Hypostyle Hall: Egypt c. 13th Century BC
At the temple of Amon at Karnak, the columns of the hypostyle hall tower over people at 69 feet (Roth, 180). On these columns, relief is used to tell stories about the history of Egypt. This hall acts as a court between the guarded porch and the sacred hearth of this temple.
These massive stone columns are in alignment with the sun during the winter solstice, which points towards the Valley of the Kings on the West Side of the Nile. Whichever way light strikes these columns, there are inevitable shadows cast on the court, separating it from the whole of the temple. As a person walks through this hall, he or she is walking through constant shadow, while looking out or above the illuminated columns to light.
Pyramids of Giza: Egypt 2680-2560 BC
These pyramids house the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkare. They are the three largest pyramids in Egypt, each pyramid dedicated to a different King. These pyramids house the bodies of these kings, as well as their cherished belongings. These pyramids were built to create a passage from life to afterlife.
The pyramids of Giza are polished with a limestone finish, causing it to gleam in the sun. Because these pyramids were more important than others, gold was used at the very top to emphasize the sun. They are aligned in all cardinal directions.
Temple of Hatshepsut: Egypt 1500 BC
The temple of Queen Hatshepsut is built into the cliffs at Deir el Bahari closest to the entrance of the Valley of the Kings. Like the pyramids, this temple was built to house the mummified body of Queen Hatshepsut once she passed.
The colonnade and its positive and negative space create a rhythm of light and dark, representing transition between life and afterlife.
Propylaia: Greece 400 BC
The Propylaia is the marble entrance to the Acropolis in Athens. One side has a painting gallery, and the other has a sculpture gallery. This entrance contains multiple colonnades of both ionic and Doric style columns, creating a complex passageway into the acropolis, attempting to deny access to anyone who is “ritually unclean”.
The colonnades in the entrance were used to enforce a feeling of enclosure while people walk through. This dark, enclosed colonnade makes way to the revelation of the Great Acropolis, molding an unforgettable experience for the person walking through.
Parthenon: Greece 5th Century BC
The Parthenon is the temple of the Greek goddess Athena. This building is the most important building in the Acropolis, as every other structure atop the acropolis directs the people to the Parthenon. This building is the archetype of Western History. The Parthenon serves as a shrine rather than a temple, and contains the sacred sculpture of Athena.
The colonnades in the Parthenon contribute to the use of light and shadow in terms of directing light towards the statue of Athena. However, the Parthenon is also an example of trompe l’oeil. The construction of the columns in the Parthenon creates an optical illusion that these columns are straight, while they are actually slanted inward. “Knowledge of perspective and depth perception through skillful use of modeling with light and shadow were important here (Greece)” (Blakemore, 35).
Pantheon: Rome 126 AD
The pantheon, also known as the “temple of all the gods”, is the epitome of Roman architecture. It illustrates advanced building technology and the innovation of concrete as a building material. It is “the symbol of consequence of an immutable union between the gods, nature, man and the state” (David Watkin). Its particular distinction is its vast scale and experiment in manipulation of building techniques, more specifically the incorporation of the dome.
The oculus, the circular cut out in the top of the dome, is what creates the connection between heaven and earth. At different times of day, the light shining through this oculus shines on different parts of the wall, illuminating different stories. Symbolically, the oculus opens to the heavens, affecting the way people “view the universe”.
Colosseum: Rome 1st Century AD
The colosseum is a circular ampitheatre in the center of Rome. This structure was used for events such as gladiator contests and other public entertainment programs. The basement of the colosseum is open so that there may also be naval battles inside. It remains one of Rome’s most popular attractions, and still serves as a symbol of the greatness of the Roman Empire.
This open-roofed structure uses natural light to accommodate the events taking place in this building. This is one of the first entirely open structures that use natural light for its literal purpose. It also incorporates contrast between light and dark. For example, if you are considering the gladiator or the actor or whoever is participating in the event, they come into this circular light from a dark hallway. This transition from dark to light goes hand in hand with the transition into “glory”.
Hagia Sophia: Istanbul, Turkey 537 AD
Hagia Sophia went from being a basilica, to a mosque and now is a museum. While the Pantheon is the epitome of Roman architecture, Hagia Sophia is the epitome of Byzantine Architecture, particularly famous for it’s massive dome. “…The thought of crowning Hagia Sophia with a dome related to the sanctity of the whole building as an earthly analogue to heaven. The visible universe was concretized in the Byzantine mind as a cube surmounted by a dome” (Spiro Kostof).
The pendentive that attaches the dome to the cube in Hagia Sophia allows for light, giving the space “echo and bounce”. The 40 arched windows under the arcade fill the interior with light, allowing it to reflect off of the mosaics used as an interior detail. This constant reflection of light, as well as the multiple colors, heightens the impression of the space upon those experiencing it. Hagia Sophia is famous for its quality of light. This reflection creates an important moment within the space
Old St. Peter, Italy c. 326-333 AD
This basilica was one of the largest basilicas in Rome, built by Constantine where Saint Peter was buried. This church has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world. It contained a large number of burials and memorials, and was an important place of pilgrimage.
Old St. Peters was eventually built to form New St. Peters, which stands today in this very site.
Natural light is important in the design of this basilica because it fills the court, where people gather, increasing symbolic importance of this place. It is also important because as it shines through the windows, it reflects off of the mosaic materials.
San Vitale, Italy 548 AD
This church is the most famous monument of Ravenna, Italy and is one of the most important examples of Byzantine architecture in Western Europe. It’s a double shell octagon that creates an ambulatory passageway and a central altar space.
The ambulatory passageway is filled with natural light, which indirectly bleeds into the hearth of the church. When standing in the hearth, it is filled with light, but the source of this light is unknown.
BY NICOLE ROBERT AND NEAL MICKEY
- pictures taken from flickr.com
No comments:
Post a Comment