Many words and names come to mind when discussing modern
architecture and its inspiration. Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Mies
van der Rohe are household names when it comes to modern architecture, but
Voillet le Duc, John Ruskin, and Gottfried Semper are three important figures
in the modern architecture movement. Each one of these individuals brought
similar and different philosophies, perspectives and views on the future of
modern architecture and how it should be approached based on history. Although
these men have a few qualities in common, they also have very different perspectives
on how architecture should be approached.
Viollet le Duc aimed to establish
rational logic in Gothic architecture and believed Gothic architecture itself
was “rational” architecture. Voillet le Duc was also involved in many
restoration projects He believed that architecture had to do with the faculty
of reasoning and that the artist must be conscious of the logical process which
is behind successful architecture. To him, the artist must analyze masterpieces
of the past and reduce them to a process of argument then apply the argument to
his own problems. He also believed
independence of the mind was essential in that the artist must discover
architecture for his or herself.
Unlike Viollet le Duc, Ruskin argued
against restoration. He believed that ancient building should be preserved and
that restoration erases the history that is embedded in the decay of an old
building. He came up with the Seven Lamps of Architecture, which consisted of
sacrifice, truth, power, beauty, life, memory and obedience. These lamps were
considered vital and could not be separated from all forms of architecture. Ruskin
had a very strong connection with nature because he emphasized the importance
of nature and natural forms and rejected mechanization and standardization.
Like Viollet le Duc, he admired Medieval and Gothic architecture. He believed both
forms of architecture embodied an organic relationship between the worker,
community, natural environment, built environment and the Most High. His ideas
influenced William Morris, Le Corbusier, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright and
Walter Gropius.
Gottfried Semper’s goal was to
establish a taxonomy of architecture of style and form . he applied scientific
methods of analysis in the application of color in classical architecture. He
believed all built forms had four categories. Those categories were: hearth,
substructure or platform, the roof, enclosure. One of Semper’s major written
works was called De Stil. The goal of De
Stil was to understand and clarify processes regarding style. He also came up with a formula for style
U=C(x,y,z,t,v,w . . .)
He believed
style was strategic and must be seen as a reflection of social and political conditions
of the time. To Semper, style was comprised by direction, proportion, and
symmetry. He believed in unifying his concept of style with the idea of
including what was learned from previous style of architecture, such as Greek,
Gothic and Baroque.
All in all, these three individuals had
very little, if any similarities. Both Ruskin and Viollet le Duc were Gothic
enthusiasts and worshiped the High Gothic period and the both emphasized truth
within architecture. Even Semper admired and was somewhat inspired by Gothic
architecture. Viollet le Duc believed heavily in restoration while Ruskin
believed in preservation. Semper took on a more practical and technical
approach to architecture but very well emphasized the importance of aesthetic
qualities that Viollet le Duc and Ruskin held on to.
Sources:
Hvattum, Mari V (2006, March).
Gottfried Semper and the Problem of Historicism. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25068251?origin=JSTOR-pdf
Pevsner, N (1969). Ruskin and
Viollet le Duc: Englishness and Frenchness in Appreciation of Gothic
Architecture,. Londen: Thames and Hudson.
Poerschke, Ute. (2012)/ Architecture
as a Mathematical Function: Reflections on Gottfried Semper
Summerson, J. (1963). Violet le Duc
and the Rational Point of View. Heavenly Mansions and other essays on
architecture (pp. 140-159). New York: WW Norton
