Posts filed under 'Architecture & Design'
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood is a Russian Orthodox church located in St. Petersburg in Russia. It is one of the main churches located in the city as well as one with the most striking features. The church may have quite a unique name. The name actually refers to the blood of Alexander II of Russia who was assassinated and mortally wounded on the same site on March 13, 1881.
History
The construction on the church began sometime in 1883. It was constructed by Alexander III as a memorial to his father. Work on the church took decades and was finally completed in 1907 under Nicolas II. The site where Alexander II was mortally wounded was enclosed inside the walls of the church. An elaborate shrine inside was constructed on the exact site decorated with topaz, lazurite and other precious stones.
Church Architecture
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood was different from the other church architecture surrounding St. Petersburg. Most of the city’s architecture are predominantly influenced by Baroque and Neoclassical styles. The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood on the other hand was influenced greatly by medieval Russian architecture. The style of the Savior on Blood closely resembles the celebrated St. Basil’s Cathedral in terms of design and architecture.
The Church of the Savior on Blood is quite known for its mosaics. All in all, it contains over 7,500 square meters of mosaics, considered to be the most mosaics to contain in a church all over the world. The walls and ceilings inside the church are completely covered by intricate mosaics. The main pictures in the detailed mosaics were of popular biblical scenes and figures, with each picture intricately patterned with borders.
The said church was designed by some of the most noted artists in Russia, although its chief architect, Alfred Alexandrovich Parland, is a relative unknown. Some of the more noted artists who had a hand in the design of the church included Mikhail Nesterov, Mikhail Vrubel and Viktor Vasnetsov.
June 27th, 2008
Green building is a fairly new practice in architecture and design that has become increasingly popular today. Green building is all about design and construction with the concern for the environment in mind. It is the practice of increasing the efficiency on how buildings use resources. In terms of design, architects and engineers try to design structures which can make use of energy and materials more efficiently as well as reduce the negative effects of these structures on human health as well as the environment.
Sustainable Architecture
Another term usually used in design and architecture is sustainable or green architecture. It is a general term that refers to the design techniques being employed and with how it will generally affect the environment being a high level of concern. Sustainable architecture aims to reduce or minimize the negative impact of buildings on the environment through the more efficient use of energy, materials as well as development space. There are many factors that are being considered when architects and designers aim to “go green” on their designs.
Sustainable Energy
One of the main aspects that goes in the design of the green building is how it will be a able to sustain energy efficiency during its life cycle. Architects try to find different ways in which to design a low-energy or zero-energy building. There are various ways in which this could be done. The very objective of these techniques is to try and reduce the energy needs of buildings and increase its ability to capture or generate the energy being used for the whole structure.
An important focus of designers in making up green buildings concerns the heating, cooling and ventilation needs of the building. In order to do this, architects try to design a well-insulated building. A well insulated building will require less heat generation during the colder months and less energy to cool it during the warmer months.
Alternative Energy Sources
One of the best means to design the green building is by making it able to generate or recycle energy. Buildings usually have waste products that designers usually try to make use of in order to create recycled energy. Not only are waste products reduced, it is being recycled as an energy source for buildings. Other designers try to include other energy saving devices such as solar panels and employing passive solar building design in order to make buildings more energy efficient
June 5th, 2008
There are quite a number of beautiful buildings and structures found all over the world. They have their own way of making people notice of their arresting presence and highlighting their surroundings to another level. And to see that these are man-made structures borne out of man’s creative imagination is really something to marvel at.Just one of the many beautiful buildings that one can find all over the world is the unique St. Basil’s Cathedral. There are quite several cathedrals found all over the world that are beautiful works of art in their own right. But in a unique sort of way, St. Basil’s Cathedral seems to stand out quite differently above the rest.
St. Basil’s Cathedral is located in the famous Red Square in Moscow. It stands distinct from its surroundings due to its colorfully designed “onion domes”. The domes themselves with their mix of architectural influences, seem to be symbolic of Russia standing in its unique position between Europe and Asia. The unique cathedral is not particularly large but it consists of nine chapels all in all built upon a single foundation.
The primary design of the cathedral follows that of contemporary tented churches that were predominantly popular in Russia. Such designs are usually found only in Russia and are characterized by their high conical-shaped roofs instead of the usual pointed ones. The primary reason for this design is said to be a means to prevent snow from piling up on roofs especially during long winters.
