First Response

Katie,
Your general concept is interesting, but still much too broad in my opinion. To research your question in depth and write about it would require you to write a book. It would be more reasonable to select two countries, perhaps France or Italy and Spain, because differences in architecture do reflect the differences between western culture and moorish culture and there would still be more than enough to research. I see that you've done some research, but I don't see citations listed under the page element, Online Resources.

More Spanish Architectural Buildings

http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbi.cgi/Casa_Batllo.html/cid_aj3272_b.html

Built in Barcelona, Spain in 1905-1907 it is a concrete apartment building designed by Antoni Gaudi. It's style is Expressionist or Art Nouveau.

"Mighty pillars that appear to resemble the feet of some giant elephant are the first thing to meet the eye of the passerby from street level. The roof reminds him of a completely different animal: it is bordered by a jagged line similar to the backbone of a gigantic dinosaur. A facade extends between the two, including a number of small, elegantly curved balconies that seem to stick to the front of the house like birds' nests on the face of the cliff. The facade itself glitters in numerous colours, and small round plates that look like fish scales are let into it. There are no edges or corners here; even the walls are rounded in undulations and have in essence the feel of the smooth skin of a sea serpent about them."
— Rainer Zervst.

First Response

Katie- I think you have a really interesting topic started, but it has a couple of flaws. Are you going to talk about every new style of archt. on all five of those countries? I think that would be a little much, and broad. I like the idea of comparing and contrasting the different countries. Overall, nice job, but try to narrow down your choice of countries.

Spanish Architectural Buildings

http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgibin/gbi.cgi/Campo_Volantin_Footbridge.html/cid_campo_volantin_02.html



The Campo Volantin Footbridge was built from 1990 to 1997 in Bilbao, Spain. The architect Santiago Calatrava designed the footbridge. It's style is modern.

"As in many other designs by Santiago Calatrava, an apparent disequilibrium or rather a sense of frozen movement is heightened by the lightness of the structure."
— Philip Jodidio.

First response

I have a similar post as katie w. because the historical architecture and modern architecture in some places are nothing alike. The countries you have picked are quite good however, because the architecture between these countries are very different, depending on the time period. I think you should post pics, so it is easier to visualize the differecnces and similarities.

first response

good topic, one of the points that I would definatly investigate is the different architects/builders. That could be a reason for some of the similarities between countrys. Also, where did the idea for the buildings come from and what was the motivation for building them (government, money, private investors, tourism)?

Katie J.,

This topic is very interesting. have one question though. Are you going to talk about modern day architecture or historical architecture (like the Notre Dame...)? I think that it would be neat to do both. I hope that you put more pictures on, maybe even some blue-print-type ones. Can't wait to read more!!

Katie W.

New Thesis Because I Messed Up

How do differences and similiarities in the architecture of France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and England affect their cultures?

there...better

My Thesis

I think I've narrowed it down.

Differences and similarities in the architecture of France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and England directly affect culture.

I might need to redo it a little...

List of Prominent Structures in French History

Notre-Dame Cathedral, Palais du Louvre, Pantheon, The'atre de l'Odeon, Arc de Triomphe, Centre Pompidou, and the Muse'e d'Orsay.

http://france.archiseek.com/ile_de_france/paris/

French Architecture

http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbi.cgi/Eiffel_Tower.html/cid_1278914.gbi

http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects.html

France's most famous architectural structure is the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. The architect Gustave Eiffel designed the 985 foot iron symbol of Paris. It has a victorian structural expressionist style. It was built for the 1889 International Exhibition, which is the French celebration of the French Revolution. It is located by the river Seine on the Avenue Gustave Eiffel.

"...the tower was the greatest affront not only to the architecture of Paris, but also to the eye of the Parisian, for whom its structural logic and revolutionary aesthetic language were incomprehensible.
"Essentially, the structure of the Eiffel Tower—which was a far-ranging extrapolation of Eiffel's spidery, wrought-iron bridge pylons—could not have been more simple: four immense, tapering, curved, lattice-girder piers that meet asymptotically. These piers rise from an immensely broad square base—125 meters on a side—and are laced together at two levels by connecting girders to form an integral unity of great stability..."
— Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman.

Good Luck!!

Katie J,
Good Luck with all of your countries that you are studying! I can't wait to read what you find out!
-Sara