Romanes.. what!? :)

I know this is late and I hope that sir considers this one. To begin with I'm really not an avid fan of church architecture and the topics that we have covered up until now are mostly about church architecture. However even if I'm not really into church architecture I can't help but appreciate how meticulous and intricate the architecture that is present in these holy structures. Especially when I visited Manila Cathedral again it was hard not to feel at awe and admire how it was built. When you come to the inside the columns, the vaulted ceiling, the grandness of the interior all of it adds up to the grandeur of the cathedral which I forgot to mention is clearly romanesque inspired in design.

All the primary characteristics of romanesque architecture was in Manila Cathedral. There was a transept at the east end of the church right before the apse. The apse which is located at the east end is also where the altar is and where the priest is usually sits. Thick and heavy walls is obviously seen throughout the church as well the pillars which are also very thick and heavy. There were also decorations on the portals or doors, usually the decorations placed on the doors were carvings and reliefs. Manila Cathedral was your typical romanesque structure and it really is breathtaking at the exterior but most especially in its interior. It made me think about my stance to church architecture but then again I still am not a fan however this time church architecture has piqued curiosity and I would take another glance at it rather than ignoring it completely now.

Baroqish

The baroque period is the Church's response to the protestant reformation and can be linked to the counter reformation. The architecture represented both the power and wealth of the Church as well as accessibility to the emotions because of its embellishments. The style focused more on the interior rather than the exterior the features of Baroque architecture are in churches broader naves and sometimes oval forms, architectural elements that are intentionally left incomplete, the use of "chiaroscuro", several windows that provide uniform lighting, use of ornaments and colors, the external facade is often conveys a dramatic projection, the interior is a canvas it is used as a medium for painting, sculpture and stucco, union of painting and architecture, and lastly pear - shaped domes.

Okay, crap what I said, the previous was a VERY BORING post. But not necessarily all of it since those are still facts. I'll just add a fresh perspective to this blog, and that would be based on what I saw during my visit to one of the most famous baroque churches here in the Philippines. Namely, San Agustin Church, this church is very famous because it is recognized by UNESCO as a "World Heritage Site" and the oldest church standing in the Philippines also proclaimed to be a National Historical Landmark by the government in 1976. Well that was just a bit of trivia, If you first enter the Church you will immediately notice that the main church doors are locked and you cannot enter through there. It is usually closed and is only open during special events such as weddings. You will need to enter through its own museum. The museum basically is a compound around the church and it houses a lot of artifacts that have survived up until this day. As you go through the museum you will be able to gain access to the choir loft and spectacular view of the church interior from there. From the choir loft you will notice the the interior is in the form of a cross or a latin cross to be exact which is basically the most common form of a cross. This kind of plan is very noticeable in other church architecture styles as well. The entrance of the church is very deceptive since you will not notice that it is baroque in nature unless you take a good look at the carvings on the door. Which has very noticeable baroque touches. Another thing worth noting is that San Agustin Church has a trompe l'oeil painting in its ceiling, a characteristic of baroque architecture. As most of us know church architecture is very grand and majestic even though San Agustin Church lacks it in its facade it more than made up for it in its interior.

Renaissance Architecture

Renaissance architecture emphasized on the individual and humanity rather than religion. Also Renaissance architecture borrowed elements from Ancient Greek and Roman architecture but they improved it and developed the ideas they borrowed. Renaissance also puts emphasis on symmetry, proportion and regularity of parts.

The meaning of renaissance is rebirth so the characteristics of the style they used is also a form of  a rebirth
where for example the old columns of the romans were further developed. The classical orders became much more complex in design and thus were given new looks. Aside from updating the older style renaissance also put importance on the orderly arrangement of their structures. This kind of arranged replaced the older and irregular profiles of medieval architecture.

Renaissance architecture is divided in three periods; Quattrocento, High Renaissance and lastly Mannerisms. Quattrocento or simply renaissance was just the formulation of new ideas, concepts and rules also it was the time of exploration for design. High renaissance delved deeply in the classical but this does not mean they were not developed in fact the classical ideas were refined in these period. Mannerisms focused on the relation of solid and space by using architectural forms.

It ain't all black after all.

