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Chapter 16 |
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Reading: read Chapter 16's section on Technology, which discusses basic architectural structures.
Premise: If you read the introduction to A World of Art, or the splash page for this website, you may have picked up that Henry Sayre and I both teach at Oregon State University, a midsize school (15,000+ students) in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU's campus is quite beautiful, due more to its established Rhododendrons and Camellias, 80' fir and spruce trees, and large, open grassy quads and sports fields.
The buildings at OSU are not spectacular examples of authentic architectural styles, indeed, like most university campuses, OSU has a conglomeration of reduced styles reflecting various building phases, which in turn, reflects various phases of state funding. However, like most university campuses, one can also find numerous architectural details and building forms that reflect historic styles. (To see the buildings in their larger formats, click the thumbnail images.)
My students have discovered some real surprises on "architectural scavenger hunts." For several years I maintained that there wasn't a single pointed arch on campus. I had combed the campus for hours and hours, looked up, looked down, inside and outside—nothing. This didn't surprise me—many state institutions reflect the concept of separation of church and state, and traditionally the pointed or "Gothic arch" is used in Christian architecture. However, two years ago, a student found a Gothic arch used as part of a decorative facade on a 1911 building. Other details that we've been surprised to find on our campus include domes supported by pendentives, and suspension structures.
Le Corbusier's diagram for the Domino Housing Project, and his subsequent building of the Unite D'Habitation in 1952 quickly led to a formula for quick and easy to build student residence halls that was used throughout the United States and most parts of the world. Some version of this is on every campus in the country (author speculation) and most of them are intended to function as "micro villages," not too unlike the original Unite D'Habitation. What becomes clear then, is the probability that your campus also has many architectural secrets or hidden details. It would be reasonable to expect to find examples of Postmodern, International, Federal, or possibly even Art Deco inspired buildings. It is probable that you'll find details such as arches, friezes, cornice details, pediments, barrel vaults, domes, and pendentives. You just have to find them!
Time required to do this project: Three hours.
*Materials: A partner; a clip board; three or four sharpened pencils; a copy of A World of Art, and a print-out of this assignment!
How to start: This project requires you to spend some time on campus finding as many examples of architectural details and "styles" as you possibly can. Give yourself a time limit, and don't expect to find all of them! Work with a partner—this is a team project (one person has to carry the book)! Print this project out, and use the form to note the specific architectural details, the buildings on which they occur, and their location on those buildings. Begin by looking up—while being conscious of what's underfoot (don't trip)! Start with small architectural details, and move on to identifying styles.
1. Column capitals Find a building with:
Doric capitals:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Ionic capitals:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Corinthian capitals:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Plain columns:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Fluted columns:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
2. Arches Find a building with:
Roman (round) arch:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Roman (round) arch that uses actual voussoirs and a keystone:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Gothic or Pointed arch:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
3. Structures:
Barrel vault:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Groined vault:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Dome:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Dome with oculus:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Dome supported by pendentives:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Amphitheater:
Location on campus: ____________________________________
4. Combinations:
Post and Lintel entrance detail without columns:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Portico entrance with columns:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Colonnade:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Central plan:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
Longitudinal plan:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
5. Modern structures:
Truss:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Cantilever:
Bldg. _______________ location on bldg. __________________________________
Steel reinforced concrete slab and steel beams:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
Sculptural steel reinforced concrete:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
6. Styles:
Roman or Federal:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
Gothic:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
Romanesque:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
Art Deco:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
Art Nouveau:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
International style:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
Postmodern:
Bldg. _____________ location on campus __________________________________
7. Architectural Art:
Mosaic:
Bldg. _______________ location on/in bldg. _______________________________
Frescoes:
Bldg. _______________ location on/in bldg. _______________________________
Acrylic enamel (or other) murals:
Bldg. _______________ location on/in bldg. _______________________________
Sculpture
Bldg. _______________ location on/in bldg. _______________________________
OK! So, obviously we can have some fun with this. While there are probably no real Romanesque era buildings on your campus (author speculation) there are undoubtedly buildings that, due to their heavy forms and round arches, could be thought of as "Romanesque" in comparison to other campus buildings. Likewise, you may not have a suspension structure building anywhere, but I was surprised to find one on my campus!
Good luck and have a great time! This is an excellent way to learn about architecture, and your campus.
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