St. Basil’s Cathedral is also known as the Cathedral of Intercession of the Virgin on the Moat. It was commissioned by Ivan IV, also more popularly known in history as Ivan the Terrible. The cathedral was commissioned in order to commemorate Ivan IV’s successful campaign fighting the Tartar Mongols highlighted with the capture of the Khanate of Kazan in 1552. The cathedral was built between 1555 to 1561. Its main architect was Postnik Yakolev.
The initial idea for the said cathedral was to build up a cluster of different chapels with each one dedicated to each of the saints on whose feast day the tsar had won a battle. But the eventual construction of a single central tower has unified the different chapels into a single cathedral with magnificent effect. And because of it, a popular legend tells of the Tsar ordering architect Postnik Yakolev to be blinded in order to prevent the construction of other structures that may rival its magnificence.
St. Basil’s Cathedral is a striking mix of swirling bright colors surrounding its towers made of red bricks. The onion domes add a unique touch to the cathedral. Its strikingly beautiful exterior is a contrast to its modestly decorated interiors. Maze-like corridors connect the dimly lit chapel interiors with walls dressed up with delicate floral designs in softer pastel colors. The church interior is so small that it cannot accommodate all the churchgoers inside during special services on feast days. Masses during this special occasions had to be held outside in the Red Square just to accommodate all the people.
May 29th, 2008
Minimalism is considered as an art movement that covers various forms of art and design. It is an artistic style used where work is stripped down to its most fundamental features. This style of art thrives on simplicity in both from and content and aims to remove any signs of personal expressibility in the artwork or design. The reason for this is to allow the viewer to experience the work without the distractions of theme, composition etc.
In art, minimalism and the theory behind it were already being exercised as early as the 18th century. One example would be when Goethe made the Altar of Good Fortune which is a plain square cube 3 x 3 feet in size. But the actual movement started sometime after World War II where distinctive developments in minimalist art began to come out. In the visual arts, minimalism emerged sometime in the 1960’s in New York. It was a reaction against the works based on Abstract Expressionism.
In architecture and design, minimalism is being described as a trend where the subject is being reduced to only its essential elements. Influences on minimalist design can be traced to Japanese traditional design and architecture. Works of De Stijl artists may also be considered as a reference to minimalism where basic elements such as lines and planes are organized in a particular manner.
It was architect Ludwig Miles van der Rohe who adopted the motto, “Less is More”, which is the actual aim of the movement. This motto described the style of design where numerous essential components of a structure is arranged in such as way as to create the impression of extreme simplicity. With this concept, structures designed by van der Rohe makes use of simple yet elegant designs. The structure’s beauty is determined by outlining the basic geometric shapes, the use of striking color combinations, light effects, and clean and fine finishes.
April 30th, 2008
The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Arts is a unique building in terms of design that is located in Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. This building has been quite well known for its controversial concrete facade. The building was built as a museum that was named after Herbet F. Johnson, head of S. C. Johnson of Racine, Wisconsin who funded the construction of the said building.
The museum was designed by noted architect I. M. Pei. Its design is notable in which is top two floors cantilever over the open air sculpture garden of the museum. The architect so designed the museum because of the challenges that the site presented. The design was also followed as such so that the building would not be blocking the view of nearby Cayuga Lake. The design of the building also offers visitors a more panoramic view of the lake from its fifth floor. The overall design of the building was to create a dramatic statement and at the same time do it in a way so as not to block the scenic view in the area.
The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Arts has ten floors and covers a total floor area of 61,000 square feet. It houses a varied collection of artifacts with the exhibit spaces located in the nine-level tower of the museum. There are also additional galleries and function room located below ground of this unique museum. Windows in the building for horizontal bands fixed upon the upper floors of the museum. These windows provide a panoramic view of the surroundings to complement the art exhibits inside.
A notable design aspect of the museum is its spiral stairway that streaks down like a strand of DNA on a polished oak column. The team of architects that worked with I. M. Pei aimed to create a building with interiors providing people with a sense of continuous space and openness. Skylights in the lobby were included in the design to provide some wonderful openness to the building interiors.
