ARCHITECTURE by Katherine Jose

Architecture

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-21 07:32:20 UTC

Architecture is both an art and a science. It is the practice of designing and building edifices for both the practical and aesthetic use of humans.(New World Encyclopedia, 2018) It is an avenue for humans to express their creativity and to create the space or environment in which we live. (Medium, n.d.)

Image taken from:
https://raic.org/news/raic-names-recipient-innovation-architecture-award

Vitruvian Triad

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-22 09:56:47 UTC

According to Vitruvius, a Roman architect from the 1st century, building has three conditions: commodity, firmness, and delight.

Commodity refers to the practical use of the building— its ability to serve its function well.

Firmness refers to the structure's coherence by part and in whole.

Delight refers to the ability of the architectural work to be aesthetic and pleasing to the eye. (Hendrix, 2015)

What is Form?

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-22 11:30:55 UTC

Form refers to the visual appearance of a building. It refers to the idea or image of an artwork. (Hett, 1964)

According to Sullivan (1947), “all things in nature have a shape, that is to say, a form, an outward semblance, that tells us what they are, that distinguishes them from ourselves and from each other”

Architecture needs imagination. Form is integral to because ideas and images are conveyed through it.

What is Function?

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-22 11:31:42 UTC

Function refers to the structure and practical usage of a building. (Hendrix, 2015) In the Vitruvian triad (commodity, firmness, delight), function refers to both commodity and firmness. (Hett, 1964)

The scope of function has expanded over the years. Aside from giving shelter and security, and accommodating specific activities, architecture also fulfills cultural, social, and psychological needs. (Hendrix, 2015)

Form follows Function

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-22 11:32:25 UTC

This is an axiom by Louis Henry Sullivan (1856-1924), an American architect who was important in the development of American modern architecture. According to him, "the outward form should faithfully express the function beneath." This has been the principle followed in modern architecture worldwide. (Kindergarten Chats and Other Writings, 1947)

The form and the function of an architecture is united in such a way that when the function of a structure changes, the form will also adjust to cater to its practical needs while providing a sense of beauty. (Leynes, n.d.)

Image taken from:
https://www.thoughtco.com/form-follows-function-177237

Seville Cathedral

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-23 22:54:53 UTC

The Seville Cathedral in Spain is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and is the third largest church.

Image taken from:
https://devoursevillefoodtours.com/visit-seville-cathedral/

History

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 11:35:37 UTC

In 1198, what stood in its place was a mosque owned by the Moorish Almohad family. The Moorish control was relinquished through the leadership of King Ferdinand III in 1248. In 1401, they decided to replace the mosque with a Christian church and it was only in 1507 that the cathedral was fully built.

Purpose

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 11:36:06 UTC

According to oral tradition, the first architects of the cathedral said “Let's construct a church so large future generations will think we were mad.” The creation of the cathedral was a way for the people to display the city’s power and wealth and also to celebrate the victory of Christianity over the Moors. This was shown through the grandiose facade and intricate details of the cathedral.

Image taken from: https://www.timetravelturtle.com/seville-alcazar-cathedral-spain

Style of Architecture

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 11:36:29 UTC

The cathedral follows a Baroque style of architecture. However, the Seville Cathedral also contains elements from the Renaissance style which are evident in the Royal Chapel, and the bell tower.

Image taken from:
http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-the-seville-cathedral/

Exterior

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 11:36:50 UTC

The exterior alone shows how magnificent and grand the cathedral aspired to be. Elements from the Gothic style are evident through the pointed spires, arches, stained glass windows, clustered columns, and flying buttresses. A closer look at one of the entrances to the cathedral, the Door of Assumption, shows the intricate details of the high relief sculptures in the arch and in between the clustered columns.

Image taken from:
https://www.123rf.com/photo_67805827_door-of-assumption-spanish-puerta-de-la-asuncion-of-the-sevilla-cathedral-spanish-catedral-de-santa-.html

Nave

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 11:37:08 UTC

The Seville Cathedral has the longest nave in Spain. The central part of the nave reaches up to 42 meters. It is spacious and not as lavishly decorated as the other parts of the cathedral. However, the slender pillars and the vaulting show just how tall and immense the whole structure is.

