Week 12
General Questions:
● 1. Neo-Palladians: Return to the principles of classical architecture promoted by
Renaissance architect Palladio (away from Baroque architecture, associated with the
Stuart kings)
● 2. “Grand Tour”: Lord Burlington made a Grand tour of Europe (1714-1715) and in 1719
he went to Italy to study Palladio’s buildings, in Italy he also met William Kent (one of his
lifelong friends)
● 3. Boullee’s early commissions: designed a cenotaph for SIr Isaac Newton and also
designed a national library, was one of the most inventive French Neoclassicists
● 4. Cenotaph by Boullee for Sir Isaac Newton reflects French rationalism because of the
use of symmetry and mathematically and geometrically defined structures with low
ornamentation
○ Combines shape and design through the hollow sphere, 500 ft. in diameter, top
half = dome of Heaven (perforated w/ holes to show stars and moon) and giant
lamp inside = sun
Chiswick House:
● 1. Palladio’s Villa Rotunda and Vincenzo Scamozzi’s Rocca Pisani inspired Lord
Burlington’s Chiswick House
● 2. Exterior: Dominant twin stairs, thermal windows in octagonal drum, and Pantheon-like
dome
○ Characteristics from Italian renaissance: Dominant portico w/ 6 Corinthian
columns, octagonal drum and dome, obelisk-shaped chimneys
○ Innovative/new parts of design: Compactly combining a central octagon w/
orbiting rectangles, squares, and circles
● 3. Main Building of Chiswick House was used for displaying works of art and
entertainment
Holkham Hall:
● 1. House was built for Thomas Coke as a ‘temple of the arts’ but also family residence
○ “Grand Tour” inspired ‘temple of the arts’ b/c Coke went on the “Grand Tour” w/
Kent where they saw classical architecture and admired works of art
● 2. Palladian characteristics on exterior: ‘Palladian’ windows, tripartite design, rustication,
and temple facade
○ Italian renaissance characteristics: Mostly in Marble Hall- colonnade is a copy of
the Temple of Fortuna Virilis in Rome, the Ceiling is inspired by Pantheon, and
the statues are plaster copies of ancient Greek and Roman gods
● 3. Interior design/decoration: reflects interest in ancient art/architecture through display
of ancient art/architecture in the Saloon (art) and The Statue Gallery (ancient Roman
sculpture)
● 4. Holkham Hall survived to the 21st century b/c Coke introduced innovative agricultural
techniques that contributed to the prosperity of the estate
○ Also have tours, weddings, and celebrations (but is still in the Coke family)
,Strawberry Hill:
● 1. Designed by Horace Walpole and a committee of amateur architects and friends
● 2. Picturesque and Romantic architecture: Picturesque- exterior massing, Romantic-
Rococo chandeliers and purple wallpaper
● 3. Historic monuments the building imitates:
○ The Library bookcases: Based on an illustration of the Gothic doorways from Old
St. Paul’s Cathedral in London
○ The decoration around the fireplace: Copy of the tomb of Archbishop Wareham in
Westminster Abbey
○ The ceiling: Based on the design of a round window from Old St. Paul’s cathedral
in London
○ The ceiling in the gallery: Imitates the Perpendicular Style pendant vault (like the
early 16th century Henry VII chapel in Westminster Abbey)
Saline Royale (Royal saltworks)
● 1. Purpose: Planned industrial community, utopian city (visionary)
○ Built for: King Louis XV, under the reign of Louis XVI
● 2. Buildings: Director’s house at center, workers’ houses around the perimeter, and
buildings for the production of salt across diameter. Areas beyond the houses include
gardens, recreational facilities, communal buildings
○ Buildings should be recognizable for what they were = ‘Speaking Architecture’
○ Decoration reflects Classical forms, Renaissance developments, especially
Mannerism.
● 3. Demonstrates rising importance of industrialization/the idea of a Utopian city
Altes Museum
● 1. Commissioned by Friedrich Wilhelm III
● 2. First public art museum in Europe, example of Neoclassical architecture
● 3. Classical design elements: giant Ionic colonnade on a huge base, facade, interior
rotunda
○ Ancient buildings inspo: facade inspired by Stoa of Attalus II, King of Pergamon,
wall imitates painting from ancient Roman houses (House of Sallust), interior
Rotunda references ancient Roman temple, the Pantheon
Virginia State Capitol:
● 1. Use of Neoclassical architecture in public buildings in the U.S. becomes “Federal
Style”
● 2. Inspired by the Roman Temple known as the Maison Caree, in Nimes, France
L’Enfant Plan of D.C.
● 1. L’Enfant grew up at Versailles
● 2. Replanning of Rome (late 16th century): Primary streets create axes connecting the
seven churches of Rome, with S, Maria Maggiore at center.
, ○ Design of Versailles (17th century): combined a central axial plan with diagonal
lines = “axes-over-grid” plan
● 3. Most important buildings in plan: White House and Capitol Building, include streets
(Pennsylvania Ave.) and National Mall
U.S. Capitol
● 1. Thornton won a competition to design the capitol building
● 2. Used Neoclassical architecture of Europe
● 3. Designed two equal wings (Senate, House of Representatives) linked by a central
dome (unity of the nation)
● 4. Supervised by architects, Stephen Hallet, George Hadfield and James Hoban,
followed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe
○ The building was unfinished in 1814, when the British attacked the city, and
Latrobe oversaw the rebuilding (House and Senate chambers) until 1817
○ Subsequent work was completed under the supervision of Charles Bulfinch
1818-1829
University of Virginia Campus
● 1. Library as focal point = “temple of Knowledge”
● 2. Buildings in the original plan: U-shaped distribution of student rooms, punctuated by
larger halls serving as lecture halls and faculty residence
● 3. Library design based on Roman temple, the Pantheon
○ Location of Library: Jefferson intended for the view from the library down across
the lawn to be open, “academic village”
● 4. Purpose of the Memorial of Enslaved Laborers at UVA: acknowledges the work and
lives of enslaved African Americans who built UVA
○ Student-led effort to create the memorial in 2010
Week 13
General Questions:
● 1. Folk architecture (1650-1850): found in rural areas, distant from the coast or navigable
rivers
○ Built by Europeans who immigrated to America
● 2. HABS: the Historic American Buildings Survey, began to document America’s
architectural heritage (Jackman-Willett House)
Coffin House:
● 1. Family that built the Coffin House immigrated from England in the 17th century
following the English Civil War, 7 generations lived in the house
● 2. Two-story house w/ timber frame and sliding, wood shingle roof, and a brick chimney
○ Main facade faces south to take advantage of sunlight
