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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Print, Notre Dame, Patrick Marie

Patrick Marie

Print . 49 x 70 x 0.1 cm Print . 19.3 x 27.6 x 0 inch

CHF 155

Painting, Lounging Daze, Alec Cumming

Alec Cumming

Painting . 81 x 96 x 1 cm Painting . 31.9 x 37.8 x 0.4 inch

CHF 3,090

Photography, Mathildenpassage, Klaus Frahm

Klaus Frahm

Photography . 30 x 40.5 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 15.9 x 0 inch

CHF 1,411

Painting, Fraserburgh, Alain Abramatic

Alain Abramatic

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

CHF 1,031

Painting, Evening Cafe II, Kosta Morr

Kosta Morr

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

CHF 876

Painting, Japanese Square, Kosta Morr

Kosta Morr

Painting . 60 x 80 x 3 cm Painting . 23.6 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch

CHF 973

Photography, Laundry time, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

CHF 195

Painting, Winter Day, Oleg Litvinov

Oleg Litvinov

Painting . 45 x 29.5 x 2 cm Painting . 17.7 x 11.6 x 0.8 inch

CHF 331

Photography, Mur 008, Sophie Bassouls

Sophie Bassouls

Photography . 33 x 48 x 1 cm Photography . 13 x 18.9 x 0.4 inch

CHF 730

Painting, Paris I, Dima Gorban

Dima Gorban

Painting . 62 x 62 x 3 cm Painting . 24.4 x 24.4 x 1.2 inch

CHF 1,148

Print, Château, Georges Laporte

Georges Laporte

Print . 76 x 56 x 0.2 cm Print . 29.9 x 22 x 0.1 inch

CHF 341

Fine Art Drawings, Jeux d'ombre, Agnès Tiollier

Agnès Tiollier

Fine Art Drawings . 100 x 70 x 0.25 cm Fine Art Drawings . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 1,265

Painting, New-York 6, HM

HM

Painting . 100 x 100 x 4 cm Painting . 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

CHF 2,919

Painting, Grotesque, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Painting . 40.3 x 40.3 x 0.3 cm Painting . 15.9 x 15.9 x 0.1 inch

CHF 997

Photography, Pyramides, Nicolas Issaly

Nicolas Issaly

Photography . 60 x 90 x 2 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 934

Painting, First Lunch, Seromo Okoro

Seromo Okoro

Painting . 91.4 x 121.9 x 3.8 cm Painting . 36 x 48 x 1.5 inch

CHF 2,228

Painting, Re-Garder, Remi Delaplace

Remi Delaplace

Painting . 24.5 x 29 x 2 cm Painting . 9.6 x 11.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 924

Painting, Courtyard, Ihar Sviancicki

Ihar Sviancicki

Painting . 80 x 60 x 2.2 cm Painting . 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.9 inch

CHF 3,114

Painting, Bloc de vie, Richard Poumelin

Richard Poumelin

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

CHF 1,460

Print, La Rochelle, Bernard Buffet

Bernard Buffet

Print . 56 x 76 x 0.1 cm Print . 22 x 29.9 x 0 inch

CHF 3,795 CHF 3,415

Painting, Abandoned diner, Pappay

Pappay

Painting . 80 x 80 x 4 cm Painting . 31.5 x 31.5 x 1.6 inch

CHF 1,849

Painting, Country Church, Jean Chapin

Jean Chapin

Painting . 27.5 x 22 x 0.4 cm Painting . 10.8 x 8.7 x 0.2 inch

CHF 389

Fine Art Drawings, Couloir d'yeux, Jean-Luc Parant

Jean-Luc Parant

Fine Art Drawings . 60 x 50 cm Fine Art Drawings . 23.6 x 19.7 inch

CHF 2,433

Photography, Leaning Man, Edmund Sumner

Edmund Sumner

Photography . 59.8 x 47.5 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.5 x 18.7 x 0 inch

CHF 2,480

Photography, Sana, Cécile Baldewyns

Cécile Baldewyns

Photography . 50 x 50 x 0.04 cm Photography . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch

CHF 681

Photography, À Gauche, Gabriel Baxas

Gabriel Baxas

Photography . 30 x 41 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 16.1 x 0 inch

CHF 438