Compare and contrast the development of architectural styles seen in the buildings in London from a historical and contemporary perspective As technology and the design world for architecture have grown London looks more professional each year. This question allows me to explore the similarities and differences of London’s progress in style. I am able to explore reasons for each building and London’s range of well-known monuments. As the years develop the architecture in London aims to be unique. As I investigate this topic of research I could answer the following questions. How has London changed over the previous years? What influenced the design of the famous buildings in London? What are some of the similarities and differences between London’s old and new buildings? What are the future constructions of buildings in London? Do changes in architectural style reflect change in the public’s aesthetic? The architectural debate for form and function could be an area of interest. To explore this question gives me a great advantage in understanding London’s artistic designs and also adds to my own personal knowledge and design ideas. (1)“We've been designing more and more complicated glass boxes for 30 years, to try and reduce energy load with three layers of glass and louvres in between the sheets - rather than just accepting it should be a solid wall with a window in”- Ken Shuttleworth maker of the Gherkin. Shuttleworth is an example of how the architects in London are thinking out side the box but are also keeping an eye on its efficiency. The design for London’s building has rapidly changed and artists like Ken Shuttleworth have been along for the ride of London’s newest and historical developments over the last 30 years. With reference to the quote above, London is always on the brink of new and fresh designs, for the past 30 years and for the years to come. The change in taste has become more modern. This change in artistic direction reflects the buildings that we see in London. While comparing the historical and newer buildings I will start off by comparing St Paul’s Cathedral to the Shard.
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1720(5)
OWN IMAGE
2012(4)
(4)The Shard is made out of glass making it a sharp feature in London’s sky line. During the architectural designs English Heritage criticized Renzo Piano, and was told that the Shard is like "a shard of glass through the heart of historic London". However Piano believes that his design was sophisticated and has a more delicate meaning. The building is designed to reflect the weather; the glass panels are angled to reflect the sunlight and the sky in general. The general appearance of the Shard became a topic of conversation and Renzo Piano was inspired by a number of images including the railway lines at the station next to the building, the spires from the 18th century tradition from the painter Canaletto and lastly the masts on ships. Piano’s inspirations are based on tall and striking objects, which is how the Shard can be seen by the public. The shard belongs to Sellar Property and the State of Qatar with joint owner ship with Sellar Property on behalf of LBQ ltd.
(5)St Paul’s Cathedral, is a traditional church and well known building. The previous building had a gothic look; this was presented through the big windows and steep arches. Compared to the modern design of new St Paul’s the building was partially made from wood, which started to decay at a later date, more so around the 16th century. In 1561 lightning destroyed the spires. Due to the fire the Cathedral burnt down and was then reconstructed. The original model could have been remade however a modern look was decided instead. Sir Christopher Wren, when designing St Paul’s had to make sure that the requirements suited the design of a church as well as the medieval tradition in England. Wren was familiar with the Renaissance and Baroque theme which originated from Italian architecture. He learnt the art from François Mansart who uses the same English medieval style in his work. The circular dome on the Cathedral in the first design was influenced by the architectural work on Temple (6) which is the Church of England. However as it was not stately enough the design was rejected. The second design consisted of a Greek cross however this wasn’t accepted as it didn’t meet the requirements of Anglican liturgy. In the 1600’s most of London was very religious and the church had great power. They had lots of money which allowed them to build St Paul’s, remodeling it many times.
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(5)The images above refer to the designs that were made by Sir Christopher Wren. -The designs change with a lot of differences however there is always a top tower dome which got smaller over the course of the designs. Each design kept to the English Medieval look. The first design was the Greek cross design, the second was the Warrant design and lastly St Paul’s itself. Comparison: 5
(5)St Paul’s Cathedral
OWN IMAGE
The Shard
St Paul’s Cathedral has a wider range of patterns and is more traditional compared to the 2012 design of the Shard. The Shard is much taller compared to the cathedral, which is a lot wider. The purpose of the height could be due to its use of retail, hotel and office space, which needs much more space. The Shard is made out of glass which gives the building a sleek noticeable finish. The Cathedral has less glass but more arched windows fitting in with the medieval style of English architecture compared to the
