From the Paper "Glass blocks are non-loadbearing masonry units which are made by molding two sections of glass and bonding them together. The interior of the block is hermetically sealed in order to prevent condensation. Most such blocks allow light to pass through, but they are often designed to distort the view to ensure privacy. Some blocks, however, are relatively transparent, and special blocks have been designed to direct light upward or downward for certain building requirements. Bulletproof blocks have also been developed.
The recommended sizes for glass blocks, always square, are 6 inches, 8 inches, and 12 inches, each with a recommended 1/4-inch mortar joint. Round-ended blocks are also available to cap the sides or tops of block walls. Other sizes and shapes are also available. The mortar-bearing surfaces of the glass blocks have ... "
From the Paper "Pompeii was rediscovered and excavated in the eighteenth century as one of the finest and most preserved examples of Roman architecture. Combined with the Roman influence was a pattern of development from several of the contemporaneous Mediterranean cultures of the time, which gave Pompeii a unique architectural flavor. It is this uniqueness that will become the central focus of this paper on the cultural history of Pompeii as reflected in the town's domestic architecture. The paper will begin with a brief history of the city of Pompeii, and then overview the different cultural influences which shaped the city itself. Then, the domestic architecture will be described, with a more detailed look at the influences of the Oscans, Greeks, Etruscans, Samnites, and Carthaginians. Of special note will be the influences of Rome on the city prior to the eruption of Mount ... "
This paper examines some of the major historical developments in British architecture, from Inigo Jones in the 17th century through Sir Charles Barry in the early 19th century.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 4 sources, 1991, $ 39.95
From the Paper "The architecture of Great Britain has a long history, and over that history architecture has ranged from the simplest hovel to the most elaborate palace. The first architect of the English Renaissance was Inigo Jones. He went to Italy twice, once in 1600 and again in 1613; he returned a thoroughgoing Palladian, and not a follower of the Early Baroque. He built a Banqueting Hall at Whitehall in London that conforms in every respect to the principles embodied in Palladio's treatise, though it does not copy any specific building by Palladio. The building is rather symmetrical, self-sufficient, and more like a Renaissance palazzo than any other building above the Alps. The style of Jones is supported by Palladio's authority as a theorist, and it stood as a beacon of classicist orthodoxy in ... "
Saint Peter's Church, Basilica of St. Peter, is the largest church in the world; located in the Vatican, Rome, over the grave of Peter the Apostle; has 29 alters in addition to the high alter. Interior length, 615 ft; width at front, 87 ft; length of transept 450 ft. First consecrated in 326 A.D.; rebuilt with many changes in plans, among which was Bramante's, which was later changed from a Greek cross to a Latin cross ground plan. After 1547, construction was under the direction of Michelangelo, who designed the dome, which has a diameter of 138 ft and a height of 404 ft to the top of the lantern; consecrated in 1626.
Hagia Sophia, is an outstanding example of Byzantine architecture (Constantinople); originally built as a church by..."
From the Paper "Frank Lloyd Wright's work was always unique and focused on achieving practical and functional aims. Early in his career, Wright conceived of the idea of "organic architecture." Using this idea, he "adapted his creations to their environments as well as to the special needs of their inhabitants, using open planning, natural colors, forms, and textures in his designs" (Smith 241). Wright's development as an architect was consistent in terms of his efforts to merge each building with its surroundings. In addition, his work showed consistency in the use of open space and the employment of unified themes. At the same time, there were certain innovations in Wright's development which appeared as abrupt changes in style or content. This paper will examine Wright's life and career, making note of both the consistencies and innovations that were exhibited in his work."
A description and comparison of the Spanish palace and Japanese temple built in the late 14th century, including an overview of styles, decorations, designs and the impact of religions and cultures.
4,050 words (approx. 16.2 pages), 18 sources, 1993, $ 135.95
From the Paper "The Alhambra is the name of a palace located in Granada, Spain. It was built in the late fourteenth century by Islamic Moors who were occupying the country at the time. The Kinkakuji (or "Golden Temple") in Kyoto, Japan, was also built during the late fourteenth century. It was commissioned to be built by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, a Samurai Shogun leader. Both of these works are notable for their merging of architectural structures with garden landscapes. Both buildings are also notable because their unique characteristics were influenced by the religious philosophies and cultural beliefs of their builders. However, many differences can also be seen in comparing these two works. These differences are largely due to the fact that the Spanish Moors were influenced by the expansive beliefs of Islam whereas the Japanese Shoguns were influenced by the calm, meditative..."
