Makenna Byers
Professor Bomboy
HUM 101
September 30, 2015
Classical
Architecture Critique
Classical Greece was a two-hundred year period of war and
conflict but also a period of unprecedented political and cultural achievement.
During this period new architecture was built such as the magnificent
Parthenon, a temple in the honor of Athena at the Acropolis (History.com Staff,
“Classical Greece”). The Adams County Library in Gettysburg was influenced by
this period in Greece. It is comparable to the Corinthian order of
architecture. The Corinthian order is the most ornate of the three of classical
Greek architecture, characterized by a slender fluted column having an ornate
flared capital decorated with acanthus leaves (“Corinthian Order”). The
building was not just influenced by Classical Greece but also by later
architects that used these ideas in their work. The inspiration of the Adams
County library is found in the structure of the building.
Just by taking a look at the library it seems to be prestigious
where the style of the building shows it is a place of importance. This importance is shown by the decorations
and even the size of the building. This Corinthian order which is found on the
columns of the building and also the ornamentation above the windows makes a
person find the building to be appealing to the eye while also being a place
where important matters take place. The color of the building is something to
be noted as well since it is white. White is commonly found as a color of
something that is serious giving off the idea that it is a place of intellect
and cleanness. This idea gives people the judgement that they will be able to
learn something here. The Corinthian order creates an attractive visual for the
eye this is important because although the building should look prestigious it
should also look attractive so that people will actually want to go in. The
Corinthian order and later architects both had influence on the library.
The Adams County
Library as said before is closely related to the Corinthian order. There are
many examples of this order throughout the building. First, all the columns appear to be straight,
even though this is found in other columns it is still significant Next, each
column is the same size vertically. The columns have leaves at the top and
stacked rings at the bottom which are both found in Corinthian. The library has
designs spread out all over the building, each of which is simple and unique.
These designs make the building appealing. It has a flat roof which is
significant because the other two orders have slanted roofs. At the top of the
door there is a sculpture which is found in buildings designed with a Greek
style to honor it. The buildings of classical Greece were created to serve the
public just like the library. Before this period buildings were mostly made to
serve the dead or the afterlife. The library itself is symmetrical representing
the Greeks need for balance and harmonious proportion. The Corinthian order is
not the only source for the design of the library but also by later architects (“Order”).
Later architects also had an influence on the design on
the library. For example, Thomas Jefferson was said “Architecture is my
delight.” could have influence on the building. Thomas Jefferson was inspired
by the Classical designs and wanted buildings to reflect the ideals that the
United States is an educated country; he wanted his designs to be truly
American ("Thomas Jefferson's Monticello”). Another architect that could
have influenced the design of the building is Andrea Palladio whose designs
became a model for public buildings could have been one inspiration for the
building. Andrea was born in Italy and was influenced by Renaissance thinker
and architects. He also replicated Thomas Jefferson’s designs. His ideas
resulted independently of most contemporary ideas. His use of simple lines and
satisfying symmetry explains the shape and the designs in the side of the
building (“Andrea Palladio- Great Buildings Online”). These two architects along
with the Corinthian order helped to create the Adams County Library.
The Adam’s County Library is a combination of the
Corinthian order and later archtects such as Andrea Palladio and Thomas
Jefferson. This holds true because of the design of the building. The columns,
decorations and even the roof reflect the Corinthian order. The fact that it is
a library and its purpose is to educate people shows that Thomas Jefferson had
some part in the design. Finally, the simple shapes and symmetry that Andrea Palladio
used also helped to design the building. The library was recognizably
influenced by the classical period in Greece.
Bibliography
"Andrea
Palladio - Great Buildings Online." Andrea Palladio - Great Buildings
Online. Web. 29 Sept. 2015.
"Corinthian
order." American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth
Edition. 2011. Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt Publishing Company 29 Sep. 2015
HistoryStaff.com.
"Classical Greece." History.com. A&E Television Networks, Web. 29
Sept. 2015.
"Order".
Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2015. Web.
29 Sep. 2015
<http://www.britannica.com/technology/order-architecture>.
"Thomas
Jefferson's Monticello." "Architecture Is My Delight" Web. 29
Sept. 2015.
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