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
Photography, Peter Pan, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

£177

Photography, Gaudi cloud, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

£177

Painting, Quiet Crossing, Nora Shade

Nora Shade

Painting . 99 x 150 x 0.1 cm Painting . 39 x 59.1 x 0 inch

£1,217

Photography, Reflections, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

£177

Painting, Roma, Veronika Benoni

Veronika Benoni

Painting . 42 x 102 x 2 cm Painting . 16.5 x 40.2 x 0.8 inch

£1,683

Painting, A travel, Galya Popova

Galya Popova

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

£1,559

Print, Untitled, Arnau Alemany

Arnau Alemany

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

£354

Painting, Door 2, Nataliya Lemesheva

Nataliya Lemesheva

Painting . 116 x 88 x 2 cm Painting . 45.7 x 34.6 x 0.8 inch

£3,498

Photography, Donna Karan, Guy Sargent

Guy Sargent

Photography . 132 x 107 x 0.2 cm Photography . 52 x 42.1 x 0.1 inch

£1,080

Print, Untitled, Enotrio Pugliese

Enotrio Pugliese

Print . 53 x 73 x 0.2 cm Print . 20.9 x 28.7 x 0.1 inch

£266

Fine Art Drawings, Strada Rosa, Pauline Di Valentin

Pauline Di Valentin

Fine Art Drawings . 70 x 100 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings . 27.6 x 39.4 x 0 inch

£1,771

Print, City, Mr.Tris

Mr.Tris

Print . 24 x 36 x 0.2 cm Print . 9.4 x 14.2 x 0.1 inch

£106

Print, Notre-Dame, Jean Gourmelin

Jean Gourmelin

Print . 65 x 50 x 0.2 cm Print . 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

£221

Fine Art Drawings, Place des Vosges, Pascal Plazanet

Pascal Plazanet

Fine Art Drawings . 29.5 x 36 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 14.2 x 0 inch

£1,683

Photography, Zizkov, Tom Evangelidis

Tom Evangelidis

Photography . 144 x 122 x 0.1 cm Photography . 56.7 x 48 x 0 inch

£4,428

Painting, Buldin 2, Paulino Ustarroz

Paulino Ustarroz

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

£531

Photography, Miami x 3, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

£177

Painting, N-XI, Florence Malcombe

Florence Malcombe

Painting . 20 x 20 x 2 cm Painting . 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.8 inch

£124

Painting, Le voyage de Jonas, Cyb

Cyb

Painting . 162 x 130 x 2 cm Painting . 63.8 x 51.2 x 0.8 inch

£6,642

Fine Art Drawings, Rêverie italienne, Mascarade

Mascarade

Fine Art Drawings . 76 x 56 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 29.9 x 22 x 0.1 inch

£886

Painting, Marche et rêve, Zou

Zou

Painting . 81 x 130 x 4 cm Painting . 31.9 x 51.2 x 1.6 inch

£3,100

Print, Tour Eiffeil, Pol Bury

Pol Bury

Print . 54 x 75 cm Print . 21.3 x 29.5 inch

£310

Photography, 1002 Windows, Javier Rey

Javier Rey

Photography . 70 x 46.5 x 0.3 cm Photography . 27.6 x 18.3 x 0.1 inch

£933