one’s resources, to the simplicity of the early solutions.” He implied that the use of “natural” images was important in every architectural endeavor.

An inspiring masterpiece: La Sagrada Familia

Among the most notable Spanish architecture structures which were built by Gaudi is La Sagrada Familia or “The Holy Family” church. The church now stands as the most exquisite and perhaps amazing Art Nouveau-inspired structure created by the Catalan architect. Originally, the construction of the place was headed by Francesco del Villar. However, disagreements with the founding association led to a new agreement which assigned Gaudi as the new architect in 1883. Gaudi created an entirely new design and worked on constructing the church for almost thirty years.

The church is highly dominated by four disproportionately towering spires, making it appear as if it sprouted from the ground. Flowing and intertwining floral designs covered the façade of the structure and glittering broken tiles festooned the lofty towers. This Barcelona landmark boasts of various creative mixtures of colors, textures, and forms.

Much to everyone’s surprise, Victorian architecture structure comes in many different styles. These include Queen Anne, Second Empire, Italianate, and Stick-Eastlake. The varieties are products of the developments in transportation and construction during the Industrial Revolution.

Queen Anne

This is probably the most recognized architectural style under the Victorian period. As of today, you can still see many homes in the Southern and Western parts of the U.S. which fall under the Queen Anne style.

As a whole, homes and buildings that fall under this Victorian architecture style have wide wrap-around porches matched with multiple balconies and chimneys. They also have peculiar floor plans which have round structures that look like towers. In addition to that, many Queen Anne homes have large bay windows that pretty much signify the image of “gingerbread houses”.

Italianate

This architectural style is largely inspired by the artistic designs which were popularized during the Italian Renaissance period. If you want to get a glimpse of Italianate homes, you can find many old dwellings in the San Francisco area and the East Coast. For more modern varieties, you can also stop by the Garden District of New Orleans.

If you are not very familiar with this style, you’ll know you’re staring at one the moment you see some houses which have towers, multiple small chimneys, and tall and narrow windows out front.

Stick-Eastlake

Houses that fall under this Victorian architecture style are predominant in the Northeast area. In general, the “stick” houses refer to those homes which have steep roofs and overhangs. These homes also have wood shingles that cover the roofs and walls. To pose a more decorative appeal, stick homes also have square bay windows. Architects often refer to the style as “Eastlake”.

Second Empire

This category incorporates many French elements that were very popular during the period of the Second French Empire. Most of the houses in the Northeast and Midwest areas of the United States are inspired by this style. There are also many state institution offices and public buildings which incorporate this design – from the Philadelphia City hall to Washington’s Old Executive Building.

Houses that fall under this Victorian architecture style have rectangular towers that are matched with steep mansard roofs.  The tips of these roofs are often crested with an iron trim. GP

The capella is located in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope. Technically, the chapel achieved its popularity from its elaborate decorations – primarily, the frescoes which were furnished by some of the grandest Renaissance artists. Among all the frescoes of the place, the most notable sections are the ceiling frescoes made by the legendary Michelangelo Buonarroti.

Aside from the designs however, the chapel that is named after Pope Sixtus IV also became famous because of its architectural design. Based on historical narratives, the Sistine Chapel architecture evokes Solomon’s Temple which was described in the Old Testament. The place is now a site that’s highly reserved for papal religious and functionary activity – such as the “conclave”, wherein the new Pope will be selected.

The exterior

Basically, its exterior are a bit plain and there are no intricate decorative details. Taking the view from the outside, the chapel just appears as a towering rectangular brick building that pretty much looks like common Italian Medieval churches. There are six tall windows vaulted at the sides and ends of the place. Other than these, another fairly noticeable exterior feature is the presence of pantile tiles used for roofing.

The elegance of the Sistine Chapel architecture is not very apparent from the outside. There are no exterior facades or processional passageways. The absence of exterior designs, however, is largely because of the fact that access to the chapel is from the rooms and doorways in the Apostolic Palace.

The interior

The architectural perfection of the place starts with the dimensions of the interior chapel with the ratio of 6:2:3 for the length, width, and height. Experts note that the dimensions were patterned after the supposed measurements of the Temple of Solomon. Another particularly amazing feature is the chapel ceiling which appears like a barrel vault flattened and cut from corner to corner, in order to provide spaces for windows that resemble smaller vaults.

Sistine Chapel architecture proves to be very meticulous. Even the pavements signify precision. It makes use of opus alexandrinum, a style which uses patterns of marble and colored stone in order to reflect the distinctive proportion of the interior divisions. Markings on the pavement show the processional papal way. There is also a “transenna” made out of marble. This screen created by Mino da Fiesole, Andrea Bregno, and Giovanni Dalmata divides the place into two sections. GP

The major architecture orders

Basically, the architectural styles that became popular during the Classical Greek period are divided into three major orders – Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Each of these orders has different characteristics used in temple structures and column designs.

