The Hidden Meanings of Architecture

The Hidden Meanings of Architecture

By Tim Williams

The Architecture of Power

From the time when buildings stopped being simply constructed as shelters from the weather and started having differentfunctions, they have been used to demonstrate power, wealth, and purpose.

First of all, we have to realize that architecture, like history, is unreliable, subjective, selective, rewritten, continues to be influenced by rich or powerful individuals or institutions, and is rarely a reflection of the common man. Much like a national costume, country dancing or folk music, architecture is too often used to preserve the, sometimes false, memory of a golden past.

Architecture represents an ideal. It can and should change with the passing of time to reflect new challenges, ambitions and values. The modern environment is where we live, work and play and so the role of modern architecture should benefit ordinary people while at the same time integrating the echoes of the past.

However, architecture has, and will always be, used as a symbol of power and wealth or as a visual way to promote ideologies. From the Roman Empire to the Shanghai skyline, the intention of the enduring architecture is to celebrate the triumph of the small class of ruling elite, despite masquerading as a cultural space.

In the times of the Greek and Roman Empires, where the majority of people were either illiterate or had only a very basic literacy, the form and structure of buildings visually communicated the ideas and beliefs of the culture. This can most obviously be seen in early temples which were big, strong, solid, and reflected how people saw their gods; that is, powerful and everlasting. The gods were beings to be held in awe, and the temples were the architectural equivalent and were equally held in awe at their size and elegance. The basic architectural shapes of the buildings we see have, therefore, an impact on our thoughts and behavior as human beings.

Probably the most well know and easily recognizable building from the classical period is the Parthenon in Athens [01]. This temple is dedicated to the goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered to be their protector.

The most striking aspect of most temples are the columns that support the whole structure. The complete column comprises a base, column and capital (the top of the column). However, we can’t really discuss architecture without some technical language, so let’s consider what an ‘Order’ is. An Order of Architecture is a set or rules or principles for designing buildings—like a building code. In Western-based architecture, anything called ‘classical’ means ‘ancient Greece and Rome.’ A Classical Order of architecture is the method of designing buildingsthat wasestablished in Greece or Rome during what we now call the Classical period, roughly from 850 BC to 476 AD. Temples and important public buildings were constructed according to five distinct Orders of Architecture[02], each using a different type of column and a different style of entablature (the upper portion of a building; that is, everythingthat the column supports). There have been, of course, many designs of columns throughout history, for example from Egypt, India, and China. But here we are looking only at Classical Greek columns and their influence.

The orders of the Parthenon are in the Doric style [03], that is, the bases are simple, the columns are thick and they have simple rounded capitals (the top of the columns) that end in a sturdy, flat slab that bears a heavy crossbeam. This style has been copied many times around the world, such as the main entrance to the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, London, built in 1682, [04] and more recently The Grange, Northington, [05]built in 1804 and Europe's first house designed with the external details of a Greek temple. This style can also be seen in the entrance to the International Conference Hall at Asia University. [06]

A taller, slimmer style of column is the Ionic Order, which carries a more delicate beam that is usually carved with a decoration. The Ionic capital is a graceful double spiral, perhaps derived from the horns of a ram [07]. This style can be seen on the Laura Lee Blanton Building at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.[07a]Ionic Order columns are used at various places around the campusat Asia University. [07b …07f]

The most elegant of all is the Corinthian column [08], designed around 420 B.C. in the rich merchant city of Corinth. Legends say that the inventor was a young bronze worker who saw a wicker basket, overgrown with acanthus leaves, decorating the grave of a young girl [08a]. But this design[08b], may actually have originated in Egypt, becoming more naturalistic as it passed into Greece. These Greek Orders were perfectly proportioned and were so well suited to their purpose that they have long inspired Western architects. Corinthian Order columns can be seen at the main entrance to Asia University [09a] and at the library entrance. [09b]There are also many smaller buildings that use classical columns in their design and many use symbolic columns, known as ‘pilasters’ [10], that only have an ornamental function.

Just outside Asia University, in the town of Wufeng, there are also columns to be seen. Some in a classical style and some in a more ‘general’ style, but they all have the same social function – to make the building look more imposing. The first example uses columns we have not considered before, but as we can see [11a], they do a good job of contributing to an imposing-looking building[11b]. We also see a general design of pillar on these houses [12]. Further down the road there is a well-know restaurant that has used Corinthian columns both structurally [13a] and ornamentally [13b]. Columns really start to do their job of making buildings look big, strong, and solid when they are used on larger buildings, like these on the road between Wufeng and Dali [13c, 13d], and these banks [13e, 13f] Banks always like to have columns as it makes them look strong and dependable, which is a always good public image to maintain.

So the message is; if you want a building to look imposing and important – use columns from the classical period. In fact, using almost anything from the classical Greek and Roman period will have the effect of giving a sense of power and importance to a building. This is why many government buildings have a least some parts of their design reflecting, or copying, this grand style.

Other examples of grandeur are the Flavian Amphitheater in Rome, or as it is known nowadays, the Colosseum[14],and the famous Arch of Titus [15a] which was built to demonstrate and celebrate the triumph of the Roman army over the Judeans (what style are these capitals?). On this archthere are carvings of the Jews carrying their treasures from Judea into Rome. These monumental constructions were financed with money that came from the Roman victories over the Jews in Judea, and were mainly built using Judean slaves.

