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, Au balcon, Chufy

Chufy

Painting . 70 x 100 x 1.5 cm Painting . 27.6 x 39.4 x 0.6 inch

CHF 1,752

Print, Manège, Sylvie Schambill

Sylvie Schambill

Print . 50 x 60 x 0.2 cm Print . 19.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 973

Painting, Home staging, Maria Lundgren

Maria Lundgren

Painting . 70 x 88 x 2 cm Painting . 27.6 x 34.6 x 0.8 inch

CHF 3,308

Photography, The Dove, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

Photography . 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography . 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

CHF 195

Painting, Chiloé, Clara Duch

Clara Duch

Painting . 81 x 64 x 2.5 cm Painting . 31.9 x 25.2 x 1 inch

CHF 1,946

Print, Untitled, Jorge Castillo

Jorge Castillo

Print . 106 x 90 cm Print . 41.7 x 35.4 inch

CHF 1,070

Painting, Enter Pagoda, Le Nhu Ha

Le Nhu Ha

Painting . 119.4 x 139.7 x 5.1 cm Painting . 47 x 55 x 2 inch

CHF 8,021

Painting, Shadow and Tree, Armin Guther

Armin Guther

Painting . 26 x 31.4 x 0.4 cm Painting . 10.2 x 12.4 x 0.2 inch

CHF 341

Painting, Immeuble time, Liao

Liao

Painting . 100 x 100 x 3 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

CHF 2,043

Painting, Home Town, Luong Trung

Luong Trung

Painting . 50 x 77 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 30.3 x 0.4 inch

CHF 2,676

Painting, Portxo I, Albert Alís

Albert Alís

Painting . 73 x 60 cm Painting . 28.7 x 23.6 inch

CHF 1,849

Print, Seoul, Monika Kropshofer

Monika Kropshofer

Print . 60 x 40 x 2 cm Print . 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

CHF 973

Print, Divertissement, Levalet

Levalet

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

CHF 195

Painting, N° 225, Claude Bourguignon

Claude Bourguignon

Painting . 130 x 160 x 3 cm Painting . 51.2 x 63 x 1.2 inch

CHF 4,184

Design, Introvert, Olga Kirienko

Olga Kirienko

Design . 151 x 86 x 2 cm Design . 59.4 x 33.9 x 0.8 inch

CHF 2,919

Painting, Voxel 135, Michael Aubanel

Michael Aubanel

Painting . 32 x 32 x 0.3 cm Painting . 12.6 x 12.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 535

Print, Rest & surf, Marie Deforche

Marie Deforche

Print . 40 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch

CHF 253

Painting, City, Anna Krtshatsyan

Anna Krtshatsyan

Painting . 125 x 145 cm Painting . 49.2 x 57.1 inch

CHF 1,460 CHF 1,314

Photography, Washing lines, Barry Cawston

Barry Cawston

Photography . 100 x 120 x 2 cm Photography . 39.4 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

CHF 2,776

Photography, Tourbillon, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

CHF 851

Fine Art Drawings, 1+G Pastels IX, Ivan Tverdun

Ivan Tverdun

Fine Art Drawings . 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

CHF 535

Painting, Saint-Cado, Odile Raoul

Odile Raoul

Painting . 40 x 40 x 2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

CHF 467

Painting, After rain, Kamo Atoyan

Kamo Atoyan

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

CHF 805

Painting, 01-19, Macyn Bolt

Macyn Bolt

Painting . 40.6 x 50.8 cm Painting . 16 x 20 inch

CHF 772

Painting, Le cocon, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

Painting . 33 x 41 x 1 cm Painting . 13 x 16.1 x 0.4 inch

CHF 1,460

Painting, Box I, Brent Hallard

Brent Hallard

Painting . 35.5 x 35.5 cm Painting . 14 x 14 inch

CHF 949

Painting, Scène 62, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

Painting . 46 x 27 x 4 cm Painting . 18.1 x 10.6 x 1.6 inch

CHF 3,503

Painting, Cracow, Janusz Szpyt

Janusz Szpyt

Painting . 36 x 18 cm Painting . 14.2 x 7.1 inch

CHF 876 CHF 788

Print, M228, Jesús Perea

Jesús Perea

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

CHF 1,483