greek lecture notes

7/22/2019 Greek Lecture Notes

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ARC 110

History of Architecture I

Module 6

Ancient Greek Architecture


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Module Outline Lecture 17

Historical Background Location and period

Social characteristics and beliefs

Lecture 18 Architecture of the Civilization

Greek Orders

Temple Architecture

Civic Architecture

Lecture 19 Greek City Planning and Design

Greek Architecture in Athens

Lecture 20 Architectural Characteristics

Buildings and other architectural elements

Building materials, construction and technologies

Architectural Organizing principles


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Module Learning Outcomes

What do we expect to learn from the

civilization? Stone construction and decoration

The introduction of Proportion in Architecture The introduction of the classical orders of

architecture

Greek architecture of temples and civicbuildings

Principles of Greek city Planning and Design


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Module 6 Lecture 17



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Outline of Lecture

Lecture 17

Historical Background

Location and period Social characteristics and beliefs


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Location Greek civilization occurred

in the area around the

Greek mainland, on apeninsula that extends intothe Mediterranean Sea

It started in cities on theGreek mainland and onislands in the Aegean Sea

Towards the later orHellenistic period, Greekcivilization spread to otherfar away places includingAsia Minor and NorthernAfrica


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Location Most of the Greek

mainland was rocky andbarren and therefore badfor agriculture

Most Greeks therefore

lived along the coastline oron islands where the soilwas good for farming

The Aegean andMediterranean Seasprovided a means ofcommunication and trade

with other places


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Period The period of ancient Greek history can

be divided into four as follows: 1100 B. C. 750 B. C. Greek Dark Ages

750 B. C. 500 B. C. Archaic Period

5000 B. C. 323 B. C. Classical Period

323 B. C. 147 B. C. Hellenistic Period

The classical and archaic period aresometimes collectively referred to as

Hellenic period


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Period Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC)

The Mycenaean people were Greek in Origin

Greek civilization is therefore usually viewed as a

continuation of the Mycenaean civilization

The start of the Greek civilization is therefore

dated to the end of the Mycenaean civilization in

1100BC

Following the decline of Mycenae, the area

around the Greek mainland went into a period of

decline that is referred to as the Greek Dark ages


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Greece became depopulated with groups ofpeople moving out of mainland Greecetowards the islands of the Aegean

Mycenaean and Greek culture dwindled andmany cultural elements including writing, artand architectural techniques were lost

Trade with Asia Minor, the Middle East andEgypt, which was at the root of Cretanprosperity stopped entirely


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As Greek people migrated from the mainland, otherpeople from other less prosperous mountain regionsof the north migrated to the more fertile coastlineregions

They invade the Greek mainland villages andestablished their rule

The northerners brought with them a Greek dialectcalled Dorian, as opposed to the Ionic Greek spoken

by the main settlers The two dialects and cultures later mixed together to

create a Hellenic culture, which is at the root of

ancient Greek civilization


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These two dialects became equated withcharacteristic architectural forms that evolvedin them

In the period following the invasion by theDorians, there was a shift in lifestyle thatproduced a sedentary agricultural lifestyle and

society. Sedentary lifestyle allowed the Greeks to

rediscover urbanized culture that ultimately

led to evolution of classical Greek culture


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Period Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC)

The revival of Greece from the dark agesstarted during the eight century BC

The Greeks developed a new political form

called city states

City states are cities which are ruled as

independent nations The archaic period saw the renewal interest in

overseas trading contact


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Greek societies that were engaged in tradebecame rich and by joining with other theirneighbors, sometimes forcefully, formed large

states The polis or city state emerged as the natural

and desirable political entity

Early examples of these city states includeAthens, Corinth, Argos, and Sparta on themainland, and in the Eastern Aegean, Samos,

Chios, Smyrna, Ephesus and Miletus


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The archaic period marked the rise of the aristocraticfamilies; families that are considered noble or ofhigher status

The archaic period was dominated politically by theleading aristocratic families in each city state acting inconcert or squabbling amongst themselves forsupremacy

At times individual aristocrats were able to takeadvantage of popular dissatisfaction to seizeauthoritarian power

Such rulers were called tyrants


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Such tyrants stimulated the development ofthe arts through their patronage

The archaic period marked the beginnings of

Greek monumental stone sculpture andarchitecture

Around 546 BC, the rising Persian Empire

conquered some Greek city states The rising threat of the Persian Empire

marked the end of the Greek archaic period

and of classical Greek culture


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Period Classical period (500 - 323 BC)

The Classical period of ancient Greek historyoccurred between 500 BC, and 323 BC.