April 16th, 2008
The Palace of Versailles is an impressive piece of architecture that is located in Versailles, France. The palace started out as a hunting chateau that Louie the XIII had built in 1624. The first chateau was designed by Philibert Le Roy and was built of stone and red brick with a slate roof. It was later on that the Palace of Versailles went through an extensive reconstruction under Louis’ successor, Louie XIV.
It was Louie XIV that took great interest on the royal chateau in Versailles. He wanted to make it the center where he can rule France, so he can distance himself from the greater population of Paris. Over the succeeding decades, he was able to expand it into one of the largest palaces in the world. The reconstruction began in 1669 where it was designed by Louis Le Vau together with the landscape architect Andre Le Notre. It was on May of 1682 that Louie XIV formally established the royal court on the palace.
The Palace of Versailles has many interesting features. Its grand scale is typical of the various buildings of Baroque architecture during its time. The grandness of the palace includes many of its lavishly decorated rooms that is big enough to house 6,000 members of the royal court. Not only that, the palace is also known for its more than 250 acres of gardens formed out of swamps and whole forests. The French style formal gardens contained landscaped tree-lined paths, lakes, manicured flowerbeds as well as over 1,400 fountains.
A royal compound in the palace, called the Grande Apartements is lavishly designed with murals depicting Greek deities, paintings, velvet draperies, gilded bronze and tinted marble. Another spectacular feature of the palace is its Hall of Mirrors. The hall is a 235 foot long drawing and ballroom that is lined with 17 huge mirrors lined up on one side. During the reign of Louis XIV, mirrors were considered as incredibly expensive fixtures that only the richest of the rich can afford. And with huge mirrors installed in the palace, the royal courtiers can admire their own fabulous costumes as they danced.
The mirrors were also specially installed so as to reflect the frescoes of the room’s ceiling. The other side of the room contains a row of windows that open up to show the vast gardens and provide the king and his court a view of the sunset. It was in the palace that Louie XIV married Marie Antoinette in 1770 at the Chapel Royal situated inside the palace compound. Due to its grandness, the cost of building the huge and lavish palace has continued on to be debated upon. Some estimates put the costs at around the USD 2 billion in today’s monetary value although many consider it as an undervalued estimate. This alone can have one imagine on the lavishness and grandeur of this impressive palace in Versailles.
April 9th, 2008
The Casa Mila is a unique and attractive apartment building located at 92, Passeig de Gracia in the Eixample district of the city of Barcelona in Spain. This captivating architectural masterpiece was the work of well-known Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi. The Casa Mila has been considered among the works of the revered architect to be considered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Casa Mila is also popularly known as the La Pedrera or “the Quarry” mainly because of the building’s cliff-like walls. The Casa Mila stands on an asymmetrical lot and took about six years to construct. The building was built in the years 1906 to 1912. This unique building is known for its surrealistic look and design, typical of the crazy imaginations of its architect, Antonio Gaudi. It was designed and built by Gaudi for a wealthy married couple Rosario Segimon and Pere Mila.
There have been various theories as to what inspired Gaudi to design the building as such. Some say that the famous architect was inspired to instill the character of ocean waves into the building characteristic of its rippled stone facade and curved balconies. Others say that Gaudi wanted it to look like a mountain in the midst of other man made buildings in the area. No matter what inspired Gaudi to design the Casa Mila, it truly became quite an arresting presence.
The Casa Mila is considered as one of Gaudi’s most identifiable and unique masterpieces. People seem quite in a difficulty trying to describe how it looks. Some say that it resembles the honeycombed structure of a beehive. Some say, upon seeing the unique building, that it looks like a sand castle in terms of its texture that is on the verge of collapse. The fanciful aura that this Gaudi building evokes wasn’t as accepted then as it is today. When the building was nearing completion sometime in 1911, it received rather a less enthusiastic response. Fast forward into current times, the Casa Mila has become quite a masterpiece in terms of design and form. It has also become one of Barcelona’s must-see attractions, a building that seem to spring out of fantasy.
April 2nd, 2008
Bauhaus essentially is an influential style in modern design that was developed during the early 1900’s. Also known widely as the International Style in modern design, Bauhaus is characterized by a marriage between form and function. Establishing harmony between the function and the design of an object is the primary aim of this popular school of design.
Bauhaus started from a school in Germany where its name was derived from. The school was known as a place where students were taught to combine handcraft with fine arts. The Bauhaus school was founded by Walter Gropius, a German architect who developed the new approach to creating designs that meet technical industrial standards both in their aesthetic and functional aspects. This new approach to design was able to have a profound influence on Modernist architecture and the subsequent developments in art and in its other facets such as interior design, industrial design as well as typography.
