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, Bruges, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 40.3 x 40.3 x 0.4 cm Painting . 15.9 x 15.9 x 0.2 inch

£910

Painting, You See It Too, Seromo Okoro

Seromo Okoro

Painting . 91.4 x 121.9 x 2.5 cm Painting . 36 x 48 x 1 inch

£2,033

Painting, Cadiz, Véro Blaise

Véro Blaise

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

£808

Painting, Venecia, Rafael Griera

Rafael Griera

Painting . 35 x 44 x 1 cm Painting . 13.8 x 17.3 x 0.4 inch

£533

Sculpture, Cubic #4, Gil Bruvel

Gil Bruvel

Sculpture . 71 x 28 x 28 cm Sculpture . 28 x 11 x 11 inch

£17,754

Painting, Life is easy, Icy & Sot

Icy & Sot

Painting . 90.2 x 119.4 x 5.1 cm Painting . 35.5 x 47 x 2 inch

£11,383

Print, Agora, Marc Prat

Marc Prat

Print . 62 x 96 cm Print . 24.4 x 37.8 inch

£577

Photography, 1004 Windows, Javier Rey

Javier Rey

Photography . 100 x 66.5 x 0.3 cm Photography . 39.4 x 26.2 x 0.1 inch

£1,261

Painting, Les Amies, Sylvie Eudes

Sylvie Eudes

Painting . 80 x 80 x 3 cm Painting . 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

£3,196

Painting, Voxel 120, Michael Aubanel

Michael Aubanel

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

£488

Print, Monet studio, Damien Elwes

Damien Elwes

Print . 78.7 x 91.4 x 5.1 cm Print . 31 x 36 x 2 inch

£1,585

Fine Art Drawings, Cityscape, Jean Chapin

Jean Chapin

Fine Art Drawings . 27.3 x 21 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 10.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

£337

Sculpture, Flèche, Sylvain Corentin

Sylvain Corentin

Sculpture . 200 x 39 x 39 cm Sculpture . 78.7 x 15.4 x 15.4 inch

£1,953

Painting, Crest, Logan Hicks

Logan Hicks

Painting . 57 x 77 x 0.1 cm Painting . 22.4 x 30.3 x 0 inch

£1,332

Painting, Dialogues, Stanislav Lazarov

Stanislav Lazarov

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

£1,065

Photography, Bruciato, Gina Soden

Gina Soden

Photography . 44.64 x 64.96 x 0.1 cm Photography . 17.6 x 25.6 x 0 inch

£1,296

Print, Fiori e museo, Ugo Nespolo

Ugo Nespolo

Print . 100 x 180 x 0.1 cm Print . 39.4 x 70.9 x 0 inch

£879

Painting, Cinéma, Sylvie Schambill

Sylvie Schambill

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

£1,065

Print, Disco Nap, Carrie Graber

Carrie Graber

Print . 91.4 x 68.6 x 3.8 cm Print . 36 x 27 x 1.5 inch

£955

Photography, Flux, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

£1,008

Painting, Evening walk, Galya Popova

Galya Popova

Painting . 60 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 23.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

£1,562

Print, Venezia, Remo Brindisi

Remo Brindisi

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

£88

Painting, París, Albert Alís

Albert Alís

Painting . 73 x 100 cm Painting . 28.7 x 39.4 inch

£2,663

Photography, Double Doors, Tim Graham

Tim Graham

Photography . 101.6 x 76.2 cm Photography . 40 x 30 inch

£1,953

Painting, Jerusalem 3, Olga Vayshbein

Olga Vayshbein

Painting . 52 x 42 x 1 cm Painting . 20.5 x 16.5 x 0.4 inch

£1,138

Painting, The Enclosure, Milan Laciak

Milan Laciak

Painting . 80 x 70 x 2 cm Painting . 31.5 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

£861

Painting, Door 10, Nataliya Lemesheva

Nataliya Lemesheva

Painting . 116 x 89 x 2 cm Painting . 45.7 x 35 x 0.8 inch

£3,506

Painting, Kinsale, Véro Blaise

Véro Blaise

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

£808

Painting, Sydney Opera, Vianney

Vianney

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

£2,574

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Luis Fernández

Luis Fernández

Fine Art Drawings . 130 x 97 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 51.2 x 38.2 x 0 inch

£6,658

Fine Art Drawings, Zimmer I, Olivier Furter

Olivier Furter

Fine Art Drawings . 70 x 100 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 27.6 x 39.4 x 0 inch

£1,065

Photography, Nascar, Christie Goodwin

Christie Goodwin

Photography . 30 x 40 x 0.5 cm Photography . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch

£355

Print, Untitled, Jorge Castillo

Jorge Castillo

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

£976

Painting, Corn at Night, Levon Fljyan

Levon Fljyan

Painting . 45 x 45 x 2 cm Painting . 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch

£888

Photography, Level 7, Barry Cawston

Barry Cawston

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

£2,441

Fine Art Drawings, Python, Pauline Di Valentin

Pauline Di Valentin

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

£621