Architecture

Art and architecture share many similarities. They've influenced one another throughout history. However, trying to liken these two disciplines will inevitably lead to certain contractions.

Perhaps the biggest difference is that Art, in its broadest sense, is defined as a creation meant to trigger an emotional response which is generally related to aesthetic pleasure. It doesn't satisfy any of life's basic needs, but it leads to thoughts, reflections, and often taps into our subconscious and our memory. On the other hand, architecture's primary purpose is to shelter individuals and ensure their safety. Architecture is meant to serve a utilitarian purpose.

Today, architecture has gone far beyond this initial function. Architects have strived to combine engineering and aesthetic research to create buildings that are so out of the ordinary we wonder how they were designed. They want their creations to stand out and favour originality and creativity. Just like in arts, architecture is influenced by the historical, social, and political context of the time and each movement has its own characteristics, from baroque to futurism to Bauhaus. Modern architecture marked a turn in the history of architecture. Architects revolutionised the social scope of their discipline and took an industrialist approach to society and nature — avant-garde architects rubbed shoulders with artists such as Georges Braque, Piet Mondrian, and members of the De Stijl group. Le Corbusier is a pioneer in collective housing, and also took part in ambitious projects which aimed to rebuild entire cities, such as Chandigarh in India. Decorative arts also developed by taking inspiration from the conventions that governed modernist architecture.

Contemporary architecture might not be a specific movement per se, but buildings that fall into this category share certain attributes. Contemporary architecture is characterised by curvy lines and various volumes in a single structure, as seen with the Sydney Opera House. The architect Jørn Utzon explained that he didn't seek to create a building for this project, but an actual sculpture. The building continually renews itself with new meanings and experiences for each passerby. Architectural works often require periods of deep reflection and a long though process in order for the architect to envisage how to give their building a sense of character and soul.

Whether architecture is an art or not is a never ending debate, but it is undeniable that there are strong links between the two disciplines. There are many examples of collaborations between contemporary artists and architects, and today the works of the greatest architects are exhibited in museums along with their fellow artists.

Discover our selections of artworks inspired by art and architecture!

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Painting, Morning Passage, Kseniya Rai

Kseniya Rai

Painting . 120 x 155 x 2 cm Painting . 47.2 x 61 x 0.8 inch

CHF 1,577

Photography, Sevillane, Regis Duvignau

Regis Duvignau

Photography . 76 x 115 x 3 cm Photography . 29.9 x 45.3 x 1.2 inch

CHF 936

Photography, Nicely Coiffed, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 51 x 76 cm Photography . 20.1 x 29.9 inch

CHF 3,302

Painting, Sud, Marie Deforche

Sud

Marie Deforche

Painting . 73 x 92 x 2.5 cm Painting . 28.7 x 36.2 x 1 inch

CHF 1,675

Painting, Montmartre, Jacques Robert

Jacques Robert

Painting . 30 x 30 x 1 cm Painting . 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

CHF 986

Painting, The Black Tavern, Meleo

Meleo

Painting . 32 x 22 x 4 cm Painting . 12.6 x 8.7 x 1.6 inch

CHF 1,183

Painting, Joy factory!, Marta Zawadzka

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 130 x 130 x 2 cm Painting . 51.2 x 51.2 x 0.8 inch

CHF 5,421

Painting, Operenccia, Victor Vasarely

Victor Vasarely

Painting . 101.6 x 167.6 x 2.5 cm Painting . 40 x 66 x 1 inch

CHF 406,217

Painting, Summer Heat, Kosta Morr

Kosta Morr

Painting . 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

CHF 788

Painting, Tokyo Roof, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Painting . 29.7 x 21 x 0.3 cm Painting . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

CHF 148

Print, Naples, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

Print . 38 x 29 x 3 cm Print . 15 x 11.4 x 1.2 inch

CHF 2,464

Painting, On the cloud, Jia Yuan Hua

Jia Yuan Hua

Painting . 30 x 24 x 4 cm Painting . 11.8 x 9.4 x 1.6 inch

CHF 1,577

Painting, new york, Mario Palmieri

Mario Palmieri

Painting . 120 x 90 x 3 cm Painting . 47.2 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch

CHF 2,168 CHF 1,951

Photography, Odyssey, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

Photography . 90 x 70 x 0.3 cm Photography . 35.4 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 966

Painting, Pink Panam, Gripe

Gripe

Painting . 38 x 38 x 1 cm Painting . 15 x 15 x 0.4 inch

CHF 394

Painting, Pause musicale, Sylvie Eudes

Sylvie Eudes

Painting . 100 x 100 x 5 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 2 inch

CHF 4,435

Painting, Pagoda, Christian Deplante

Christian Deplante

Painting . 80 x 47 x 0.1 cm Painting . 31.5 x 18.5 x 0 inch

CHF 2,228

Sculpture, S Alphabet, Joël Froment

Joël Froment

Sculpture . 24 x 16 x 4 cm Sculpture . 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.6 inch

CHF 1,183

Photography, Mirages #0, Javier Rey

Javier Rey

Photography . 75 x 55 x 0.3 cm Photography . 29.5 x 21.7 x 0.1 inch

CHF 1,097

Painting, Hidden Wild, Mariah Birsak

Mariah Birsak

Painting . 80 x 60 x 2 cm Painting . 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

CHF 1,478

Painting, Venice at Night, Rob Buntin

Rob Buntin

Painting . 130 x 81 x 3 cm Painting . 51.2 x 31.9 x 1.2 inch

CHF 3,745

Painting, Pool Side, Chrissy Nickerson

Chrissy Nickerson

Painting . 51 x 61 x 4 cm Painting . 20.1 x 24 x 1.6 inch

CHF 1,478 CHF 1,257

Photography, Windmill and Dream, Yuhao Pan

Yuhao Pan

Photography . 80 x 60 x 0.2 cm Photography . 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 1,183

Sculpture, Apostrophe, Pinto

Pinto

Sculpture . 50 x 24 x 15 cm Sculpture . 19.7 x 9.4 x 5.9 inch

CHF 1,577