https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws Neo-classicalism and other topics en-us 2021-03-24 02:15:53 UTC 2026-02-26 18:07:40 UTC hello@padlet.com ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1346104582 When the emerging bourgeoisie 'ended' the nobility ruling system and changed Europe's social system eventually became the new one for Europe and Americas. Since that they wanted to have a new form of architecture style to represent their power and wealth, and that was where Neo-classicsim came.

The style of Neo-classicalism has appeared the most obvious in three countries; France, America and Britain. And the background of each country during the time when Neo-classicalism was introduced and promoted is interesting. 

Despite the movement was introduced around, the fundamental principle of this movement is to increase the demand for making larger public building stands out while emphasizing its political position and the idea of the bourgeoisie. However, many public and government buildings do not have the ability just to appear in a new style. Hence, they have to keep the elements that they need from the classical style and add changes then promote this new style to become a public recognised style.

]]> 2021-03-24 03:17:24 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1346104582 ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1346170687 The emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in France at that time decided to avoid any styles that the House of Bourbon has used, e.g. Baroque, Rococo. Instead, he went for classical styles, especially Romanesque and built a series of monumental buildings, one of the good examples is Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile.]]> 2021-03-24 03:50:45 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1346170687 ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1346361445 The Britains are fond of Middle Ages, especially the Gothic style, as they believed only Gothic or Elizabeth architecture are more presentative to their nation. Personally, I think the reason why British people would believe that is because the war between them and Napoleon was just finished, which evoked their spirit as a nation and still remain strong at that time. This spirit calls out the demand similar to what Napoleon thought, by having a new style of architecture similar to classism but slightly different one, which was indeed Neo-classicalism. Example like the Palace of Westminster.]]> 2021-03-24 05:23:24 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1346361445 ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1346487928 As an immigrant country, America doesn't really have its national culture. But they combined culture from other countries in Europe and form things like Eclecticism architecture. America has only become an independent country in 1776 getting rid of Britain, hence the leader of this country wants to express the nation's spirit through architecture by having their own style. The third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, was a proponent of democracy, republicanism, motivating American colonists to break from the Britains. He was also a grant architect who designed the Virginia State Capitol and the University of Virginia.]]> 2021-03-24 06:19:59 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1346487928 ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1346546733 As the bourgeois wanted a representative system and want to emphasise this through architecture, from their stand of views they need a form of architectural style to express this political position. But for such a long time people's thoughts have been affected by the Renaissance's thinking and believed the start of Classicism is Romanesque architecture, hence Italy and Rome was a definite going destination for inspirations. Through discovering and investigating Roman's styles was what architects at that time get their inspiration from. And many European countries sponsored subjects like Archeology. As more and more ancient books and records been discovered and translated, people began to gain more knowledge about past history. In terms of architecture, when ancient greek ruins were found, people's attention was attracted to ancient greek architecture, urban planning, interior design, landscape design and environmental art. Then people discovered that the real start point of Classicalism should be Ancient Greek style or even Tuscany style. Romanesque is counted in classicism but it doesn't start with Romanesque style. Hence Ancient Greek and Tuscany culture were treated as the most 'classical' form for those architects in that period. This then leads to the experiment of developing Greek Revival architecture during the end of the 18th century to early 19th century, which Neo-classism then became the most famous style to use in many countries following in the 19th century.]]> 2021-03-24 06:45:25 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1346546733 ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347409953 Simplicity and complexity can be related to the idea of 'more and less'. They are both contradicted to each other. Here when we talk about more, or complexity, we are talking about the complex form, beautiful detail presented by the building. This complexity shows through our visual, hearing, tasting, touching or other senses, regarding space, the form, the genius loci or other experience and feeling. 

If this feeling is making to think and you find it attractive, then it will be 'complex'. Vice versa, if you can get a clear understanding of it from first sight, then it will be 'simple'. 

I have read an article that once suggested, 'if a person can understand something effortlessly, he will be satisfied. But this satisfaction comes so easily that it will disappear in seconds. But, if you find something hard and take time to understand, it will evoke a sense of tension and a feeling of nervous-making you think harder, and once you understood it, the nervous feeling has gone, then that complex stimulation to your brain will leave you a more unforgettable experience, and you will be more pleased'.

This doesn't mean the more complex the building the better, it means that the logic within the design should make you feel the 'complexity'. ]]> 2021-03-24 11:53:04 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347409953 ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347410382 The relation between the space and the place can be distinguished as, if there is human and object intervened, that space becomes a place.

This can also be expressed like if we are consciously or unconsciously creating a space inside our head, but when we added what we know and familiar with, e.g. routes or objects, into that space, it will then become a place.]]> 2021-03-24 11:53:13 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347410382 ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347411037 There is a book called 'Exterior Design In Architecture' written by a Japanese architect called 'Yoshinobu Ashihara' which talks about his theory about inside and outside spaces.

His theory is called 'one-tenth theory', which treats the relation between buildings to buildings as humans to humans. Normally recognizing other people's faces has a maximum distance range between 21 to 24 metres, if we consider this as the best distance ratio for outside spaces, then a comfortable outside space can be referred to as 8 to 10 times larger than the inside spaces.

Apart from that he also pointed out that if we use 20 to 25 metre as a single space unit, then it can reduce the monotonous feeling of this space by adding various elements like different materials or different heights within the space. Similarly to a bar in a music score.

]]> 2021-03-24 11:53:24 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347411037 ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347411315 Every place has its distinct spirit, soul and atmosphere. Romans' idea of Genius Loci is what given a place with a soul, or a feeling of atmosphere. Architecture does not just pop up from nowhere, its existence has a necessity. Like Andou Tadao who meditate on the site before designing anything, the purpose of site analysis is also to bring yourself into the land and sort of imagining yourself as someone who lived there. The idea of Genius Loci can be only sense or feel in a specific place, it requires you to be at the place and it cannot be something that you imagine through nothing.

Talking physically, architecture is built on a piece of land, and the land sits in nature, then nature contains all sorts of elements. A place with strong genius loci should be well fitted or coherent with the arrangement and elements like the wind, water and light or such visible things.

]]> 2021-03-24 11:53:29 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347411315 ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347412489 From the book 'The Function of Form'' by Farshid Moussavi, the idea of 'form follows function' was used as a basic principle for all designing and consturcting process during the end of the 19th century to early 20th century, it means that the shape of the building should match with one of the orihinal purpose of the design, or related. Examples can be shown by the Wainwright Building and Prudential Building. ]]> 2021-03-24 11:53:50 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347412489 ZJun https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347420185 ----------------------------------------------------------------------Below are other topics that I briefly expressed my thoughts--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------]]> 2021-03-24 11:56:18 UTC https://padlet.com/ZJun/puw0u9edbt6uvnws/wish/1347420185