The period started with the Greek city states

coming into conflict with the rising PersianEmpire

The free Greek cities saw the threat that was

developing from the Persian Empire andprepared for resistance

A seaborne expedition by the Persians to

Athens was defeated at Marathon in 490 BC


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Under the Persian King Xerxes, Persia attempted aretribution in 479 BC and was defeated by an alliance

of the Greek states headed by Sparta

The Greek alliance soon transformed into an Empireunder the leadership of Athens

Pericles, the ruler of Athens between 444 and 429 BC

became a driving force for the development of templearchitecture

Pericles used the defense revenue from the alliance

for temple building in Athens to thank the Gods

Hi t i l B k d


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Historical BackgroundPeriod

Classical period (500 - 323 BC) Athens reached its greatest political and cultural

heights during the classical period The full development of the democratic system ofgovernment occurred under Pericles

The Parthenon on the Acropolis at Athens was built

Philosophical schools such as those of Socrates andPlato were founded

Between 431 and 404, Athens entered into a series of

wars with Sparta which left it in ruins The fall of Athens gradually led to political chaos in

the whole of Greece

The 4th century saw the rise of Macedonia as apower in the region

Hi t i l B k d


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The Macedonian king, Philip rapidly extendedMacedonian power and wealth

In 338 BC, he defeated a coalition of the

major Greek Cities including Athens andThebes, and created a federation of all

Greeks with him as the leader

He proposed a crusade against the Persians

but was assassinated before undertaking it

Hi t i l B k d


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Period Classical period (500 - 323 BC) His son Alexander undertook the crusade and

established himself as the ruler of the formerPersian empire

Alexander undertook a lot of military

campaigns to extend the Greek empire andfounded many new cities such as Alexandriain Egypt

He died in 323 BC without a heir to inherit him

The Death of Alexander marked the end ofthe classical period of Greece civilization


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Period Hellenistic period (323 - 147 BC)

The Hellenistic period of ancient Greekcivilization started with the death of Alexander

in 323 BC

When Alexander died, he did not have a heir

to inherit him

The Greek empire split into smaller stateswith Alexanders generals as their rulers


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Period Hellenistic period (323 - 147 BC)

The period saw the transplanting of Greek art,civic life and culture to newly conquered areas

The period also saw a marked increase in

interest in civic buildings

The Hellenistic period ended in 147 BC, when

the Roman Empire conquered Greece andincorporated the city states into it



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Historical BackgroundSocial Characteristics & Beliefs

Introduction Greek civilization is the first major civilization in Europe

Greek civilization along with the Roman civilization aresaid to be at the root of current western civilization

They two are referred to as classical cultures becauseof their recognition as the root of western civilization

Greek and Roman architecture are also referred to asclassical architecture

Greek civilization started with the mingling of two Greek

cultures, the Dorian and the Ionian to create a singleHellenic culture

The two developed a sedentary agricultural andcommercial society that ultimately gave birth to the

concept of the city state



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Historical BackgroundSocial Characteristics & Beliefs

Societal Organization- The city state The ancient Greeks lived in self governing city-states

called "polis." The city-states were small, independent communities

which were male-dominated and bound together byrace.

The ancient Greek world was made up of hundreds ofthese independent city states

The polis started as a defensible area to which

farmers of an area could retreat in the event of anattack as in the Mycenaean citadels

Over time, towns grew around these defensible

areas.

Hi t i l B k d


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Social Characteristics & Beliefs

Societal Organization- The city state

Every polis was different from another, even thoughthere were similarities between them

They were all bounded by common language andreligious beliefs

They all made efforts to preserve their own uniqueidentity, and each city state believed that their statewas better than all the other states

The city states often fought with one another. The city state of Athens on the Greek mainland was

among the most famous and powerful of the city

states

Hi t i l B k d


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Social Characteristics & Beliefs Societal Organization- The city state

It was a major center for learning and the arts. When city-states were first formed, they were ruled by

a few wealthy men.

However, they gradually moved towards democracy. Athens developed an early form of democracy

How did they make laws? Only men who were born in

Athens were allowed to vote. They did this at public assemblies where upper class

citizens discussed and adopted laws that might

benefit Athens.



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Social Characteristics & Beliefs Social Organization And Responsibility

The scale of the polis was small.

The philosophers Aristotle and Plato believed that the

polis should be of a small size, so that members know

each other personally

The ideal size of a city state was fixed at 5040 males

by Plato

Citizens in any polis were related by blood and sofamily ties were very strong.

Membership of the polis was hereditary and could not

be passed to persons outside the family



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Social Characteristics & Beliefs Social Organization And Responsibility

The society of the polis had a social hierarchy with

citizens at the top, followed by people who are not

citizens and finally slaves

Public life was for male citizens while women were

secluded in the house

Greek citizens did not have rights but duties

All citizens were directly involved in politics, justice,military service, religious ceremonies, intellectual

discussion, athletics and artistic pursuits.

It was not acceptable for Greek citizens to refuse to

carryout their responsibilities

Hi t i l B k d


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Social Characteristics & Beliefs Religious Belief

The ancient Greeks were polytheistic, believing in

many different gods and goddesses The God were regarded as all powerful but similar to

human beings in their passions, desires and appetite

All aspect of life was under the protection of the gods,and they controlled everything, from the waves in theocean to the winner of a race.