From this reconstruction of the Colosseum [15] we can see it had three rows of engaged columns (= columns embedded in a wall and partly projecting from the surface) on the outside, plus a top row of engaged pilasters, forming four stories in all. The lowest column row is in the strong Doric style, then came the more slender Ionic columns, and finally there are elegant Corinthian columns for the upper two rows of the building. On the top were vertically-set wooden beams which formed a brace upon which to suspend an awning that covered over spectators during the hot days of summer. [16]

A stylized copy of the basic design of the wall of the Colosseum can be seen around the gym at Asia university. But this bears only a passing resemblance to the real Colosseum, and has only a decorative purpose. [17]

It is worth remembering that the Colosseum was built only for the games that were held there, and these games were always about death. Wild animals attacking and killing prisoners, criminals being executed, women fighting and killing, gladiators fighting and killing. Thousands of animals were slaughtered in a single day and many gladiators and prisoners died horrible deaths. People would go for an entire day of entertainment; so the structure of this building had to perfectly suit its purpose – entertainment. Everyone had to be able to arrive, find their seats easily, and leave quickly and easily, everyone need to be able to see all the action, and it needed to be possible to remove the bodies and change the ‘stages’ quickly.

But why would we want to copy and glorify such terrible killing?

For the purpose of images of power.

To think of a building as a ‘form’ implies conceiving it in three essential ways. First, it involves a consideration of how the building is made, and therefore an evaluation of its nature as a structure and of the activity of the person who has made it. Architectural form is something shaped by processes of design and construction, and by those involved in putting up a building—the owner, architect, contractors, and workmen—and how they feel about themselves and their work.

Second, to speak of the ‘form’ of a building is often to see it in a diagrammatic way, without consideration of its details. This means that the varieties of architectural form most commonly seen as significant are basic formations, like the columns, capitals and entablatures, the pediment and roof, and the arch.

Third, these schematic formal appearances are considered significant because of their capacity not just to suggest something purely architectural, but also to convey wider social or intellectual meanings.

Architecture has the ability to influence the way we understand the world. If we look at architectural history, the relation between monumental architecture and political power can consistently be seen. Architecture allows us to show social and cultural traditions and practices. Hence, leaders use it to express the way that they understand reality and express how they desire to be seen by the people and to enforce their opinions and views and carry their power over the population.

Roman leaders used architecture to display power and domination in order to keep their legacy as a society with power and wealth in the world, hence their buildings had an enormous effect on the way architects designed buildings in the western side of the world, and this still continues today. Architecture used as a symbol of power and wealth, or a visual way to promote ideologies can be seen everywhere.

Vocabulary Definitions

1.unreliable (adj.) = can not be trusted or believed

He's not very reliable. You can't always trust him to do what he says he'll do.

2.subjective (n) = of a judgment or decision based on feelings or opinions rather than facts.

Dreaming is a subjective experience.

3.influence (n) = the power to produce an effect without seeming to use of force or direct command; the power to cause an effect in an indirect way.

Her parents are concerned that her new friends may have a bad influence on her.

4.preserve (v) = to keep safe from damage or harm. To keep alive.

These laws are intended to help preserve our natural resources.

5.integrate (v) = to combine two or more things to make or create something

The car's design successfully integrates art and technology.

6.ideology (n) = the set of ideas and beliefs that are shared by a group, or the set of ideas and beliefs of a political party.

He says that the election is not aboutideology, but about the economy of the nation.

7.endure (v) = to continue in the same state or condition, or, to experience pain or suffering for a long time.

Heenduredfive years as a prisoner of war.

8.masquerade (n/v) = an action or appearance that is a disguise. / To fake the appearance of something.

He wasmasqueradingunder a false name.

Although she was deeply bored, she maintained amasqueradeof polite interest as her guest continued talking.

9.illiterate (adj.) = having a lack of knowledge about a particular subject, and especially being without the ability to read or write.

David may not beilliteratebut I think he is close to it. I never saw him read a newspaper.

10.equivalent (adj.) = of something that has the same value, use, meaning, etc., as another thing.

Those less-known companies manufactureequivalentproducts at cheaper prices.

11.impact (n) = a powerful or major influence or effect.

We need to be concerned about the environmentalimpactof all these new buildings.

12.established (v) = to begin or create something that is meant to last for a long time.

He was never able toestablish a close relationship with his son.

13.bears (v) = to support a heavy weight (plus many other meanings).

How much weight is that wall able tobear?

14.proportioned (v) = of something that has parts that relate in size to the other parts in a particular way.

The sculpture was poorlyproportioned, the hands were much too long.

15.inspired (v) = to make someone want to do something; to give someone an idea about what to do or create.

Her early childhood experiencesinspiredherto writeher first novel.

16.grandeur (n) = of something with a great and impressive quality.

His photography shows the beauty andgrandeurof the mountains.

17.monumental (adj.) = of something that is very big or extreme.

Repairing the damage caused by the typhoon will be amonumentaltask.

18.awning (n) = a piece of material on a frame that sticks out over a door or window and provides shelter from sun, rain, snow, etc.

The new row of shops all had brightly colored awnings that reachedout over the pavement.

19.conceive (v) = to think about something or create something in the mind.

The author of the Harry Potter stories, J.K. Rowling, conceived [=imagined] an entire world of wizards and amazing creatures.

20.diagram (n) = a drawing that explains or shows the parts of something

Thisdiagramshows how the main parts of a computer work together.

21.schematic (adj.) = a simple drawing or diagram that shows the main parts of something.

All good businesses should have aschematicdiagram/representation of their business model.

Websites and resources

Watch these YouTube videos to fully understand how advanced Roman architecture became.

Colosseum reconstruction

Colosseum reconstruction (animation)

Roman engineering

Colosseum entertainment

For more information about the role of columns in modern building design, see the images here:

If you find Roman Architecture interesting there is an on-line course by Professor Diana Kleiner of Yale University.

To see some examples of Egyptian columns, many of which pre-dated columns from the classical period, see here:

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