Unit Summary: Alternatives

The Alternatives unit is all about taking the rules established in the foundations unit and bending them into new forms. These alterations take a very religious turn as a reflection of crusades and mixing of cultures. A great source of inspiration for Christian cathedral design came from the Hagia Sophia, a mosque in Istanbul. The Hagia Sophia is known for its massive dome and the great, highly decorated interior spaces.
Gothic architecture flourished in the high and late medieval times, after the Romanesque period. It is largely recognized for its pointed arches, ribbed vaults and flying buttresses. There was a great competition to build the tallest cathedrals with the most interior space and light. This was thought to bring the cathedrals closer to heaven, the ultimate goal.
The Renaissance was a revival of ancient Greek and Roman ideals. Emphasis was put on symmetry, proportion, geometry and the regularity of parts as they were used by the ancient designers.French Gothic Cathedral- Notre-Dame
Renaissance architecture
Villa and Palazzo
Villa-country home, escape for wealthy
Palladio incorporates temple forms onto residential structures
Palazzo-mixed business, entertainment and housing
Baroque- feeling of movement through curved lines-pushing and pulling