Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

32

Most of our buildings have been planned by an architect.

the word architect is greek for “builder” or “craftworker,” and architects

aim to design and construct buildings that are attractive, functional,

and comfortable. Architecture means designing a building; it also

refers to the building style. styles of architecture have changed over

the centuries and differ from culture to culture, so architecture

can tell us a lot about people. the Ancient greeks, for

example, produced simple, balanced buildings that

showed their disciplined approach to life. Architects

are artists who create buildings. but

unlike other artists, they must sell their

ideas before they are able to produce

their buildings.

Architects

if you wanted to build a house, you would

approach an architect, giving clear and

precise details of what you required

(a brief). An architect must know from

a client what the building is to be used

for, how many people will use it, and

how much money is available. A good

architect will make sure that the new design fits in

with existing buildings around it and is built from suitable

material. the architect then presents drawings and plans to the client.

When the plans are approved, work on the building can begin.

Ionic column Rib vault Dome

frAnk lloyd

Wright

American architect frank lloyd

Wright (1869-1959) influenced

many other architects. he tried to

blend buildings into their natural

surroundings and create a feeling

of space, with few walls, so that

rooms could “flow” into one another.

At bear run, Pennsylvania, he built

fallingwater, a house over a waterfall.

Following the client’s brief, the

architect presents a drawing

(below) to the client to

show how the finished

building will look.

Doric column Corinthian column Barrel vault Groin vault

Built around 200 bce,

this Indian stupa, or dome,

was originally a mound

covering a site sacred to the

Buddha or a relic of him.

In 447 bce, the Greek

architects Ictinus and

Callicrates designed

the Parthenon, a

temple to the

goddess Athena,

in Athens, Greece.

With its graceful

columns, it is a

perfect example

of classical architecture.

Architecture 32-

the Ancient greeks and romans developed a style that we call

classical architecture. Most greek buildings consisted of columns to

support the roof. the types of columns varied according to the

particular classical “order” (style) that was used. everything was

simple and perfectly even. the romans, who came after the

greeks, developed the arch, dome, and vault.

gothic Architecture

With their multitudes of pointed arches, finely carved

stonework, and intricate windows, gothic buildings are

the opposite of simple classical ones. the gothic style of

architecture began in western europe in the 12th century.

it was used mainly in building cathedrals and churches.

Although most gothic buildings were huge, their thin

walls, pointed arches, and large areas of stained-glass

windows made them seem light and delicate.

Elegantly curving skyward

in several tiers, pagodas

were built as shrines to the

Buddha. On the right is

the pagoda of Yakushi-ji

Temple, in Japan. Each

element in the building’s

design originally had a

religious meaning.

Milan Cathedral in

Italy (right) is an

example of late

Gothic architecture.

Architecture

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