All the gods and goddesses had specific roles,controlling one or two major aspects of life

Zeus was, for example, the supreme leader of thegods, Hermes was the messenger of the gods, and

Poseidon was the god of the sea



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Social Characteristics & Beliefs Religious Belief

The essential concept in religious practice was that of

contract, of obligation and the paying of obligation

Humans call on the gods for protection and make

offerings to the gods to secure this

Ancient Greeks believed that religion would make

their lives better while they were living.

They also believed that the gods would take care of

them when they died.

Religious belief was constantly changing and

developing as new cults were introduced from time to

time



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Social Characteristics & Beliefs Place of Worship

Temples were the focus of Greek religious worships Temples were usually built in the cities of the Gods

called Acropolis

Temples were built in every town and city for one ormore god or goddess

The temples were considered as offerings to the gods

Each community was therefore under pressure tomake them beautiful as possible



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Social Characteristics & Beliefs Place of Worship

The temples were also considered as the house ofthe gods

They were not designed for functional use

They usually consist of a large open hall called

sanctuary where the statue of the god to whom it isdedicated is kept

The temples were the places for routine festivals tothe gods

The festivals included plays, music, dancing, and thena parade to the temple where they made sacrificesand had a feast.

Animals were usually sacrificed as a gift to the gods



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Social Characteristics & Beliefs Architecture in service of religion

Architecture in Greece Started in the Service ofReligions

Temples were the abode of gods

The Greeks regarded beauty as an attribute of the

gods and the conscious pursuit of beauty as areligious exercise.

The most important task for architects was how to

make the temple beautiful The search for ways to express architectural beauty

made the Greek civilization among the first to haveestablished ideals of beauty



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Social Characteristics & Beliefs

Architecture in service of religion

The Greeks convinced themselves that the secrets ofbeauty lie in proportions

Man was viewed by the Greeks as having the most

ideal proportions and is the measure of all things Greek developed a system of building proportion that

reflected those of the human body

With time, they refined their system of buildingproportion, and developed the classical Greek orders

which we will soon explore



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The principal building material of the ancientGreeks was stone

Clay and timber were also used

Timber was used mostly for roofing and itsscarcity coupled with limitations in its lengthimposed restrictions on the width of buildings

Temples were the main building type and itwas used as a decoration element by everycity



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Greek society also made buildings other than temples These evolved in response to changes in need with

time

The most common buildings are amphitheaters,council halls, public fountains and theatres, gymnasia,

schools and libraries, public baths and lavatories

As these civic buildings emerge, treatment oncereserved for temple was extended to them even

though on a less grander scale than in the temples



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Greek construction was of a simple post and lintel ortrabeated construction

Their ground plans were always very simple, usuallyrectangular

With a combination of simple ground plans andtrabeated construction, they were able to createamazing buildings

Buildings were constructed by skilled craftsmen whowere in demand and traveled from one state to theother for construction work

Designs were done on the ground by measuring outthe foundation



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Blocks of stone were ordered from the quarry Blocks were given initial preparation on the building

site

Blocks were large and retained in position by theirown weight; it was not necessary to fix them together

in any way

Roofs were of wood beams and rafters cut to squareshapes with tile roof

Carvings and other decorative work were finished

when the building is completed



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Social Characteristics & Beliefs Other Activities and Achievements

Greek society contributed to the earliest developmentof science and scientific inquiry

Greeks attempted to explain the world through the

laws of nature. Greeks found out that the earth was round and A

Greek person is credited as being the first to measure

the circumference of the Earth The Greeks also made significant contributions to the

arts, particularly in sculpture and painting



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Social Characteristics & Beliefs Other Activities and Achievements

They wrote many stories and plays that continue tobe performed today.

The ancient Greeks were huge sports fans and sportswas considered a part of religion

Every four years, the Greeks held the Olympic Gamesin the stadium at Olympia.

The best athletes in Greece competed in different

events Because the games were religious, anyone who was

caught cheating during the games was never allowedto compete again


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End of Lecture


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Module 6 Lecture 18Ancient Greek Architecture

O tli f L t


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Outline of Lecture

Lecture 18

Architecture of the Civilization

Greek Orders

Temple Architecture

Civic Architecture


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Architecture of the Civilization

The Orders


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Introduction Refer to the entire set of formthat makes up the principalelevation of a temple.

Composed of a base, anupright column or support withits capital, and the horizontal

entablature. All the parts of an order areproportionally derived from thesize of the base of the column.

It determines all aspects of theelevation of a buildingincluding its shape and thearrangement and proportion of

its parts

The Orders


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Introduction Greeks are credited with

originating the three orders

of the classical language ofarchitecture, Doric, Ionicand Corinthian.

Columns were understoodby the Greeks to beanthropomorphic orrepresentative of the body

of a human The base suggests the feet,

the shaft the torso and the

capital the head.

The Orders


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Introduction Each order had its own

conventions about the

design of the entablature The entablature is divided

into three sections; the

cornices, the frieze and thearchitrave

According the rules ofclassical architecture, theentablature should alwaysbe divisible into thesethree zones

The Orders


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Doric Order The Doric order was the

earliest to be developed

By the 6th century, a set ofuniversal proportions for theDoric temple had beendeveloped.