From the Paper "The readings under discussion concern the issues of modernism and postmodernism and the manner in which each has been manifested in terms of the shaping of urban space. Modernism is, after all, part of an effort to create a new environment to replace the old around the turn of the century, following in the wake of similar changes in political, social, literary, and other spheres of society. The application of these ideas to public space extends their meaning directly to society as a whole, attempting to alter the way we think of ourselves in relation to our external, public environment in keeping with the other changes taking place in human thought and attitude. Postmodernity was similarly a reaction to modernity and again a new way of viewing the world and our relationship to it. Each successive movement seems to build on the last either by..."
Examines Romanesque & Gothic religious architecture (styles, techniques, materials, themes) as expressions of Roman Catholic beliefs in monotheistic God & role of humans in universe.
3,375 words (approx. 13.5 pages), 14 sources, 1994, $ 119.95
From the Paper "The word "cathedral" comes from the Latin root "cathedra," literally, a bishop's throne (King 105-107). The Middle Ages in France, particularly the latter days of the medieval era, were virtually rife with cathedrals and religious architecture. This was the era of the Roman Catholic Church, a time when God was with mankind everywhere; when king and peasant alike acknowledged the religious authority of the Pope (albeit sometimes grudgingly); when "the history of the world is the history of the Lord extended through the lengthy annals of human life" (Focillon, Gothic 75). Miracles, angels and saints were a literal part of a medieval Frenchman's worldview. So were demons, devils, Apocalypse and Last Judgement. The cathedral, the bishop's "throne," in its art and architecture was the "encyclopedia in stone" of that worldview (Mirsky 140). More.."
Abstract This paper investigate fire fatalities, caused by faulty structural trusses. It describes specific fires in which burning buildings crumbled onto firefighters and its inhabitants. The paper examines new techniques and equipment used to fight fire in buildings with trusses and it advises on evacuating all rescue personnel from a truss structured building once the roof ignites.
Table of Contents:
The Risks of Trusses in Fire Cases
Fire Suppression Under Trusses Structures
Possible Attempts for Under-Trusses Firefighting
Bibliography
From the Paper "Structures often play the important role when a building is on fire. Upon many reviews, there are a lot of fires claiming for lives of the inhabitants of the building, but there are also some cases, which had taken the firefighters? lives as well. Such cases should not have happened, but limited information of the building's structures and length of fire could have caused it.
Chesapeake automobile warehouse happened to be a fatal case of fire (NFPA, 2002). The 12-year old building was constructed under lightweight wood trusses. There were two steel frames and another brick construction located at the building. The trusses were built using the combination of wood and metal plates that joined them altogether."
Abstract This paper first illustrates the argument that cultures of achievement are essential to democratic society. Then, methodologies for introducing such cultures to a community are proposed and examples of a plausible organization that seeks to achieve this goal in the form of an intra-mural squash club are given.
From the Paper "In a book called Geography of Nowhere - The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape, James Howard Kunstler makes a dismal observation about the landscape of America. Whereas America was once a land of Our-Town-esque Main Streets and cogent communities, it has fallen into an amorphous array of highways, fast food restaurants, parking lots and sprawling pre-fab housing developments. He makes the claim that Eighty percent of everything ever built in America has been built in the last fifty years, and most of it is depressing, brutal, ugly, unhealthy, and spiritually degrading. The diffusion of American society to the corners of the carbon-copy suburbs and exurbs is lamentable, however, one is forced to ask why people fled the urban neighborhoods that had formed the nuclei of social interaction.
Robert Putnam, Dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, blames the alienation of the individual from society on the decline of group-oriented social activities. Not only does he see these as key to building better communities, he claims that they are essential to the American Republic. His book, Bowling Alone, has been considered the most important work on society in America in the 1990?s. In an interview about his book, Putnam described why he considered a competitive sport such as bowling to be such a crucial element in society. Writing in 1994, Putnam notes that although bowling alone, which is non-competitive, is up by 10% since 1980, the existence of competitive bowling leagues was down by 40%."
Abstract This paper briefly examines various facets relating to the St Cernin Church, located in Toulouse, France. It provides historical data about where and when the Church was built and looks at some famous people linked to the Church such as Saint Thomas Aquinas. It shows the role the Church played in the Crusades and other historical facts.
From the Paper "The St. Sernin Church in Toulouse, France was built between 1080 and 1120 A.D. and is considered an exquisite medieval monument to the architecture of the Romanesque period (French Architecture 2002). The Basilica of St. Sernin was consecrated on July 8th, 1097 by Urban II, after it was restored by the canon, St. Raymond (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14795b.htm). The first bishop of Toulouse, Saint Saturnin, who was martyred in 250 A.D. is emtombed at the Basilica (Lowry 84).?"
