Alternatives Unit Summary

Alternatives Unit Summary

 

            The Alternative section began with medieval architecture and the architectural inactivity of the Roman Empire. The building started back under Charlemagne and the Frankish Kingdom in the Early Middle ages. It was referred to as The Carolingian “Renaissance”; which was the first attempts to recapture the triumph of Classical relics. It was during this time period that Romanesque churches appeared in such places as Germany and France. The Monastery Church of Saint Michael, in Germany is a perfect example of the massive Romanesque Architecture that they wanted to attain. So similar to the Romans in the Foundations unit we learn that the civilizations of the Early Middle Ages were surrounded by beautiful Roman ruins of which they modeled their new structures to.

            The next part is The High Middle ages and the invention of Gothic architecture by Suger, whom was an abbot of the Monastery of Saint-Denis. He looked at the Romanesque and made some improvements, such as pointed arches and ribbed vaulting. He also added stained glass rather than using the traditional stone on the walls. These massive intricate structures often took several generations to complete. Also the Gothic cathedral appeared in this period of time. Which these were not comparable to any other structure during any point in time, Roth describes them as a bible for the illiterate, thus being because the walls were covered from top to bottom with sculptures symbolizing biblical passages.

            Our last stop is the architecture of the Renaissance era; it was during this time period that art and architecture make a collision. Also the immersion humanism began during the Renaissance, in which they would reread the works of ancient authors such as Cicero, Virgil, Plato, and Aristotle. But what set these scholars apart from the ones previously is that they did not want to figure out how they would incorporate the ideas of the ancient civilization into their own structures, they cared more about what the ancient scholars had to say. Also instead of reading what someone else interpreted from the ancient authors, the humanists of the era wanted the original documents. The Renaissance also brought the new idea and beauty of a natural landscape into the picture.  Humanism is the philosophical view of human values, which then leads to mathematical comprehension. The work of this era was definitely rewarded, because after all of the studying of ancient authors they achieved the hierarchy of the ancient Roman structures upon the completion of Brunelleschi’s Dome.

            This unit is amazing; it really brings the use of knowledge and understanding to relativity. It is a wonderful comparison and makes anyone want too look back and look at our mistakes in the world of architecture. This unit backs up the main points and purpose by giving the reader something to compare to. They give the attempts to recreate ancient structures and the process that leads up to the accomplishment of the recreation. And it’s kind of ironic to see that something so difficult was actually very easy to establish a solution. I honestly think that this section will help tremendously in the world of architecture.