The Doric order is made up ofthree elements; stylobate,Column and entablature

The stylobate is a podium

raised three steps on whichthe temple sits

The Doric column is furtherdivided into the shaft and a

square capital

The Orders


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Doric Order It had a height of between 5

and 6 times its diameter.

The shaft is tapered and madeto bulge slightly to providecorrection for optical illusion.

The shaft is usually dividedinto 20 shallow flutes.

The entablature is divided intoan architrave, a frieze and the

cornice. The Doric column represents

the proportions of a mans

body, its strength and beauty.

Doric Order


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Entasis

A characteristic of the Doric order isthe use of entasis

Entasis refers to the practice ofoptical correction in Greek Dorictemples

All buildings are arranged with a

slight curve to correct for opticalillusion when they are viewed

This is done to counteract theconcave appearance produced by

straight edges in perspective The shaft of the column is built to be

slightly convex in shape for opticalcorrection

Columns were also built with a slighttilt

Doric OrderE t i


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Entasis The drawing to the right explains

entasis

Diagram one on top shows how the

ancient Greeks wanted the temple toappear

If the temple is built without correction,then diagram two shows how it would

actually appear To ensure that it appears correctly as

desired in one, the Greeks introducedthe distortions shown in diagram three

The application of entasis is anexpression of the desire for perfectionby Greek architects

The best example of the application ofentasis is found in the Parthenon

The Orders


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Ionic Order

The Ionic order evolved and took

its name from Ionia in modern

day Turkey The ionic column including the

capital and base had a height of

9 to 10times its diameter It had 24 flutes, which is more

than that of the Doric column,

even though it is smaller indiameter.

The flutes were rounded at the

top and bottom.

The Orders


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Ionic Order The Ionic order had a capital

developed from a pair of volute

about two-thirds the diameter of

the column in height

Ornaments are used to decorate

the area between the capital and

the volute

The Ionic column has a base

One of the limitations of the Ionic

order is that it is designed to be

seen from the front only

The Orders


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Ionic Order At the corner of

rectangular buildings, an

angular volute had to be

used.

Entasis was not appliedto the ionic column

The Ionic column is said

to represent the shapeof a women with its

delicacy and feminine

slenderness.

The Orders


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Corinthian Order The Corinthian order takes

its name from the city ofCorinth in Greece

It however appeared to havebeen developed in Athens inthe 5th century BC

This order is similar in itsproportions to the Ionic orderbut has a different capital

The core of the capital isshaped like an inverted bel.

The bell-like capital isdecorated with rows of

carved acanthus leaves

The Orders


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Corinthian Order The rich decorative effect of theCorinthian capital made itattractive.

Because of its symmetry, theCorinthian capital unlike theionic capital is designed to beseen from all directions

The Corinthian column, themost beautifully ornate of thethree orders represents the

figure of a maiden This order was not extensively

used during the Greek period

It became popular during theancient Roman period

The Orders


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Column Construction Do you wonder how the

columns of the Greek

orders were constructed? Each column was made

up of several drums ofmarble

They were held togetherby a stone peg in thecenter

The stones wereassembled and puttogether in their roughform

The Orders


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Column Construction The capital was also

carved out

After they were puttogether, the groovescalled flutes were cut

up and down theshaft of the columnand all around it

This gave the columnits slim and elegantlook

TempleArchitecture


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Introduction The most important Greekbuilding was the temple

The temple had the finest

building materials and therichest decoration.

It was also the most complex ofarchitectural form.

It was designed not to holdworshippers, but as symbolicdwelling of the gods

The temple is usuallyrectangularin plan

It is lifted on a podium, and inplan has colonnades on all itsexternal sides

TempleArchitecture; Introduction


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The number of columns is alwayseven to allow the location of the

entrance in the center; temples

with odd number of columns are

uncommon

Temples with 2 columns in front

are diastyle, 4-tetrastyle, 6-

hexastyle, 8-octastyle and 10-

decastyle

Greek temples usually have twice

the number of columns in frontplus one by the side; A hexastyle

temple =six columns in front &

thirteen on side

Temple Architecture; Introduction


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Colonnades define a portico around the temple The temple building is made up of four walls

enclosing a rectangular space called the naos or

sanctuary This was the house of the god to whom thetemple is dedicated

The interior rectangular space of the naos isframed by a pair of colonnades on the long sidecreating a central processional space

At the head of the processional space is thestatue of the god to whom the temple isdedicated

The temple interior was generally dark, with only

the entrance as a source of light

Temple Architecture; Introduction


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The temple always faced east sothat the rising sun would light thestatues inside

