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, Struttura del tempo, Moi.

Moi.

Painting . 80 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 31.5 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 2,141

Photography, Energic 1/8, Gaelle S. Warner

Gaelle S. Warner

Photography . 100 x 100 x 1 cm Photography . 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch

CHF 1,460

Print, Untitled, Francesc Todó

Francesc Todó

Print . 57 x 76 x 0.1 cm Print . 22.4 x 29.9 x 0 inch

CHF 584

Painting, 14.06.22, Daniel Maria Thurau

Daniel Maria Thurau

Painting . 50 x 35 x 0.1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 13.8 x 0 inch

CHF 2,481

Painting, Venise 2, Catherine Rafenberg

Catherine Rafenberg

Painting . 80 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 31.5 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 2,725

Print, Untitled, Luis Fernández

Luis Fernández

Print . 100 x 70 x 0.1 cm Print . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch

CHF 216

Painting, Gate, Paulino Ustarroz

Paulino Ustarroz

Painting . 46 x 55 x 3 cm Painting . 18.1 x 21.7 x 1.2 inch

CHF 584

Painting, Relay Race 3, Macyn Bolt

Macyn Bolt

Painting . 41 x 51 cm Painting . 16.1 x 20.1 inch

CHF 2,126

Photography, Calacuccia, Sophie Mabille

Sophie Mabille

Photography . 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch

CHF 1,897

Sculpture, Tour panier, Sylvain Corentin

Sylvain Corentin

Sculpture . 260 x 54 x 40 cm Sculpture . 102.4 x 21.3 x 15.7 inch

CHF 2,725

Photography, Paris, Marc Riboud

Marc Riboud

Photography . 30 x 40 x 1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

CHF 5,838

Fine Art Drawings, Polpo, Pauline Di Valentin

Pauline Di Valentin

Fine Art Drawings . 150 x 80 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings . 59.1 x 31.5 x 0 inch

CHF 2,919

Painting, Madrid-1, Agustín Gancedo

Agustín Gancedo

Painting . 60 x 73 x 2 cm Painting . 23.6 x 28.7 x 0.8 inch

CHF 1,752

Painting, NYC, Marta Zawadzka

NYC

Marta Zawadzka

Painting . 100 x 90 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 4,282

Painting, Miami vice, Fenx

Fenx

Painting . 195 x 130 x 2.5 cm Painting . 76.8 x 51.2 x 1 inch

CHF 14,110

Painting, Urban Shape, Paul Bertier

Paul Bertier

Painting . 114 x 162 cm Painting . 44.9 x 63.8 inch

CHF 5,838

Print, Landscape, Pietro Vanni

Pietro Vanni

Print . 50 x 65 x 0.1 cm Print . 19.7 x 25.6 x 0 inch

CHF 253

Print, The Lounge, Zeno Giglietti

Zeno Giglietti

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

CHF 448

Print, Salita, Norberto Proietti

Norberto Proietti

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

CHF 1,265

Painting, Shed n3, Yevgeniya Kramska

Yevgeniya Kramska

Painting . 100 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

CHF 802

Print, American Dream, Rudy Barret

Rudy Barret

Print . 66 x 46 x 0.2 cm Print . 26 x 18.1 x 0.1 inch

CHF 462

Fine Art Drawings, Cheese bell (4), Yulia Pugacheva

Yulia Pugacheva

Fine Art Drawings . 21 x 29 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.3 x 11.4 x 0 inch

CHF 272

Sculpture, Night Rain, Jeff Cunningham

Jeff Cunningham

Sculpture . 30 x 43 x 1.5 cm Sculpture . 11.8 x 16.9 x 0.6 inch

CHF 1,175

Painting, Untitled, Mauro Bellucci

Mauro Bellucci

Painting . 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch

CHF 973

Painting, Que no salga la luna, Moi.

Moi.

Painting . 90 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 35.4 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

CHF 2,822

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Ernest Salvadó

Ernest Salvadó

Fine Art Drawings . 55 x 91 cm Fine Art Drawings . 21.7 x 35.8 inch

CHF 540

Painting, Quai St Michel, Paris, Phil

Phil

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

CHF 827

Photography, Fonster, Julie Peiffer

Julie Peiffer

Photography . 75 x 60 x 0.04 cm Photography . 29.5 x 23.6 x 0 inch

CHF 827