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
Painting, Train, Tsisia Kiladze

Tsisia Kiladze

Painting . 40 x 50 x 2 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch

CHF 778

Painting, Village I, Jun Peng Wu

Jun Peng Wu

Painting . 80 x 40 x 1 cm Painting . 31.5 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

CHF 973

Photography, Venice #1, William Stewart

William Stewart

Photography . 60 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch

CHF 354

Painting, New-York 2, HM

HM

Painting . 93 x 60 cm Painting . 36.6 x 23.6 inch

CHF 2,433

Painting, South Bank, Selwyn Midgen

Selwyn Midgen

Painting . 51 x 60 x 4 cm Painting . 20.1 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch

CHF 5,352

Painting, Espacial, Dámaso Ruano

Dámaso Ruano

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

CHF 7,395

Painting, Door 6, Nataliya Lemesheva

Nataliya Lemesheva

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

CHF 3,844

Print, Marble Heroine 1, Ian Jones

Ian Jones

Print . 80 x 60 x 0.5 cm Print . 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.2 inch

CHF 827

Painting, Miami in neon, Logan Hicks

Logan Hicks

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

CHF 1,460

Print, Erithacus, Janmar

Janmar

Print . 80 x 115 x 1 cm Print . 31.5 x 45.3 x 0.4 inch

CHF 2,335

Painting, So Paris, Odile Pinto-Corbin

Odile Pinto-Corbin

Painting . 46 x 38 x 3 cm Painting . 18.1 x 15 x 1.2 inch

CHF 827

Photography, Pink Lady, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

CHF 195

Print, Brauerei, Fifo Stricker

Fifo Stricker

Print . 66 x 49.5 x 0.1 cm Print . 26 x 19.5 x 0 inch

CHF 487

Painting, Sidni, Stephanie Blaess

Stephanie Blaess

Painting . 80 x 120 x 3.5 cm Painting . 31.5 x 47.2 x 1.4 inch

CHF 3,649

Painting, Demi lune, Paul Mathey

Paul Mathey

Painting . 30 x 22.5 x 0.3 cm Painting . 11.8 x 8.9 x 0.1 inch

CHF 857

Painting, Village, Adrien Holy

Adrien Holy

Painting . 26 x 46 x 0.3 cm Painting . 10.2 x 18.1 x 0.1 inch

CHF 1,050

Print, Le Retour, René Magritte

René Magritte

Print . 58 x 78 x 0.2 cm Print . 22.8 x 30.7 x 0.1 inch

CHF 1,353

Photography, Baroque, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

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

CHF 1,487

Painting, Untitled, Ferran Roca Bon

Ferran Roca Bon

Painting . 44 x 60 cm Painting . 17.3 x 23.6 inch

CHF 973

Painting, Nostalgie, Jean-Pierre Lorand

Jean-Pierre Lorand

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

CHF 1,216

Painting, Door 5, Nataliya Lemesheva

Nataliya Lemesheva

Painting . 116 x 89 x 3 cm Painting . 45.7 x 35 x 1.2 inch

CHF 3,844

Painting, San Franciso Bay, Vianney

Vianney

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

CHF 2,822

Print, Untitled, Soldevila

Soldevila

Print . 56 x 76 cm Print . 22 x 29.9 inch

CHF 389

Print, Untitled, Joan Cots

Joan Cots

Print . 49.5 x 38 cm Print . 19.5 x 15 inch

CHF 216

Painting, Destino, Olga Afanasiadi

Olga Afanasiadi

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

CHF 1,362

Painting, Blooming, Yuriy Demiyanov

Yuriy Demiyanov

Painting . 50 x 40 x 3 cm Painting . 19.7 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch

CHF 5,449

Photography, Luminescence, Martin Kallay

Martin Kallay

Photography . 45 x 30 x 1 cm Photography . 17.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

CHF 1,168

Painting, Délassement, Sylvie Eudes

Sylvie Eudes

Painting . 60 x 60 x 3 cm Painting . 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

CHF 2,725

Painting, Una vida en rosa, Orrite

Orrite

Painting . 92 x 65 x 2 cm Painting . 36.2 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch

CHF 2,895