Temples were designed to beadmired from the outside ratherthan used

The Greek temple is believed to

originate from the Mycenaeanmegaron

From the megaron, it wentthrough several stages of

evolution as shown in thediagram

By 500 BC, the final form of the

Greek temple had emerged

TempleArchitecture


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Doric Temple The Doric temple is based

on the Doric order

Both the Doric order andtemple went through a

simultaneous process of

evolution The Basilica at Paestum

550 BC is an example of

early Doric temple It was built during the

archaic period of Greek

civilization

TempleArchitecture


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Doric Temple The columns on the frontare 9, while on the sides

they are 18 The Doric columns appearheavy in comparison withlater temples

The columns have a bulge,pointing to the practice ofoptical correction or

entasis by the time of itsconstruction

The capitals are also huge,heavy and very wide

Doric Temple


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Temple of Aphaia at Aegina The Temple of Aphaia at

Aegina 490 BC is a latertemple than the Basilicaat Paestum

Temple of Aphaia ismuch less heavy than

Paestum The entablature is less

thick

The columns are slimmerwith less entasis or bulge

The capitals are alsosmaller

Doric Temple


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Temple of Aphaia at Aegina This temple is hexastyle but

has only 12 flanking columns-

early temple The interior columns aredivided into a row of twocolumns separated by an

architrave This allowed the designers to

avoid using columns with a

large diameter The temple has triangular

pediment on n the Easternand Western sides decorated

with stories from Greek myths

Doric Temples


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Temple of Hera Argiva at Paestum The Temple of Hera Argiva

(or Neptune) at Paestum

460 BC was built later thanthe Temple of Aphaia

It is one of the bestpreserved of all Greek

temples It is more mature in its

proportions than all the

others examined The columns are 8.8 meters

high and about 4.3 timestheir lower diameter

Doric Temples


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Temple of Hera Argiva at Paestum The temple is hexastyle but

with 24 columns on its flank

It also has a double row of

columns in the interior, and

divided into two separated

by a stone architrave

The most perfect of the

Doric temples is the

Parthenon; We will examine

this temple later

Ionic Temples

Introduction


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Introduction

Ionic temples were built usingthe Ionic order

The most famous of the Ionictemples is the temple ofArtemis at Ephesus

It was considered one of the

seven wonders of the ancientWorld

It was commissioned byAlexander the Great and was

believed to have been builtand destroyed several times

Unfortunately the temple hasnot survived to the present

time

Ionic Temples

Introduction


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Introduction

There are alsouncertainties about its

arrangement in plan The temple stands on aplatform 2.7 meters high

It had 36 columns in its

front and they had anadditional relief sculptureat the base

The best surviving Ionic

temples is the Temple ofAthena located at theAcropolis at Athens

Corinthian Temples


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Introduction The Corinthian order was notwidely used during the Greekperiod

Earliest known example isinside the 5th centuryTemple of Apollo at Bassae.

The temple of OlympianZeus in Athens was in theCorinthian order

The column was constructedin 131 A.D. well after theRoman conquest of Greece

The Corinthian order becamevery popular during the

Roman period.

CivicArchitecture


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Introduction During the Hellenistic period Greeks became

very fascinated by civic buildings

Treatments once reserved for temples and the

gods, were gradually extended to civic and

government buildings. The Agora or market place also became very

important in Greek cities.

The theater and council chamber are examplesof civic buildings found in every Greek city

CivicArchitecture


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Theaters Theater Epidarus The Greeks invented

the theater design thatis still used in moviesand auditoriums today

Every important Greekcity had a theater

Their theater was built

into a hilly landscape The theater had a bankof seats steps created

from the landscape

CivicArchitecture


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Theaters Theater Epidarus The theater had a bank

of seats steps created

from the landscape

It would usually

commands a view to the

landscape

The image shown is of

theater Epidaurus

This was the largesttheater in ancient Greece

It is still in use today

CivicArchitecture

Council Chamber Bouleterion, Miletus


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Council Chamber Bouleterion, Miletus

The Bouleterion is where the

Boule or council of the city

state met It was a covered chamber

fitted with banks of seats like

a theater The example shown is from

the city of Miletus

Similar buildings were foundin every Greek or Hellenistic

city


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End of Lecture


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Module 6 Lecture 19Ancient Greek Architecture

Outline of Lecture


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Lecture 19

Greek City Planning andDesign



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Greek City Planning andDesign

Greek City Planning and DesignPlanning and Design Principles


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g g p

The ancient Greek civilization had establishedprinciples for planning and designing cities

City form were of two types Old cities such as Athens had irregular street

plans reflecting their gradual organic

development New cities, especially colonial cities established

during the Hellenistic period, had a grid-ironstreet plan

Certain things were common among cities

Greek City Planning and DesignPlanning and Design Principles


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g g

Towns had fixed boundaries and some were

protected by fortifications

Much of the town was devoted to public use

The Greek City was usually divided into three

parts; the acropolis, the agora and the town. Site planning and design was centered on the

appreciation of buildings from the outside.

The location of buildings was therefore such that

it could command a good view to it.