Abstract This paper is an examination of Mayan architecture which emerged from the rainforests of Guatemala and Yucatan. The writer maintains that the detailed architecture was a fitting monument to the highly sophisticated civilization that existed in the region before the Spanish arrived. This look at the style of Mayan architecture includes a diagram highlighting the areas of construction in Copan. The paper argues that Mayan culture was more than a collection of buildings in that every aspect of architecture was linked to the sacred world around. In conclusion the writer explains that the temple pyramid which symbolizes Mayan architectural skill is also a statement of their cosmographic ideas. Everything has a beginning and end. Everything is the beginning and the end.
From the Paper "Deep in the tangled rainforests of Guatemala and the Yucatan, the Maya made some of the greatest contributions to world architecture. Their stone cities complete with temples, palaces, tombs, and ball courts are fitting monuments to the complex, and highly sophisticated civilization that existed in these regions many centuries before the arrival of the Spanish. Mayan priest-astronomers made elaborate calculations to catalog the passage of time. Great warrior kings immortalized themselves and their deeds on stelae, recording for future generations the contributions they had made toward maintaining the cosmic order. The Maya were the only Pre-Columbian people to ever have invented a complete system of writing".
Tags: emerged, rainforests, detailed, civilization, monument, diagram, sacred, buildings, construction
A look at the evolution of the structure of the Christian church over the centuries and the many architecture styles and features it has encorporated over its lifetime.
Abstract This paper follows the architectural progression of the Christian church from its earliest beginnings and examines how between the sixth century and the thirteenth centuries in Europe, there wre many advances and changes in the methodology of church building. In particular, the paper shows how Hagia Sophia from the Early Christian Period, Ste.-Foy from the Romanesque Period and St.-Denis from the Gothic Period can be compared and contrasted in the progression of the Christian design.
From the Paper "Five hundred years later, between 1050 and 1120, Church building entered the Romanesque style of architecture. The church of Ste.-Foy in Conques is a perfect example of this style. Constructed as a pilgrimage church, it is rather small but has a large transept. Having to deal with a large traffic flow, the biggest innovation of the Romanesque design was the radiating chapel scheme. Unlike Hagia Sophia, which contained an apse under each semi dome, Ste.-Foy had an apse from which a series of three chapels radiated. Flanking the apse on either side are two more, slightly larger chapels, for a total of five. This use of an ambulatory allowed for maximum traffic flow."
Abstract Compares two styles: the Romanesque and the Gothic. Connections and variations between the two movements. Com0ares the Norman Romanesque Abbey Church of Saint-Etienne, and the Gothic Cathedraal of Notre Dame in Paris. How the two churches demonstrate characteristics of each movement. Difference in aesthetic aims. Conception of space and effects.
From the Paper "The Romanesque and Gothic movements both included a wide range of variants that developed over the centuries and from one locale to the next. The two styles were also intimately connected since many of the advances in church construction made by the Romanesque builders were the basis of the achievement of the Gothic era which took them, literally, to new heights as builders strove to make churches lighter, more open, and more brightly glowing than had been dreamed of before. Despite the intrinsic connection between the two movements the distinctions between them are very significant and, despite the range of regional and chronological variations, churches of both types consistently present numerous characteristics that distinguish them as Romanesque or Gothic. A comparison of the Norman Romanesque abbey church of Saint-Etienne (begun c. 1068) at ..."
Abstract The original list of the Seven Wonders was compiled when the city of Egypt was the center of Western civilization. This paper describes how over time the list of Wonders became regularized, the finalists being the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos, the Mausoleum at Halicamassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Pharos at Alexandria. The writer looks in detail at each wonder.
From the Paper "The first Wonder of the World is the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. The Great Pyramid was built over a twenty year period. The site was first prepared, and then blocks of stone were transported and placed. An outer casing was then used to smooth the surface. Although it is not known how the blocks were put in place, several theories have been proposed. One theory involves the construction of a straight or spiral ramp that was raised as the construction proceeded. A second theory suggests that the blocks were placed using long levers with a short angled foot. The online Wikipedia Encyclopedia says, "There is enough blocks in the pyramid to build a wall 10 foot tall, all the way
the country of France" (Seven 1). The Great Pyramid is one of the most important because it has withstood weather conditions and aging."
Tags: civilization, monuments, pyramid, history, construction