The foundation of the Bauhaus style came during the time of political and cultural upheaval in Germany. The fall of Germany during World War I brought also the fall of censorship that led to radical experimentation which included the field of design. The Bauhaus was greatly influenced by the Modernism movement which had its origins come from as way back as the 1880’s. The movement had already made is presence felt even in a conservative Germany.
The Bauhaus style is associated with design innovations during its time characterized by radically simplified forms, the merging of form and functionality and the unity of technology and art. This approach to design seems to grow out of trying to adapt to a modern world with the many technological innovations that come with it. Bauhaus aimed to establish a new method to design that tries to include the aspects of the modern world on how a certain object is to be shaped and formed.
The Bauhaus style not only brought its approach to designing buildings and houses. Because it started as a school that tried to merge craftsmen with artists, the Bauhaus style came to envelop other aspects of design. It found its way to furniture and graphic design. And with its influence came the emergence of what became the basis for modern Western architecture and design.
February 27th, 2008
Art Nouveau is an international style used in art, architecture and design that became popular in the beginning of the 20th Century. The style is characterized by its flowing and curvilinear designs that incorporate floral and other plant-inspired accents. Its name was said to have been derived from the name of a shop in Paris that exhibited art pieces that followed this approach in design and style.Art Nouveau was said to have been introduced by Siegfried Bing, a German art dealer in Paris. He owned the shop called Maison de l’Art Nouveau, which showcased the artworks of artists with similar styles that later on became known as the Art Nouveau movement. It was in fact, from his shop that the name of the movement was derived from. The movement further spread out into other countries aside from France during the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s.
The Art Nouveau style is characterized by its dynamic and flowing curved whiplash lines. The style also features the use of hyperbolas and parabolas. The designs used can be seen as forms that seem to spring to life and transform into having their plant-derived features. In art, the movement was followed by notable artists like Aubrey Beardsley, Alphonse Mucha, Edward Burne-Jones, and Gustav Klimt. The movement can be associated by the styles of the Pre- Raphaelites and the Symbolism movement. But unlike Symbolists, Art Nouveau has that distinct visual look. Its artists are also open to the use of new materials, machined surfaces and abstraction for the sake of pure design.
Art Nouveau is considered to be a total art style. This means that it does not just cover just one section of a design aspect but a hierarchy of them. Art Nouveau has covered other types of artistic design including architecture, interior design, decorative arts, and a range of visual arts.
February 20th, 2008
The Crystal Cathedral is one of the most impressive of the modern churches today. The Crystal Cathedral is a Protestant mega church that is located in Garden Grove, Orange County in California. It is recognizable by its all-glass structure, hence the name of the said church.
The main sanctuary building of the Crystal Cathedral was designed by renowned architect, Philip Johnson. This soaring and impressively designed cathedral features over 10,000 windows from top to bottom covered with tempered, silver colored glass. The glass is held in place by a lattice framework of white steel trusses. Inside, the interiors include statuaries, fountains and greenery. The Crystal Cathedral also covers an area that can accommodate over 3,000 people during worship services. There are also four bronze statues present that represent Bishop Fulton Sheen, Norman Vincent Peale, Billy Graham and Robert H. Schuller, the founder of the Crystal Cathedral.
One of the interesting structural features of the Crystal Cathedral included the breathtaking glass pane making up the whole church. Each of the glass panes are not bolted into the steel truss structure. Instead, they are glued to it using silicon based glue. This provides some cushioning effect on the glass panes and allows the whole building to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 8.0. The church has two 90-foot doors behind the pulpit that can be opened electronically to allow the morning sunlight and natural breezes to enhance worship services.
The cathedral also has a 185 foot long chancel area where a thousand singers and instrumentalist perform during worship services. The services can also be viewed via a giant indoor television screen as well as on another one outside located adjacent to the cathedral to accommodate “drive-in” worshippers. The Crystal Cathedral also stands beside an impressive 236 foot tall mirrored steeple that also houses a carillon and a prayer chapel. The mirror reflects sunlight and may provide different view at various times of the day, providing an added interesting feature to the already impressively looking mega church.
February 13th, 2008
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