Greek City Planning and DesignThe Acropolis


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The Acropolis was the city of temples It is the location where all the major temples of a

city are located

It was built to glorify the gods Greeks considered high places to be important &

sacred

The Acropolis were usually located on the highestground

Other public buildings such as gymnasia, stadia,

and theaters were generally regarded as part ofreligious rituals

They are normally found attached on lower

ground to the hills of the Acropolis

Greek City Planning and DesignThe Agora


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The Agora was the most important gathering place in aGreek city

It started as an open area where the council of the city

met to take decisions With time buildings were constructed to define and

enclose the space

It also transformed into a place for combined social,commercial and political activities

It emerged as the heart of Greek intellectual life anddiscourse.

It was usually located on a flat ground for ease ofcommunication

It was placed to be easily accessible from all directions

In many cities, it is also located close to the Acropolis

Greek City Planning and Design

The Town


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The town was where the people lived

This was the domain of women, who didnot have any public role

Early Greek towns had an irregular street

pattern, resulting from its organic growth Later Hellenistic towns such as Prienne

had a formal rectilinear pattern

The town was made up of only residentialhouses

Greek City Planning and Design

The Town


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Houses were usually constructed of mud

bricks Houses were of the courtyard type, with

rooms arranged around a courtyard

Houses vary according to standing in the

society

Houses of poor people were very simplecompared to the house of the rich, which

had more rooms and better finishing


Architecture, Planning & Design


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Athens is a very good example of a typical

ancient Greek city

The city has the three components of acropolis,

agora and town found in a Greek city

The Acropolis and Agora in Athens also havesome of the best examples of ancient Greek

architecture

We will examine the Acropolis and Agora inAthens to understand Greek architecture,

planning and city design.


The Acropolis in Athens


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The acropolis in Athens was a

religious precinct located on

one of the hills of the city.

The Earliest versions of the

Buildings in the Acropolis

existed until 480 BC In 480 BC, the Persians under

Xerxes burnt Athens and the

Acropolis to the ground Not long after that the Greeks

defeated the Persians


Th A li i Ath


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The Acropolis in Athens The Acropolis in Athens wasrebuilt in about 450 BC

The rebuilding of the Acropolis

was begun by Pericles, the wisestatesman who ruled from 460BC to 429 BC

Pericles commissioned artist

and architects to build a new cityof temples to glorify the gods

The acropolis combined Doricorders and ionic orders in aperfect composition in fourbuildings; the Propylea, theParthenon, the Erechtheumn,and the temple of Nike.


Acropolis Athens


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The best example of Greekemphasis on visualization indesign and site planning is

seen at the Acropolis atAthens

All the buildings on theAcropolis are designed to be

seen than use All the temples on the

Acropolis are place at anangle that enables them to beseen on two sides

If a building cannot see befrom two sides, it iscompletely hidden


Acropolis Athens


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From the entry at thePropylae, a visitor has a

view of all the prominentbuildings in the Acropolis

Buildings are also position

at a distance that ensuresthe appreciation of theirdetails

The central axis of viewfrom the propylae is leftfree of building for a view

into the country side


Propylae


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The propylae is the entrance to theAcropolis

It was built around 437 B.C by

Mnesicles The image highlights what is

currently left of the propylae

To reach the acropolis, people had

to enter through the center sectionof the propylae

The two wings on either side werenever finished

The columns on the outside of thepropylae were Doric

The columns in the interior werehowever Ionic

Greek Architecture in AthensPropylae

Explanation for this is found in the


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Explanation for this is found in theproportions of the Doric and Ioniccolumns

If the Doric order were used in the

interior, the height of the roof wouldmake its diameter very large

To overcome this difficult, the designersused the Ionic column which is muchslender than the Doric column

Inside the propylae was a library andpicture gallery with a place for people toread and rest

In times of peace, the gates of the

propylae were usually left wide open When an enemy threatened, the

wooden doors of the propylae wereclosed and there was no other access tothe acropolis


The Parthenon


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The Parthenon was themost prominent building

on the AthenianAcropolis

It was designed byIctinus and Callicrates in

447 BC The Parthenon is the

most perfect Dorictemple ever built.

It was lighter and moregraceful than previoustemples


The Parthenon


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It also embodies the

perfection of the Greek

system of proportioning

The proportions of the

Parthenon are based

on the proportions of aman, which is seven to

one

The ideal human bodywas seven heads tall


The Parthenon


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The Parthenon is an octastyletemple with 8 columns in frontand 17 columns by its side

In the Parthenon we also findthe best example of theapplication of entasis

The Parthenon had two roomsin plan; the treasury, which ismost often empty and thenaos or inner sanctuary

An ivory gold statue ofAthena, 11 meters tall carvedby Phidas once stood in thenoas or inner sanctuary of theParthenon


The ParthenonTh t t h d th


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The statue reached thewooden roof of the temple

Parts of the inside and outside

of the Parthenon were oncepainted

The inside of the temple was

often not used Processions and ceremonies

were held outside

The temples alter was placedon the Eastern side

During the Christian period,the Parthenon was used as a

church


The Parthenon


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Later the Turks converted it

into a Mosque

In 1687, the Turks used it tostore ammunition and when

they were attacked by the

Venetians, it exploded The images shows what

remains of it

In 1801 An English mangathered the broken pieces

and shipped them to the

British museum in England

Greek Architecture in AthensThe Erectheum

Th hth i l t d t


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The erechtheum is located atthe point of a mythical fightbetween Poseidon and