Doric Order: This is considered as the basic ancient Greek architecture which was popularized by the Spartans. In its early forms, Doric order houses made use of wooden shafts. However, recent developments in construction introduced the use of stronger materials such as stone. For the roofs, the Spartans use a variety of thatch, terra-cotta, and marble. Temples under the Doric order have similar layouts as those that fall under the Ionic order.

Ionic Order: Ionic order temples were regarded as “developed” Doric designs. They had slender columns which were typically eight to nine meters high instead of the usual four to five meters. Unlike the Doric temples, Ionic structures also have molded bases where sculptures are often placed. As for the upper part of the columns, they had rectangular stone blocks with line engravings.

Corinthian Order: Temples that are classified under the Corinthian order were far more “decorative” as compared to the other two. Aside from the lines, Corinthian columns had more elaborate engravings. The bases often appear sculpted and carved with various fancy impressions.

A notable landmark: The Parthenon

One of the most famous ancient Greek architecture structures that still exist is the Parthenon. Many architectural experts use this landmark as a basis of their studies on early Greek structures.

Located at the Acropolis of Athens, the Parthenon is dubbed as one of the greatest cultural monuments around the globe. It was built during the fifth century BC as a place of worship for the Greek goddess Athena. The name came from the word “Parthenos” which means that the goddess Athena was virginal. The temple even housed a golden statue of the goddess which is located in one of the rooms in the eastern section of the structure.

The major architects for the Parthenon were Iktinos and Kallikrates. It took them more than eight long years to build the ancient Greek architecture out of limestone and marble. Generally, its columns and roof designs fall under the Doric order. However, some structure decorations and details signify the incorporation of Ionic styles. GP

Cambodia’s Angkor Wat is regarded as the largest temple around the globe. However, for architecture experts, this place of worship is much more than just a temple for the Khmer people. For those interested in structural design, the Angkor Wat is “the supreme masterpiece of Khmer architecture.” This place signifies the union of history, faith and cultural development and it is not quite surprising why it is also the biggest tourist attraction in Cambodia.

As noted by Maurice Glaize, one of the conservators of the Angkor Wat architecture, the structure “attains a classic perfection by the restrained monumentality of its finely balanced elements and the precise arrangement of its proportions. It is a work of power, unity and style.”

General description

The Angkor Wat architecture has two enclosures. The first field is comprised of four rooms arranged in a series that appears much like a cruciform. As most visitors observe, the typical feature of every room is the sunken flooring. All of the rooms are also bordered by continuous galleries.

As for the striking inner enclosure, this is built against a two tiered pyramid that is eleven meters high. The pyramid is decorated with steep stairs. There are five towers that protrude on the upper tier. There is also a continuous gallery that surrounds another cruciform of four rooms. Since the shrines that used to occupy the rooms have already been damaged, they look more like passageways nowadays.

What makes the temple very unique?

The inimitability of the Angkor Wat architecture generally stems from the rich historical background of Khmer. The cultural prosperity of the Cambodian people definitely contributed much to the creativity and inspiration that gave birth to the exquisite stone carvings and dancing female sculptures that abound the walls and pillars of the temple. Not like other temples, this Khmer architecture is mostly made out of sandstone blocks and laterite. As noted by many experts, the designs and styles of the temple are quite comparable to the ancient structures in Rome and Greece.

Unlike the typical places of worship, Angkor Wat faces west and it is nestled on a sandstone plinth that’s raised a meter high from the ground. It is also surrounded by the elaborately designed naga balustrades. Among the most peculiar features of the Angkor Wat architecture are its towers that will often remind visitors of lotus buds. There are also colonnades that extend to elaborate passageways and axial galleries that join the temple enclosures. Moreover, there are some ornate terraces that perfectly complement the superb stone carvings of devtas and apsaras, bas-reliefs, and pediments that tell stories of ancient Khmer culture. GP

Central Park

This park is located in New York in the United States. This has become one of the most popular landmarks of New York City (among many others like the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and Times Square).  This has become a National Historic Landmark ever since the 1960s. Central park is also known for its carriage horses, sports, entertainment, and playgrounds.

The Louvre courtyard

Everyone knows the Louvre as the museum in Paris that houses thousands of works of art. When you go to the Louvre, you can’t help but notice the long stretch of the gardens it has. This was actually once the royal palace up until King Louis XVI decided that he wanted a bigger palace and moved to the Palace of Versailles. It truly is a marvel in landscape architecture.

