Facades

Why are they so important?

In this module we examined buildings, and their impact on society. Based on what you have learned so far, what is the relationship of a structure'sformto itsfunction? Compare (similarities) and contrast (differences) the form and function of a religious building to those of a secular building. Give specific examples from any topic in this module.

A second issue: Why are architecture and urban planning so important to French cultural, or national, identity? Is it the same case with American cultural/national identity? How do politics and economics figure into the equation? Consider as a rough parallel the controversies surrounding the construction of the "new" World Trade Center, dubbed "Sacred Ground" by many in the media........

Part II:

As always, includeEACHquestion beforeEACHanswer, andDOUBLE-SPACEeverything! When quoting from the text use quotation marks and give the page number; when quoting from a website, use quotation marks and give the complete URL.

1. Locate the 10 examples (5 Romanesque + 5 Gothic) on the Romanesque vs. Gothic outline by general area of France (North, South, East, West, or Central) AND the river that it is on OR near. For example, Toulouse (which has the largest Romanesque church in France) is inSouthFrance, on theGaronne River. Arles is also inSouthFrance, on the.......? In what general part of France (N, S, E, W, or Central) do MOST Gothic cathedrals on our outline appear? What is the historical reason for this?

2. Compare (similarities) and contrast (differences) the two youtube videos on Romanesque vs. Gothic architecture (see the first Learning Content page). What architectural features of each style do they illustrate? How is the approach of "mrborup" slightly different from that of "russeltarr"? Again, give specific examples from each video.

3.Google or Wikipedia: "Norman architecture". Make a very brief outline of it: "Norman" = ? When? Where? What? Give specific examples. Name some major features (characteristics) of this style. What other architectural style in this module does it MOST closely resemble? Include at least ONE pic or ONE youtube video. PROVIDE THE LINK!

4. The Louvre's Official Website (www.louvre.fr/en/homepage): List the "Major Periods" of its history, and list the 8 curatorial departments (found under theCollections and Louvre Palacetab). Name ONE current exhibiton (found under theExhibitionstab). Describe in 3-4 sentences ONE "Virtual Tour".IF AND ONLY IFQuickTime does not work on your computer, you may report on ANY Louvre "tour" on youtube. There are many; cite the exact link!

5. Text, pp. 364-367: How did Jack Lang "extend the definition of culture"? What does the phrase, "grands projets" mean? List some other specific examples from the text, besides The Louvre. Who supported this plan, and who criticized it? Give names, and what each said.

6. The Sarkozy Grand Project Paris video (youtube, uploaded by "news672"): What basically did Sarkozy say? What were the architects' reaction to his speech? What historical contexts for the Project were given (i.e., famous past Parisians and politicians, places, events, etc.)? Compare and contrast Sarkozy's vision to Mitterrand's, as depicted in the text, in a few sentences.

Part III(about 100 words):

reply to the following posts:

Post 1:

The relationship of a structure’s form to its function is that the structure determines the function of a building. If a building is structured a specific way, it can tell a lot about its function. For example, a religious building that we can talk about is the Notre-DamedeParis. This building is a cathedral that is considered one of the greatest examples of French Gothic architecture (Notre-DamedeParis, 2020, para. 1). Its stained glass rose windows depict a religious and meaningful image to those who visit it. The images on the windows depict Christ and his apostles in a variety of different phases (Notre-DamedeParis, 2020). The cathedral also has these gargoyles on the sides of it serving as decoration but also as drainage for the roof. It prevents water damage to the walls and foundation of the building (Secrets of the Notre Dame Towers, 2020). Gothic structures are generally decorative and hold sentimental value. While this building holds a very historic and religious purpose, its form ultimately brings meaning to its function. On the other hand, the Louvre is a secular building that serves as a museum for tourists and other individuals. In its history, I learned that it was used as a fortress in the Middle Ages (The Louvre Pyramid, 2019). It was built in Romanesque style and is known for its massive appearance. The pyramid that is placed at the entrance of the courtyard serves as a symbol of importance of the Egyptian antiquities collection that is also present inside the museum (The Louvre Pyramid, 2019, para. 5). Romanesque structures are generally built for protection, as we can see with the history of the Louvre. Both structures, The Notre DamedeParis and the Louvre represent the history of Paris and amplify the meaning of both styles of architecture of the Middle Ages.

Architecture and urban planning are important to French cultural and national identity because it tells a story to those that look at it. The architecture present in French buildings tell a lot about its history and its function in the past. American architecture for the most part, however, does not focus on the history of America but focuses on the function of the building in general. American architecture, especially in public buildings, is very modern and classical. Although there is some cultural architectural influence from around the world, there is not much historical value to the buildings. Because the buildings in American cities are very practical, economics does play a role in the function of the buildings. They serve as a reminder ofglobalizationin America (Self, 2015, para. 11). It is interesting to note the differences in the function of these structures.

References

The Louvre Pyramid: History, architecture, and legend. (2019). Retrieved fromhttps://www.pariscityvision.com/en/paris/museums/louvre-museum/the-louvre-pyramid-history-architecture-legend

Notre-DamedeParis. (2020). Retrieved fromhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris

Secrets Of The Notre Dame Towers. (2020). Retrieved fromhttps://www.parisinsidersguide.com/notre-dame-towers-paris.html

Self, J. (2015). Does politics have any place in architecture? Retrieved fromhttps://www.architectural-review.com/essays/does-politics-have-any-place-in-architecture

Post 2:

The relationship between the structures form and its function is that a buildings function depends upon the form of a building. They way certain buildings are formed may create different functions that the certain building can perform. A religious building, for example, would be the Notre-dame d’ Chartres. This building is a cathedral is located in a town in France called Chartres, which is one of three examples of Gothic French architecture (Chartres Cathedral para.1). This cathedral is known for its for its numerous sculptures and beautiful stained glass. Before this building was built there was a Romanesque church unfortunately destroyed by a fire. Though the building that stands today was built form the foundation that was still there (Chartres Cathedral para.2). So, because of the form of the solid foundation that stands today they function of the building is still standing firm under everything that comes to it. For example, the political and religious upheavals of the 16^thcentury, the French revolution, and a fire that occurred in 1836. Though the building did go through minor renovations it could not have been held through all of the destruction without a good form (Chartres Cathedral para.5). Without the form of the building there would be no function to it, and it would just fall apart. It still stands today more beautiful then ever and has gone through preservations to the structure(form) including protecting the stained glass from air pollution damage and making sure the inside is clean in order for the cathedral to properly function (Chartres Cathedral para. 5). This building holds historic and religious value that will never be forgotten. The Chartres Cathedral shows a great example of how truly a form really impacts its function.

Architecture and urban planning are important to French culture because they appreciate their buildings a lot more then Americans do. In France they focus of the meaning of every building the build and make sure they make it pristine. While in America we do not really care about the meaning we just want it to be built quick and efficiently and make sure the building can withstand disasters if there ever is any. France focuses more on culture and America focuses more on efficiency. For America it is all about politics and the economy. Therefore, all the buildings that are made focus on how they will impact the economy. If it is a good impact it will be built if not it will not. Today it is not really focused on politics however and more on the economic value the building will bring (self,2015, para.7). So therefore, politics and economy do affect the architecture of a building no matter how small of a difference it makes.

References

https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/french-architecture

https://www.architectural-review.com/essays/does-politics-have-any-place-in-architecture

Example:

Excellent, insightful post.The difference is visible to the layman without an in-depth background in French history or architecture. The Notre-Dame cathedral was very ornate. The Louvre Palace, while a stately structure, still bears the appearance of a fortification. It is an almost enclosed courtyard.