Image taken from:
http://archiseek.com/2009/1506-seville-cathedral-giralda-spain/

Choir and Great Chapel

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 11:37:28 UTC

In the middle of the cathedral is the coro which is a box-like structure containing 15th-century choir stalls.

Image taken from:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alcaide/4908015845

Giralda

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 11:37:46 UTC

The bell tower of the cathedral, the Giralda, serves as the symbol of the city. It is one of the few structures from the Seville mosque that were kept. Initially a minaret of the Moors, the Giralda now serves as the church tower of the people. At the very top is the El Giraldillo, a 16th-century weathervane that represents faith.

Image taken from:
https://pixers.uk/wall-murals/la-giralda-bell-tower-of-seville-cathedral-in-spain-62295792

Others

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 11:38:03 UTC

Other popular attractions in the cathedral include domes such as the Chapter House, the Sacrista Mayor which houses the treasury, and the Capilla Real which houses the royal tombs. The Seville Cathedral is also known for containing the tomb of Christopher Columbus, just in front of the Puerta del Principe in the cathedral proper.

Image taken from:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tomb-of-christopher-columbus

Interior

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 12:10:44 UTC

The Seville Cathedral looks bulky as it is rectangular in shape. It has five columns and a non-protruding transept.

Image taken from:
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/31966/31966-h/31966-h.htm

Great Chapel

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 12:16:52 UTC

This then leads to the Capilla Mayor (Great Chapel) which houses the largest Gothic altarpiece in the world. The masterpiece, carved out of wood and embellished with gold, is 20 m high and 23 m wide. It contains 45 panels which depict the life of Jesus Christ. This artwork was created by a single sculptor named Fleming Pieter Dancart.

Image taken from:
https://www.planetware.com/seville/cathedral-e-and-sevcat.htm

References

katherinebeatrice_jose — 2019-09-24 12:47:58 UTC

Archiseek - Irish Architecture. (2019). 1506 – Seville Cathedral & Giralda, Spain. [online] Available at: http://archiseek.com/2009/1506-seville-cathedral-giralda-spain/ [Accessed 24 Sep. 2019].

‘Architecture’. (2018). Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, p. 1; Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=funk&AN=ar134300&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 22 September 2019).

Aristotle. (1964). On the Soul (De anima), tr. by W.S. Hett, Cambridge, Harvard University Press, The Loeb Classical Library

Bekker, H. (n.d.). Visit Seville Cathedral — The World’s Largest Gothic Church. [online] European Traveler. Available at: https://www.european-traveler.com/spain/visit-seville-cathedral-the-worlds-largest-gothic-church/ [Accessed 24 Sep. 2019].

Hendrix, John. (2015). The Dialectics of Form and Functionin Architectural Aesthetics. Rivista di estetica. 58. 31-45. 10.4000/estetica.378.

Justfunfacts.com. (n.d.). Interesting facts about the Seville Cathedral | Just Fun Facts. [online] Available at: http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-the-seville-cathedral/ [Accessed 24 Sep. 2019].

Lonelyplanet.com. (n.d.). Catedral de Sevilla & Giralda | Seville, Spain Attractions. [online] Available at: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/seville/attractions/catedral-de-sevilla-giralda/a/poi-sig/1210358/360736 [Accessed 24 Sep. 2019].

‘Louis Henry Sullivan’. (2019). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, p. 1. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ulh&AN=134497128&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 22 September 2019).

Medium. (n.d.). WHAT IS ARCHITECTURE?. [online] Available at: https://medium.com/@AAA_Publication/what-is-architecture-1b52f5339c2a [Accessed 24 Sep. 2019].

Nayler, M. (n.d.). A Brief History of Seville Cathedral. [online] Culture Trip. Available at: https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/a-brief-history-of-seville-cathedral/ [Accessed 24 Sep. 2019].

Owuor Otieno, Mark. (2018). The Biggest Churches in the World, WorldAtlas, viewed 24 September 2019, .

Sullivan, L.H. (1947). Kindergarten Chats and Other Writings, New York, Wittenborn&Schulz