The Muskau Park

This is said to be the biggest English styled parks in Germany. It was named after its founded Prince Hermann von Puckler-Muskau. This is now considered to be a UNESCO world heritage site and is visited by thousands of tourists all the time. It actually occupies both Germany and Poland. It covers 2.1 square kilometers in Germany, and 3.5 square kilometers in Poland. It is quite the site to behold and it is an ideal place to take a lot of pictures.

There is a lot more beautiful landscape architecture all over the world. What’s great is that even though cities continue to grow, there are still places where we can enjoy nature in all its beauty while being safe from natural elements at the same time. This could be the reason why a lot of children would dream of becoming a landscape architect.

You can even be a novice landscape architect with your own lawn as your work of art. You will notice that a lot of home owners put a lot of stress on the way their lawns look like, and sometimes become really competitive with their neighbors. They would get different landscaping equipment and would trim their landscapes to beauty. Others would prefer to hire landscaping services to ensure the beauty of their lawns. GP

Technology seems to be developing at a faster pace in our day and age. Because of this, you are able to witness innovations in so many fields such as Information Technology, Music Production, Vehicles, Wireless Communication, and even Architecture. It truly is a spectacular sight to see great contemporary designs of building when you are visiting certain cities, and a lot of them have become tourist attractions. They are built for different reasons whether as a symbol of power, creating land marks, or a showcase of artistic creativity. Regardless of the reasons, contemporary architecture is a reflection of the times. Here are a few examples of feats in modern architecture. They are famous because of what they symbolize, why they were built, their costs, and design.

The Petronas Twin Towers

One of the most famous symbols of contemporary architecture are the Petronas Twin Towers. They are located in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. From 1998-2004, the towers were the world’s tallest buildings and only recently beaten by Taipei 101. The construction faced a lot of problems but they were able to overcome it. It would cost them millions of dollars for each day that construction was delayed so what happened was 2 different companies were assigned to build the towers; the Hazama Corporation for Tower 1, and Samsung Engineering & Construction for Tower 2. The reason for this was for competition. A competitive nature between the two companies would create more efficient work. On the 41st and 42nd floors, the Skybridge connects the two towers. Tourists are given permission to visit these two floors because of the Skybridge.

The Beijing National Stadium

One of the symbols of Chinese power is the Beijing National Stadium. This beautiful piece of contemporary architecture was built specifically for the 2008 Olympics, which Beijing was host to. It is colloquially known as the “Bird’s nest” because it indeed was created to look like one. It is said that in China, bird’s nest is very expensive and it something that is eaten (yes it’s food to the Chinese) during special occasions. It was a joint project by a team of today’s most talented architects and consisted of Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Stefan Marbach, Ai Weiwei, and Li Xinggang.

Contemporary architecture really is captivating to the people in it’s time. They are symbols of what have been happening to a nation at that time, and could as well be sources of history. It really is worth spending billions on these. GP

If you’d notice, a lot of architectural structures in Asia look quite similar. This is because of the influence of Chinese architecture. Imagine that their architectural styles are as old as their civilization and ever since the Tang dynasty; it had become a big influence of Asian architecture as a whole.

Characteristics of Chinese Architecture

You would notice that a lot of Chinese structures put a lot of emphasis on its horizontal axis. This is why their buildings look like Christmas trees or mushrooms that are stacked on one another. This makes it very distinguishable with Western architecture, which usually grows in height. The houses of the Chinese during older periods were different depending on their place in society. Common folk such as merchants and farmers had homes that had a shrine for gods in the center. Imperial housing was marked by yellow roof tiles because yellow was considered to be the Imperial color.

The Forbidden City: Ambassador of Chinese Architecture

One of the most famous structures of Chinese Architecture has to be the Forbidden city (aside from the Great Wall of China). It is located in Beijing and was the seat of power during the Ming dynasty to the Qing dynasty. It was constructed in about 14 years around the 14th century and the complex consists of 980 buildings. Ordinary peasants were not allowed inside the Palace walls and this is the reason why it was called the Forbidden city. Only soldiers, palace officials, and members of the royal family were allowed inside its gates. Nowadays, it is one of China’s famous tourist spots and it is where you will find the Palace Museum.

Religious Structures

Buddhist temples usually would follow the Imperial style of architecture. Some of the more famous examples of these are the Puning Temple and Putuo Zongcheng Temple. All of them would have “pagodas” where relics of the Gautama Buddha are found.

The study of Asian architecture cannot be complete without first looking at the way Chinese built their homes. It is a great influence in the East, and most of its principles are rooted in Feng Shui. Their architecture truly is beautiful, and it is something that cannot be overlooked when you visit Asia. GP