Architects Iowa

Beginning with the first uses of brick and stone and ending with the completion of the great pyramids and colossal sphinx, Ancient Egypt was home to some of the most influential architecture in history. The Nile valley has been home to much of the richest civilizations in art, architecture, and design for at least ten thousand years; and this innovation began with a simple problem: a lack of wood.

Because of the severe climate of Egypt, trees were scarce, and wood was not a viable building material. The Egyptians were one of the first societies to seize upon the durability of bricks in construction, and their architectural monuments have endured thousands of years to become models of ancient architecture even in modern times. Because of this durability, some of the most famous buildings in history were to come from the Nile Valley in Egypt.

Of course, the Egyptians had another advantage in their construction of enduring monuments: slave labor. Egypt was one of the mightiest powers in the East, and conquered many nations throughout their reign, including the Israelites, Persians, and hundreds of others. Having a mass of laborers at their disposal, the great Architects of Egypt were free to execute their most imaginative building designs with tremendous manpower. Perhaps the most dramatic of these monuments, or at least the most famous, were the pyramids.

These magnificent structures can tower up to 482 feet high, dwarfing many other buildings and monuments. They were built out of immense blocks of sanded granite, some weighing as much as three and a half tons. These blocks were moved from the quarry to the construction site by means of barges during floods, or oxcarts and slow, tedious log rollers. The pyramids still stand out as one of the great works of history, and these buildings would influence architecture in many years and cultures to come.

As western society began to bloom and develop, architecture took on new life in the designs of the Greeks. One of the most powerful civilizations to rise up in Europe, the Greek architects created history with their flair for order, design, and beauty. The first standards of beauty, or the ideal proportions, were also a Greek invention; and every society following would imitate these ideals. Rome would be the most major society to follow in Greek footsteps, creating some of the most famous buildings in the History of the World after the Grecian style.

The earliest of Greek buildings, however, were not so impressive; made mostly of mud and brick, early Greek houses were made after the Egyptian style, and were often simple round or square shapes with holes cut for windows. As the society grew and came into power, buildings began to move more in the direction of what is now known as “classical” Greek construction, which included pillars, columns, courtyards, and ornate temples offering tribute to many of the Greek gods.

One of the greatest contributions to building made by the Greeks was the creation of the three orders of architecture: the Doric, Iambic, and Corinthian. The Doric was the earliest, and simplest, of the three, with a thick, sturdy pillar and a simply cut top. The Ionic was more elegant and graceful, with a thinner base and beautiful scrollwork. The Corinthian, the last and most ornate of the three orders, featured an elaborate capitol often decorated with grape leaves or vines. The Corinthian order was most often used in the roman architecture of later years, and decorates many famous buildings across Europe.

The Romans took the principles of Greek architecture and expanded them, quickly becoming the most powerful civilization in the world for several hundred years. They also were the first to invent concrete, and took full advantage of this new material, creating massive buildings and temples that far surpassed even the Greek models. They also added the Etruscan contribution to architecture, the arch, to their building.

Perhaps the most famous building contributed by Roman Architects is the Coliseum, a massive amphitheater. Amphitheaters were among the most important of the buildings during the classical period of European history; they served as public meeting places, for spectator sports, games, displays, and hearings. They were also a massive political seat, as the current men in power would display themselves to the public during these events.

The coliseum features many of the marked characteristics of Roman architecture. The entire building is made up of hundreds of arches and pillars, and covers an expanse of nearly 6 acres. It features an ingenious cooling system as well as hundreds of rows of thousands of seats, with different sections for the poor class, the upper class, and the emerging merchant or middle class. It also included more than 80 ground-level entrances and a complex net of tunnels, which allowed the immense venue to fill up in 15 minutes and be evacuated in as little as five.

These innovations were reflective of the rich culture of the Roman civilization. Rome left to us the Coliseum, the Arches of Constantine, the Hippodrome, and numerous temples. Along with it’s famous buildings, Rome left behind a legacy of art and architecture that continues to influence society even in the modern day.

Larry M. Schneider AIA

(786) 336-1984
9319 NW 48 Doral Terrace
Miami, FL
http://www.lmsarch.net