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, Graceland, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

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

CHF 996

Photography, Pinky lamp, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

CHF 194

Painting, Imbrications, Sophie Hors

Sophie Hors

Painting . 47 x 37 x 3 cm Painting . 18.5 x 14.6 x 1.2 inch

CHF 787

Painting, Golden Corner, Narek Qochunc

Narek Qochunc

Painting . 24 x 31 x 0.2 cm Painting . 9.4 x 12.2 x 0.1 inch

CHF 312

Painting, Light Fire, Cinz

Cinz

Painting . 195 x 130 x 4 cm Painting . 76.8 x 51.2 x 1.6 inch

CHF 4,791

Print, New Moon, Jason Alexander

Jason Alexander

Print . 58.4 x 43.2 x 5.1 cm Print . 23 x 17 x 2 inch

CHF 712

Sculpture, Fabulair Maison, Manon Oller

Manon Oller

Sculpture . 54 x 22 x 22 cm Sculpture . 21.3 x 8.7 x 8.7 inch

CHF 2,137

Painting, Axis, Ludovic Mercher

Ludovic Mercher

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

CHF 777

Sculpture, Florence, Maarten Demmink

Maarten Demmink

Sculpture . 20 x 18 x 18 cm Sculpture . 7.9 x 7.1 x 7.1 inch

CHF 1,263

Painting, Oxford, Simon Kozhin

Simon Kozhin

Painting . 24 x 30 x 0.3 cm Painting . 9.4 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

CHF 2,720

Painting, House No.2, Kamsar Ohanyan

Kamsar Ohanyan

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

CHF 534

Print, Assise, Paolo Grimaldi

Paolo Grimaldi

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

CHF 583

Sculpture, Cèdre, Sylvain Corentin

Sylvain Corentin

Sculpture . 25 x 16.5 x 8.5 cm Sculpture . 9.8 x 6.5 x 3.3 inch

CHF 389

Painting, Jerusalem 2, Olga Vayshbein

Olga Vayshbein

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

CHF 1,246

Painting, Frida Milano, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Painting . 40 x 50 x 1.5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.6 inch

CHF 214

Fine Art Drawings, Birdhouse, Quiel Ramos

Quiel Ramos

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 20 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

CHF 350

Photography, Octopus, Sébastien Wasseler

Sébastien Wasseler

Photography . 50 x 75 x 0.1 cm Photography . 19.7 x 29.5 x 0 inch

CHF 680

Painting, Home, Karishma D'Souza

Karishma D'Souza

Painting . 46 x 54 cm Painting . 18.1 x 21.3 inch

CHF 5,441

Painting, A Sunny Day, Yuriy Lyamin

Yuriy Lyamin

Painting . 40 x 30 x 1.5 cm Painting . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.6 inch

CHF 414

Painting, Door 14, Nataliya Lemesheva

Nataliya Lemesheva

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

CHF 3,838

Painting, Yellow glow, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

Painting . 50 x 50 x 1 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

CHF 2,137

Fine Art Drawings, 1+G Pastels XII, Ivan Tverdun

Ivan Tverdun

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

CHF 1,166

Painting, Morning Sun, Alexander Levich

Alexander Levich

Painting . 90 x 105 x 2 cm Painting . 35.4 x 41.3 x 0.8 inch

CHF 2,720

Painting, No Man's Land, Eric Liot

Eric Liot

Painting . 150 x 120 x 15 cm Painting . 59.1 x 47.2 x 5.9 inch

CHF 11,659

Painting, Blur roofs 21, Poovi Art

Poovi Art

Painting . 91.4 x 91.4 x 5.1 cm Painting . 36 x 36 x 2 inch

CHF 757 CHF 529

Photography, Circular, Edmund Sumner

Edmund Sumner

Photography . 41.6 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm Photography . 16.4 x 11.7 x 0 inch

CHF 1,062

Painting, Untitled, Mauro Bellucci

Mauro Bellucci

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

CHF 972

Photography, Mirages #14, Javier Rey

Javier Rey

Photography . 75 x 55 x 0.3 cm Photography . 29.5 x 21.7 x 0.1 inch

CHF 1,081

Fine Art Drawings, 1+G Pastels XXII, Ivan Tverdun

Ivan Tverdun

Fine Art Drawings . 65 x 44 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 25.6 x 17.3 x 0 inch

CHF 583