MODERN ARCHITECTURE

Modern architecture was a jump and a contrast for the traditional architecture, which was all about symmetric structures with fine and elegant decorations. Modernism came with new ideas and new concepts, now the most important part is the space itself rather than the decorations and details that it has; the space and modernism has so many features that it "self-decorates". Modern architecture centers on simplicity and clarity. An open space which everything is integrated in only one space. 

Nothing is hidden or modificated to look like something else, and nature is a tool to integrate the home to the world outside it, rather than a limit to construct. Cutouts, windows, staircases, fireplaces are all part of Modern architecture. Modern architects love lines and linear features; horizontal or vertical, diagonal or straight. 

The roofs are not the traditional triangular shape, but they now defy the traditional with other options, such as flat roofs, elongated ceilings... and the weirder it looks, the better and good- looking it is. There are now changes also in materials, not the traditional wood and bricks, but now there are other materials human-made and sometimes eco-friendly, and even radiant floor heat. 

Architecture has definitely evolved from the antique and normal traditional style, where everything was planned, symmetric and decorated with external features, but now, the simpler, the better it looks. Nowadays many homes are made in this style.

Examples: 

 

HOW TO ARCHITECT

I found this man on youtube, which I have learnt a lot of, and shows various topics of architecture. This is just one of his videos explaining a little bit about measures and a process of drawing a structure, but he has lots of videos which you can check out on his youtube channel.

MORE ON CATHOLIC ARCHITECTURE

In this entry I will introduce the two next parts of the church: The mausoleum and the cruciform.

Mausoleum

The mausoleum is an independent and self- standing building which encloses an internal space in this case, the church. Christian mausoleums have a chapel inside of them. It has a domed structure and a circular central space. It is usually used as a burial place, but also a worship place; for spiritual reasons. The most famous and known example of a mausoleum is the Taj Mahal, in India.  

Cruciform:

Most churches have a cruciform ground plan, either of a Greek or Latin cross. If the plan is longitudinal, the ground plan is of a Latin cross, while a plan in which it is a square in which the parts (like nave, chancel...) are of equal length, it is a ground plan of a Greek cross. 

Romanesque 

Byzantine

 Early- Christian

CATHOLIC ARCHITECUTRE

There are many types of Christian architecture in churches, all which emphasize in harmony. It has evolved and changed over the two thousand years that it has existed. The most important and recognized types of christian churches are: Byzantium, Romanesque, Gothic cathedrals, and Renaissance cathedrals. 

I will talk about the architectural arrangement of the church as we know it, with characteristics from the Ancient Roman period, and its conformed by 5 main parts:
(I will mention 3 of them on this entry and 2 on my next entry)

• the atrium
• the basilica
• the bema
• the mausoleum
• the cruciform

ATRIUM:

The atrium is also called courtyard, which is a large space located in a building, in this case, in churches. It is made to provide light and ventilation to the interior of the area. They usually have high roofs and windows and it is dynamic, causing the people inside it to feel sheltered and aisled from the rest of the world; this has spiritual reasons, it is for people to concentrate in what is being said. 

BASILICA:

It is a large internal space where worship congregations could gather together. It is used to name a building which have central naves; which is basically the main body of the church, as shown in the next picture:

BEMA:

This was made in Ancient Rome to give space to more people, because the space was not enough, and it is a space which extended from the main hall and made it larger, forming a T shape, for people to fit better. An example of this can be seen in the Basilica of Saint Paul, Rome. 

ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

Islamic architecture is theologically based, on the religion of Islam in different parts of the world. Islamic architecture and art can be divided into 4 main parts: calligraphy, human and animal forms, vegetal motifs and geometric patterns. On this entry I will only focus on geometric patterns. 

Geometry is really important in Islamic architecture for decoration, they can be really simple, but others can be extremely elaborated. The shapes are repeated to create more complicated and complex patterns. The 4 main shapes are: circles (and interlaced circles), squares, stars (squares and triangles in a circle) and multisided polygons. 

Meaning:

Circles don't have an end, so they associate this infinity

 with Allah (their god), and the repetition of shapes also 

creates this idea that it all continues and is infinite, like 

their god.  

All Islamic patterns begin with a circle, which symbolizes one only god.

Triangles symbolize humans and harmony.

Squares symbolize the physical world.

Hexagons symbolize heaven. 

Stars symbolizes the spread of the Islamic religion.

Geometry:

By joining these figures, you can come up with many different patterns. 4 main types of geometry are used for these patterns: Three point geometry, Four point geometry, Five point geometry and Six point geometry.

Three point geometry and Six point geometry-

These are linked together, and only a compass is needed. It is made by joining circles, like in this picture:

Four point geometry-

It is made by drawing a perpendicular line from the centre of a horizontal line and joining the 4 points of intersection, like in this picture:

Five point geometry-

It is much more complicated, it is made by joining a pentagon to the lines that cross the circles, like in this picture:

Using these shapes and different types of geometry, they come up with many complex patterns that are used to decorate their buildings and temples. These are some more complex drawings using the previous types of geometry and shapes:

And these are finished ones:

ARCHITECTURE IN RELIGIONS

I am going to start a new series in this blog that would be about how mathematics is used in architecture of different religions. I am going to talk about 2 of them: Catholic and Islamic. I will talk about how their architecture is used on their temples, the meaning that some of those forms of architecture have on the religion, how they use geometry... I will talk about some of the geometric shapes used, for example: decagons, pentagons, rhombus.. for the decorations of the Mezquitas (Islamic temples) or the Catholic temples. I will also mention the importance of these on the roofs, windows and floors on the temples. At the end of this "series" we will hopefully be able to make a link between the two kinds of architecture, and to identify how are they different to each other. Here I leave 2 videos to introduce you to both architecture. Please pay particular attention to the patterns and the forms used for the decorations of the temples. 

A video that shows pictures of Islamic temples.

An inside look at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church.