Athena for the possession ofAthens

Athena is believed to have

won the fight and so Athenswas named after her

The erechtheum was namedafter Erechtheus, thelegendary king of Athens,whose mother was thegoddess of the earth and

whose father was the fire god

Greek Architecture in AthensThe Erectheum


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He was brought up by

Athena and is believed

to have judged the fightbetween Poseidon and

Athena

The shape of the

erechtheum is not a

perfect rectangular andit does not have a

colonnade surrounding

it


The Erectheum Two porches spring out from the


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Two porches spring out from thecore rectangle of the temple atdifferent levels

A small porch faces the Parthenon This has columns in the shape of awoman called caryatid

The caryatids are linked to a

historical story The caryatids are a people who

lived in Asia minor

They were believed to have fought

with the Persians against theGreeks

When the Greeks won, theydestroyed the cities of the caryatids


The Erectheum They killed all the men and


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They killed all the men andbrought back the women asslaves

For revenge the Greeks copiedthe Caryatid slave women instone and forced them to carrythe roof the Erechtheum for all

time The weight of the roof is carried

from the top of the head of thecaryatid through their leg

A larger porch on the northernside has ionic columns

The ionic columns have all thecharacteristics of the Ionicorder


Temple of Nike

Just beside the propylae


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Just beside the propylaeis the Temple of AthenaNike, meaning victoriousAthena

It was built around 420BC and was designed by

Callicrates during thePeloponnesian wars

The Athenians

worshipped Athena Nikein the hope of victory

Greek Architecture in AthensTemple of Nike


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This is an ionic temple

It had a pediment thatno longer exist

The temple has anentrance of four ionic

columns on two sides The temple looks the

same from the front

and back


The Agora

The Agora in Athens was a


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The Agora in Athens was a

space used for social,

commercial and political

activities

The Agora at Athens was

located at the base of the

hill of the Acropolis

Civic and religious

buildings were

progressively erectedaround the perimeter of the

Agora space

Greek Architecture in AthensThe Agora

Of all the buildings the


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Of all the buildings, the

stoa was the most

important Stoas were useful

buildings in the context of

the Agora

They provided shelter

and served for many

other purposes

They also served to

embellish the boundary of

the Agora


Introduction

The Agora at Athens


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The Agora at Athenscontains otheradministrative buildings

There was the bouleterionfor the meeting of thecouncil

There was also a tholos, a

circular building where thestanding committee of thecouncil when in officedined at state expense

There were also twobuildings for the meetingof the jury court.


Introduction

And a shrine where the


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And a shrine where theremains of Alexander wasburied

The central area of the Agorawas free of building

This image shows areconstruction of how social

life may have taken place inthe Agora

People would be in the spaceof the Agora carrying out allsorts of activities with theAcropolis prominent in thebackground and the godshopefully looking after them


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End of Lecture


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Module 6 Lecture 20


Outline of Lecture

Lecture 20


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Lecture 20 Architectural Characteristics

Buildings and other architectural elements

Building materials, construction and

technologies

Architectural Organizing principles


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Architectural Characteristics


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Buildings & Other ArchElements

Buildings & Other Arch. ElementsBuilding Types

The major architectural element of the Greek civilization isthe order and their principal building type is the temple


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the order and their principal building type is the temple

Greek buildings also feature civic buildings such astheater, council chamber, stoa, etc

Greeks invented the classical orders of architecture

Their invention of the orders was a result of the search forrational methods of expressing beauty

The orders embody a system of proportion that determineshow the whole building looks

An order consist of a column shaft with its base andcapital, and an entablature

All its dimensions were derived from the diameter of thecolumn

The entablature is further divided into architrave, frieze and

cornice


Three orders of architecture were invented by Greeks;


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Three orders of architecture were invented by Greeks;Doric, Ionic and Corinthian

Doric was the earliest and has a square capital and thestoutest proportion, resembling the power of a man

Ionic was taller in its proportion, has a volute capital andresembles the proportion of a maiden

Corinthian has the same characteristics with the Ionicexcept that its capital is decorated with the Acanthus leaf

Temples were the principal building types of the Greeks

Temples were considered as house of the Gods andefforts to beautify them pushed architectural development


Temples were design to be seen and


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e p es e e des g o be see a dappreciated rather than used

The evolution of the orders led to standardtemple forms based on them

Towards the later part of the Greek civilization,there was also a focus on civic construction

The Greeks needed civic buildings to supporttheir democratic institutions and also satisfytheir social and recreational needs

Council chambers, theaters, Stoas, wereamong the civic buildings that became popularwith the city states


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Materials, Const. & Tech.