modernized Shard. The Shard doesn’t have a dome, instead is just very narrow at the top. Unlike most of the buildings in London the Shard emerges from the traditional mold creating its own tradition. There are not many similarities between the two buildings which show that from 1720-2012 the design on architecture in London had changed. St Paul’s Church stuck to its traditional style in terms of the arched windows however influences such as the Arch Bishop of Canterbury and the Bishops of London had agreed with Oxford to make the new design "handsome and noble to all the ends of it and to the reputation of the City and the nation". This allowed Wren to make the Church more modern, for example changing the size of the dome and increasing the height of the building. The Cathedral which is used as a place of worship has the style of a church due to its function, therefore having church like features e.g. a cross. The shard is a multipurpose building and does not have any religious aspects. However the shard is built for business workers and therefore looks formal. For example the Shard is made out of glass which gives it a formal finish opposed to a building, which is colorful, and is less formal. (13)Parts of the Shard are open to the public whereas the church is free for public use. This maybe because the shard is also made up of different office sectors so therefore would be off limits. The dome on St Paul’s Cathedral was a big step in the architectural business. However more modern buildings were then created- e.g. the Shard. Other buildings such as 30 St Mary Axe and Tower Bridge were also built in London GHERKIN: OWN IMAGE
(14)
(14)1894
(8)2003
(8)30 St Mary Axe ((11) known as the Gherkin due to its shape) was designed by Norman Foster and Arup. (9)One possible influence could be from Venus Flower Basket Sponge (Left). The diamond pattern on the building is just like the pattern on the flower. Compared to the more traditional buildings the gherkin doesn’t follow the normal patterned medieval tradition. This is because the taste is a lot more modern in today’s society therefore the building styles will be modern. (10)The inside is split into a club room, a Sweden insurance company and public space. While making the building the environmental aspects were also considered, in terms of the wind flow around the building. Also natural ventilation to help economically was also added to the building. (14)Tower Bridge which was designed by Sir Horace James is 800 wide and 213 feet in height. The bridge can open up to 86 degrees when letting boats through. The bridge received many comments such as "It represents the vice of tawdriness and pretentiousness, and of falsification of the actual facts of the structure" and "A more absurd structure than the Tower Bridge was never thrown across a strategic river". The comments suggest that the bridge was a pointless structure and could have been re redesigned for a river which was consistently used. Despite this comment the public today enjoy the view of the Tower Bridge, becoming a tourist attraction. The change in opinions could be due to the time period in which the taste for style has changed. Also this comment was made by one person so therefore it’s hard to tell if there were loads of people who thought about the bridge in the same way. (Self-taken images)
Comparison: The first difference between Tower Bridge and the Gherkin is the function; the bridge is used as a footpath and for cars to drive over it to get to the other side. The Gherkin is a building for business therefore the shape and the design is very different. The height is very different, the bridge is very low down as cars and people would need to pass through it. Whereas the Gherkin is higher, this could be due to the function of the building. The Gherkin is also covered with glass and presents a diamond patterns whereas the bridge has windows and is made out of bricks. Tower Bridge has tower tops rather than a dome like the Gherkin so the bridge breaks out of the dome tradition. Tower Bridge was finished in 1894 whereas the Gherkin was finished in 2003. The time differences shows a difference between the modern and more traditional building due to the tower affect that the bridge has. The Gherkin despite looking modern keeps intact with the tradition as it has a small dome at the top. This shows that even though the buildings are becoming more modern they still have an old style aspect to it. As the bridge needs to be
sturdy the solid bricks will hold the weight whereas the Gherkin doesn’t need to hold loads of cars and isn’t surrounded by water. This could be one reason why the building isn’t made out of bricks. Tower Bridge is stretching across a sea whereas the Gherkin builds upwards needing less space, again due to function. Therefore form and function is very important when considering these two different buildings. The styles on buildings at first become a notable trend and so many architects would adapt their own work to the match the trend. However once the trend becomes more popular and loved it takes on its own style and tradition amongst designers and the public. This means that as time has changed more and more architects have different opinions on the way a building should look. Landmarks with the gothic style at one point ended and the modern taste started to become the new trend consisting of the glass texture and the competition for the tallest building which would gain more publicity. Therefore there was a point in architectural development where the design ideas changed from the gothic style to the more modern style in one building and then the next designer would carry on that similar appearance and so on. These points of change in appearance are noted by many people and it keeps the ideas of different buildings fresh and intact. (16)Richard Rogers designed the Lloyd’s building in order for office use. The 14 floored building with 12 lifts/escalators was influenced by Archigram (17)an architectural group who based their designs around futuristic means. (18) Lloyd’s building, which is used as an insurance company is made up of three service towers and three main towers. The lifts/staircase are positioned to give the overall image a rectangular shape in order to make more room. Lloyd’s is open to the public and a unique style. The shape is not like many others in London and is very noticeable. Unlike the more traditional buildings there is an absence of a (16)1986 dome with medieval theme to it. The Lloyd’s building References: has a titanium look to it standing out from many designs. The idea of the change in style keeps the appearance of London different and new. When Richard Rogers created the building he said: (19)"Buildings are not idiosyncratic private institutions: they give public performances both to the user and the passerby. Thus the architect's responsibility must go beyond the client's program and into the broader public realm…” 16
By this he means that when creating a building it’s important to consider both the public and the people using it. This is thought by many other architects to as many of the buildings look aesthetically pleasing.
