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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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

Painting, Tropic 1, Ramon Enrich

Ramon Enrich

Painting . 131 x 91.5 x 1 cm Painting . 51.6 x 36 x 0.4 inch

CHF 14,012

Print, Can Festival, Mason Storm

Mason Storm

Print . 80 x 62.5 x 0.2 cm Print . 31.5 x 24.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 1,362

Photography, Diamond, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

CHF 195

Painting, City of Lights, Julia Guizani

Julia Guizani

Painting . 91.5 x 91.5 x 2 cm Painting . 36 x 36 x 0.8 inch

CHF 4,379

Painting, Arc de Triomphe, M.Chat

M.Chat

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

CHF 3,308

Painting, Summer Pool, Kosta Morr

Kosta Morr

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

CHF 876

Painting, Berlin, Kadambari Misra

Kadambari Misra

Painting . 58 x 89 x 1 cm Painting . 22.8 x 35 x 0.4 inch

CHF 1,075

Fine Art Drawings, Marble House, Pauline Di Valentin

Pauline Di Valentin

Fine Art Drawings . 65 x 50 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 25.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch

CHF 584

Painting, L’Ospite Rosa, Valia

Valia

Painting . 80 x 60 x 0.1 cm Painting . 31.5 x 23.6 x 0 inch

CHF 477

Painting, Observer, Olha Trikolich

Olha Trikolich

Painting . 80 x 70 x 3 cm Painting . 31.5 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch

CHF 1,508

Painting, Next Door, Gohar Goddard

Gohar Goddard

Painting . 51 x 51 x 2 cm Painting . 20.1 x 20.1 x 0.8 inch

CHF 1,418

Photography, Keyhole, Alain Boccard

Alain Boccard

Photography . 80 x 80 x 0.5 cm Photography . 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.2 inch

CHF 671

Painting, The houses, Claude Decamps

Claude Decamps

Painting . 25 x 20 x 0.1 cm Painting . 9.8 x 7.9 x 0 inch

CHF 331

Photography, Golden Flame, Juan Pablo Castro

Juan Pablo Castro

Photography . 152.4 x 203.2 x 0.3 cm Photography . 60 x 80 x 0.1 inch

CHF 5,348

Fine Art Drawings, XX164175, Pierre Muckensturm

Pierre Muckensturm

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 29.7 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 11.7 inch

CHF 681

Painting, Verano, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 30.4 x 30.4 x 0.3 cm Painting . 12 x 12 x 0.1 inch

CHF 997

Photography, Hereges, Yan Carpenter

Yan Carpenter

Photography . 100 x 80 x 1 cm Photography . 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

CHF 876

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 778

Painting, Door 3, Nataliya Lemesheva

Nataliya Lemesheva

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

CHF 3,844

Photography, Lisbon #6 (S), Jacob Gils

Jacob Gils

Photography . 55.9 x 109.2 cm Photography . 22 x 43 inch

CHF 9,002

Painting, Mahal, Clotaire Lehoux

Clotaire Lehoux

Painting . 180 x 160 x 0.5 cm Painting . 70.9 x 63 x 0.2 inch

CHF 3,892

Painting, G-minor, Rob Croxford

Rob Croxford

Painting . 61 x 46 x 1.5 cm Painting . 24 x 18.1 x 0.6 inch

CHF 538

Painting, Layers, Stanislav Lazarov

Stanislav Lazarov

Painting . 100 x 70 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

CHF 1,557

Painting, Run run run, Gabrielle Rul

Gabrielle Rul

Painting . 31 x 23 x 0.1 cm Painting . 12.2 x 9.1 x 0 inch

CHF 389

Painting, Overlay, Stanislav Lazarov

Stanislav Lazarov

Painting . 76 x 100 x 2 cm Painting . 29.9 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 1,547

Painting, Souvenir, Sylvie Eudes

Sylvie Eudes

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

CHF 2,725

Photography, House Fire, Alex Prager

Alex Prager

Photography . 150 x 187 x 1 cm Photography . 59.1 x 73.6 x 0.4 inch

CHF 14,596

Painting, The Old House, Milan Laciak

Milan Laciak

Painting . 90 x 80 x 1 cm Painting . 35.4 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

CHF 973

Photography, Intervals 1., Petr Strnad

Petr Strnad

Photography . 30 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch

CHF 311

Sculpture, Ardent, Eva Richard

Eva Richard

Sculpture . 28 x 20 x 5 cm Sculpture . 11 x 7.9 x 2 inch

CHF 389

Painting, Castle romance, Galina Kulaga

Galina Kulaga

Painting . 40 x 60 x 1.5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.6 inch

CHF 268

Painting, shelters, Poovi Art

Poovi Art

Painting . 121.9 x 152.4 x 5.1 cm Painting . 48 x 60 x 2 inch

CHF 1,684 CHF 1,179