Materials, Construction & Tech.Materials

Examination of Greek architecture points to threecommon materials of construction


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common materials of construction

These are Stone, timber and clay

Stone was the most common construction material forbuildings

Greece had an abundant supply of stone, particularly

marble Stone was used for all types of temple and civic

construction

It was used for all type of building elements

The characteristic grey color of the stone of the area isalso what gives most ancient Greek buildings theircharacteristics color

Materials, Construction & Tech.Materials

Timber was used mainly for roofing


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It was a very scarce commodity and it also hadlimited length

This limited its use

The limitation in length meant that the width ofbuildings was restricted and only very importantbuildings such as the Parthenon could gobeyond a certain width

We did not examine Houses but clay was used

mostly in housing construction Clay was made into sun dried blocks for use in

construction

Materials, Construction & Tech.

Construction and Technology

The principal Building Material of ancient


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gGreece was stone

The principal construction system wastrabeated or column and beam construction

Combined, the two were used for temples andcivic buildings

Construction technology involves orderingstones in semi-prepared state from quarries,

On site, they were roughly shaped and placedin position on the building

Elements placed in position would be beensized to the right proportion



Building blocks were not bonded, but are ratherheld in position by their weight


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held in position by their weight

Then the rough stones were finished to achievethe final form and treatment of the building

Finishing enables the builders to createbuildings of a particular order

It is in finishing that the Greeks showed theirmastery of construction

Finishing work involved creating the fluting, base

and capital decoration on columns The Frieze and cornices of buildings were also

decorated with appropriate relief carving



Pediments were also finished with relief carvings,hi h i t l d i t t i f th d


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which in temples depict stories of the gods

Full statues of gods were also carved and placedon strategic places on the outside of the templeand also as the major element in the interior

The Greeks essentially formalized architecturalsculpture and decoration

They were able to effectively translate their ideasof beauty into tangible buildings

Ancient Greeks did not make significantcontributions in the aspect of buildingtechnologies


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Principles of Arch.Organization

Principles of Arch. OrganizationPrinciples

It is possible to understand forces and


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p

principles shaping Greek architecture by

examining the following issues;

The role of religion in architectural

development Ideas about architectural aesthetics

Principles of architectural organization

Principles of city planning and urban design

Principles of Arch. OrganizationThe Role of Religion in Arch. Dev.

Religion played a significant role in thedevelopment of Greek architecture


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p

Architecture started in the service of religion

The important question for Greek architects wasthe right form of the temple

Temples were the house of the Gods

The duty of the architect was to make thembeautiful

The search for how to make the temple beautiful

resulted in the establishment of Greek ideals ofbeauty

Greek ideals of beauty was rooted in

mathematical proportions

Principles of Arch. OrganizationIdeas about Architectural Aesthetics

The Greeks believed that mathematicalproportion is at the root of beauty


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p p y

They also believed that the human body has

the best of proportions Greeks also valued harmony, balance and

symmetry in design

Greeks developed principles based on theirbelieves about aesthetics

These principles were refined over time as theyare applied in building

With time they developed into a standard that is

widely applied

Principles of Arch. OrganizationIdeas about Architectural Aesthetics

Builders exerted great effort in ensuringthat buildings were created to meet the


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that buildings were created to meet the

aesthetic ideals of the society The Greeks in essence became the first

society to have well established ideas

about architectural aesthetics with

principles for their translation into physical

design

Principles of Arch. OrganizationPrinciples of Organization

The Greek ideals of mathematicalproportion was applied in architecture


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proportion was applied in architecture

through the use of the orders The orders provide a means to codify

mathematical proportioning, by linking all

the elements of the building with the

diameter of the column

The orders were also viewed asanthropomorphic, representing the human

body

Principles of Arch. OrganizationPrinciples of Organization

The Doric represents a man and the Ionicand Corinthian represent a woman


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and Corinthian represent a woman

The use of the orders also provided ameans for the Greeks to design buildings

to meet their ideals of harmony, balance

and symmetry

The use of optical correction, entasis, is a

pointer to the desire of the Greeks toachieve their ideals of beauty in

architecture

Principles of Arch. OrganizationPrinciples of City Planning & Design

Ancient Greeks not only develop ideals of architecturalaesthetics, but they also developed principles for thed i d l i f iti l ti f hit t


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design and planning of cities as location for architecture

The ancient Greek city states developed a standard planof the city

The city consisted of three defined elements; the town,acropolis and Agora

Principles were developed for organizing each element ofthe city based on activities and its symbolism

The town was a place to retire for the day

It was composed of simple courtyard houses separatedby streets

It could either be organic or grid-iron

Principles of Arch. OrganizationPrinciples of City Planning & Design

The Acropolis was the city of the gods This is where buildings reflecting the highest ideals of

beauty were placed to be seen rather than used


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beauty were placed to be seen rather than used

The principle of its design is that of isolated objectsarranged in open space

The objects are arranged to be seen in three-dimension

The Agora was a mundane place for social, commercial

and political activities The principle of its design centers on creating boundaries

to contain space for activities

In practice, stoas and other civic buildings are used toloosely define the space

These are usually treated with continuous colonnades orporticoes along the side of the court with occasionalpenetrations by footpaths


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End of Module 5

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