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!

Read more
Print, Kraken, Thomas von Wittich

Thomas von Wittich

Print . 70 x 100 x 0.3 cm Print . 27.6 x 39.4 x 0.1 inch

CHF 194

Sculpture, Axial, Pinto

Pinto

Sculpture . 54 x 15 x 7 cm Sculpture . 21.3 x 5.9 x 2.8 inch

CHF 1,166

Painting, Vue sur la côte, Daleanase

Daleanase

Painting . 50 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 2,022

Painting, Two flamengos, Al Freno

Al Freno

Painting . 100 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 6,995

Sculpture, 103, Hans Dieter Zingraff

103

Hans Dieter Zingraff

Sculpture . 95 x 108 x 2 cm Sculpture . 37.4 x 42.5 x 0.8 inch

CHF 2,817

Painting, Christ-Elle, Pierre Riollet

Pierre Riollet

Painting . 100 x 100 x 4 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

CHF 3,692

Painting, Venise, Marc Peltzer

Marc Peltzer

Painting . 90 x 30 x 2 cm Painting . 35.4 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch

CHF 8,744

Painting, Baie Ronan, Jacques Guillet

Jacques Guillet

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

CHF 777

Print, Nightshio, Morten Schelde

Morten Schelde

Print . 77.5 x 57.5 cm Print . 30.5 x 22.6 inch

CHF 486

Painting, Incoming Call, Wang Dianyu

Wang Dianyu

Painting . 70 x 50 x 3 cm Painting . 27.6 x 19.7 x 1.2 inch

CHF 1,457

Painting, Cottage, Irish Galon

Irish Galon

Painting . 39 x 24 x 1 cm Painting . 15.4 x 9.4 x 0.4 inch

CHF 850

Photography, Plongeurs, Elisa Haberer

Elisa Haberer

Photography . 60 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 23.6 x 0 inch

CHF 1,749

Sculpture, Doxa, Jan Wold

Jan Wold

Sculpture . 44.6 x 44.6 x 28 cm Sculpture . 17.6 x 17.6 x 11 inch

CHF 3,352

Painting, Marseille, Valérie Dinelli

Valérie Dinelli

Painting . 100 x 100 x 10 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 3.9 inch

CHF 5,343

Photography, Simply Red, Ken Enlow

Ken Enlow

Photography . 55.9 x 83.8 x 1.3 cm Photography . 22 x 33 x 0.5 inch

CHF 2,270

Painting, Windmills, Iryna Voitychuk

Iryna Voitychuk

Painting . 120 x 90 x 2 cm Painting . 47.2 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 578

Painting, Colonnes, Noze

Noze

Painting . 90 x 70 x 4 cm Painting . 35.4 x 27.6 x 1.6 inch

CHF 2,915

Painting, Street mirror, Pappay

Pappay

Painting . 80 x 80 x 4 cm Painting . 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

CHF 1,846

Painting, Cathedral, Dean Monogenis

Dean Monogenis

Painting . 114.3 x 152.4 x 5 cm Painting . 45 x 60 x 2 inch

CHF 18,688

Fine Art Drawings, Une rue parisienne, Catherine Gran

Catherine Gran

Fine Art Drawings . 140 x 55 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings . 55.1 x 21.7 x 0.1 inch

CHF 11,659

Photography, Copenhague, Yuhao Pan

Yuhao Pan

Photography . 70 x 50 x 0.2 cm Photography . 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

CHF 777

Sculpture, Apocalypse, Jean Vignes

Jean Vignes

Sculpture . 300 x 550 x 50 cm Sculpture . 118.1 x 216.5 x 19.7 inch

CHF 28,175

Print, La Pyramide, JR

JR

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

CHF 1,253

Painting, Untitled, Duster

Duster

Painting . 90 x 125 x 4 cm Painting . 35.4 x 49.2 x 1.6 inch

CHF 7,675

Photography, HK Flora (1), Camille Levert

Camille Levert

Photography . 47 x 47 x 3 cm Photography . 18.5 x 18.5 x 1.2 inch

CHF 5,343

Painting, Untitled, Eneko Arruza

Eneko Arruza

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

CHF 6,606

Photography, Tour Eiffel, Margaux Panel

Margaux Panel

Photography . 40 x 55 x 1 cm Photography . 15.7 x 21.7 x 0.4 inch

CHF 777

Sculpture, Slender!, Andrii Davydenko

Andrii Davydenko

Sculpture . 150 x 100 x 3 cm Sculpture . 59.1 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

CHF 6,704

Photography, Silent, Emilie Mori

Emilie Mori

Photography . 70 x 70 x 0.1 cm Photography . 27.6 x 27.6 x 0 inch

CHF 874

Painting, Tampa, Véro Blaise

Véro Blaise

Painting . 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

CHF 884

Painting, Escalier, Nick Walker

Nick Walker

Painting . 61 x 76.5 x 5.1 cm Painting . 24 x 30.1 x 2 inch

CHF 8,744