Other buildings such as the Orbit were made to serve a purpose of looking over the Olympic park. (7) (7)The ArcelorMittal is grand structure which was built to allow the visitors of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to view and observe the grounds. The structure is 114.5m tall and cost £22.7 million to make. The designers Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmound were told that the building needed to match the standards of the Eiffel Tower. Kapoor’s influence came from the Tower of Babel. He said that he wanted the Olympic structure of have a mythical feeling about it. Both designers agreed that the Orbit was new way of (7)2012 thinking- "a radical new piece of structure and architecture and art". Balmound has said that inside the building was cathedral like and Kapoor had said that the inside had a spiral feeling almost as if you’re going up and up- this feeling is similar to the Eiffel tower as from previous experiences while going up the tower some of the steps spiral upwards. The Orbit and the London Eye were made of the public’s attraction and purpose. The London Eye serves the purpose of showing the public the whole of London. Just like the Orbit the wheel serves a purpose in a form of entertainment. (Self-taken images)
Overall London’s buildings have changed rapidly from designs like St Paul’s Cathedral to designs like the Orbit. The designs that have been made in today’s society excite the people of London making them interested and intrigued by the architectural shapes. Tower Bridge is a well-known landmark in London and has survived many uses over its time. Today the bridge is an important part for Londoners as it’s used for foot paths and to allow cars cross London. London Bridge despite its appearance could have been built in a simpler way. For example it could have been a red bridge made out of metal and other material. However due to its actual appearance the bridge would be designed with more technical detail as the bridge would be seen by many people worldwide. Tourists would go to London to see the Tower Bridge and Londoner’s themselves are proud to have such prestigious monuments in their skyline. The main purpose of the bridge was for transport however despite this function if the bridge didn’t look nice it would affect the way London looked today. Many people would believe that if something has to be built, to build it in a way where it serves both form and function, but for it to also look aesthetically pleasing.
(20)The gothic design on buildings started with the architectural work built by Abbot Suger who built the Basilica of St Denis. The building consists of the high roofs and arches with the large bay windows. The style which has progressed on from the style of Romanesque architecture and Renaissance architecture had flourished amongst many building in the world. In the Early English Period of English Gothic the style once developed had clashed with other styles mixing both old and new styles together. As the buildings discussed were made they styles were a mix of gothic and more modern day designs. At first the style was previously known as ‘the French Style’ as the theme had come from France, but then those in other countries such as England also started to use the same gothic style. When the buildings such as Westminster Hall and Canterbury Cathedral were built the style had spread. This leads me to believe that as many people were intrigued by the design more and more architects began to use the same style. This could be because it was appreciated and improved of by many people. For example if the style was not appreciated by many people the design wouldn’t spread however, because many people enjoyed the appearance more and more buildings had interpreted the gothic style. London’s designs rely on form and function. However through research the interest of the public is also important when designs are being built. If London’s buildings were full of square and boxed in designs, the appearance of London would look dull. Not many people would enjoy the sight and just to be in presence of the buildings wouldn’t capture the appreciation of many people like it does today. Due to its famous buildings, London has become its own tourist attraction filled with its own smaller attractions within. Those in London welcome the change for a new design and artists always want to improve the sight. As new designs are taken notice of amongst the public, architects are more likely to want to find new changes and would want to put more effort in to improving the style of new buildings in town. The overall designs have changed from the gothic style to the more glass plated solid style. This is due to the taste becoming bolder and solid compared to the more traditional and respectably detailed patterns. During my exam unit I had a chance to explore London further as I was working with my client TFL. When recreating building I was able to look closely at the different details on each building, for example Tower Bridge. Through Tower Bridge I was able to actually recreate the detail on the towers on Photoshop. I also had the chance to see for myself how London’s buildings have changed and differed from my research of the historical buildings.
References: 1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22469044 2. http://www.google.co.uk/search?client=safari&rls=en&hl=en&q=st+pa ul's&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.52434380,d.ZGU,pv.xjs.s.en_US.RJfod4 swqLE.O&biw=1664&bih=898&dpr=1&um=1&ie=UTF8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=I2pBUpGzKNKrhAf6y4GoCA #facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Xz8uRy9UP0ZgaM%3A%3Bh0kJ73xTBxn07M %3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fupload.wikimedia.org%252Fwikipedia%252 Fcommons%252F0%252F0a%252FSt_Paul's_old._From_Francis_Bond%2 52C_Early_Christian_Architecture._Last_book_1913..jpg%3Bhttp%253A %252F%252Fen.wikipedia.org%252Fwiki%252FSt_Paul's_Cathedral%3B1 894%3B1100 3. Blank 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shard 5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Paul's_Cathedral 6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Church 7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArcelorMittal_Orbit 8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_St_Mary_Axe 9. http://www.biomimetic-architecture.com/2010/lord-fosters-naturalinspiration-the-gherkin-tower/ 10. http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/669/30-st-mary-axe-thegherkin-london 11. http://www.engagingplaces.org.uk/teaching%20resources/art63639 12. Blank 13. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21287233 14. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Bridge 15. Blank 16. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd's_building 17. http://designmuseum.org/design/archigram 18. http://www.designbookmag.com/lloydsbuilding.htm 19. http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Lloyds_Building.html 20. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Gothic_architecture
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