"It ain't all black after all" was the first thing I said after hearing the report about gothic architecture because seriously when I say goth what's the first that comes to mind? Isn't people dressed in black with those I'm an antisocial looking faces, People who live a dark, mysterious lifestyle and people who seem to be always depressed no matter how you look at it Goth is really black. However this is Goth lifestyle, and it does not necessarily translate to gothic architecture. What I really meant about that it wasn't black after all is that it really as plain at it looks like, gothic architecture was grand and very ambitious since most of the Churches were like trying to reach the sky since they really put emphasis on height in order to achieve that they created new engineering methods and designs. This is also added to the drama and appeal of Gothic Churches since these structures would often invoke emotions of grandeur and awe. Such grandeur and awe is often invoked upon seeing the "west front" or the facade of the structure since it represents both the might of God and the institution it represents. Structures in this architectural period are so meticulously detailed and given so much importance that each one is so priceless and truly a heritage from the past. If I ever think about Goth again it wont be about people dressed in black who all look they're deprived of sleep but instead I would remember the "Notre Dame de Paris" and it's awesome facade, the majestic interior of the Cologne Cathedral, and the other ecclesiastical structures that are all awe inspiring. Truly goth ain't all about black.    

Greek Architecture

  Greek architecture for me was very influential in terms of design and matter of construction since Greek architecture can still be seen today. Most influential part of their architecture would be the columns which consisted of three orders the doric, ionic, and corinthian. The Doric order was the simplest of the three, Ionic had a circular type of head, the Corinthian order was the most extravagant it had leaf like patterns adorning the head of the column. The Greeks were also famous for their temples dedicated to their Gods probably most famous of them all is the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the Goddess Athena or Pallas Athena. Also one more thing worth mentioning is that Greeks love the arts so in every town they constructed theaters in order to serve their passion for the arts. However architects of their time are not well renowned since like Iktinos, the architect of the Parthenon, who we consider a genius if he existed in our time is nothing more than a master tradesman or craftsman.

  The column orders were important in their architecture because it was always present in their buildings and structures. The type of order used would define the importance and value of the structure, it was like a status symbol. The orders are still existent today because not only were they functional but they were also aesthetic they would serve both the purpose of a support as well as design. Another facet of their architecture that is worth mentioning is how their temples are oriented. According to my research the temples of the Greek are sometimes oriented astronomically, this I don't know why but it may be because their belief that the stars and planets are holy and they represent doorways to heaven. One good thing about history is that we can always look back and get ideas from the past and Greek architecture, for me, is a source of ideas for design but in a nutshell Greek Architecture as a whole is very classical and traditional in terms of design.

Egyptian Architecture

    Egyptian architecture for me was very monumental in the history of architecture since most of the structures in that age have survived up until today which allowed  us to study and learn more about the culture and history of ancient Egyptian civilization. This was because of the material they used which was sun baked mud brick, stone, limestone, sandstone and granite. Which made the buildings more resistant to changes, effects and decaying thus their structures are still standing up to today. Notable structures are the Pyramids at Giza, Great Sphinx of Giza, Temple of Luxor and Karnak. The Pyramids of Giza were built during the fourth dynasty and they testify the power and influence of the rulers of Egypt or the pharaohs since they would employ slaves in order to build those gigantic monuments while only using manual labor. Most of us might believe that the interiors of the Pyramids of Giza are built to confuse however this is false since according to the section plan that was presented by the reporters the route inside is very straight - forward and leads immediately to the tombs. The great sphinx of Giza is also very monumental since its the largest monolith structure in the world. The temple of Luxor is a huge temple complex and was built by Amenhotep III and was later reconstructed over and over by different pharaohs adding and removing elements from the Temple. One very recognizable element of the Temple is the hypostyle columns that can be seen in its southern courtyard this 36 column court leads to the inner sanctums of the temple which begins with a Dark chamber instead of an antechamber. The temple of Karnak is also a huge temple complex with over 30 pharaohs contributing to its construction. 

    In a nutshell, Egyptian architecture provided us with an insight to the past of this civilization since they mostly decorated their walls and columns with stories depicting events that are happening within and outside the kingdom. Egyptian architecture was a great stepping stone in the advancement of architecture since the structures offered ideas on new designs and methods of construction. But most of Egyptian Architecture left a milestone not only in the architecture but also in the history of the world because up until today we can see the structures that were built during that time.

B-POD Sketch Model on Illustration Board