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, Under Glass, Kosta Morr

Kosta Morr

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

CHF 292

Photography, Cubold, Mario Tarantino

Mario Tarantino

Photography . 50 x 50 x 0.3 cm Photography . 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch

CHF 506

Painting, Light Over Lazio, Nora Shade

Nora Shade

Painting . 60 x 97 x 0.1 cm Painting . 23.6 x 38.2 x 0 inch

CHF 981

Painting, Palimpseste, Michel Nadaï

Michel Nadaï

Painting . 150 x 70 x 2 cm Painting . 59.1 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

CHF 6,422

Photography, Bambi 1/8, Gaelle S. Warner

Gaelle S. Warner

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

CHF 1,752

Photography, Lamp post, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

CHF 195

Painting, Le lac majeur, Michel Das

Michel Das

Painting . 72 x 92 x 3 cm Painting . 28.3 x 36.2 x 1.2 inch

CHF 1,946

Photography, Girl power, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

CHF 195

Fine Art Drawings, Oeuf, Pauline Di Valentin

Pauline Di Valentin

Fine Art Drawings . 150 x 80 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings . 59.1 x 31.5 x 0 inch

CHF 2,919

Painting, Rock the city, Meleo

Meleo

Painting . 11 x 16 x 1 cm Painting . 4.3 x 6.3 x 0.4 inch

CHF 146

Photography, Stories #1, Edmund Sumner

Edmund Sumner

Photography . 70 x 54 x 0.1 cm Photography . 27.6 x 21.3 x 0 inch

CHF 2,244

Painting, Ghost Bridge, Matthew Green

Matthew Green

Painting . 76.2 x 121.9 x 5.1 cm Painting . 30 x 48 x 2 inch

CHF 1,738

Painting, Old House, Alexander Shandor

Alexander Shandor

Painting . 20 x 20 x 0.2 cm Painting . 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.1 inch

CHF 713

Print, Bandiera, Tino Stefanoni

Tino Stefanoni

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

CHF 418

Sculpture, Estive 1, Grégoire Lavigne

Grégoire Lavigne

Sculpture . 42 x 37 x 34 cm Sculpture . 16.5 x 14.6 x 13.4 inch

CHF 827

Photography, 65 Flats, Barry Cawston

Barry Cawston

Photography . 82.5 x 90 x 2 cm Photography . 32.5 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 1,595

Painting, Still: Morning, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

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

CHF 997

Sculpture, Sol 02, Manon Oller

Manon Oller

Sculpture . 45 x 38 x 40 cm Sculpture . 17.7 x 15 x 15.7 inch

CHF 4,282

Painting, Spring at home, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

Painting . 50 x 70 x 2 cm Painting . 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

CHF 778

Painting, Venice, Claude Sauthier

Claude Sauthier

Painting . 54 x 73 x 1 cm Painting . 21.3 x 28.7 x 0.4 inch

CHF 3,750

Photography, Big red wall, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

CHF 195

Painting, Diamond bridge, Ana Maria Kis

Ana Maria Kis

Painting . 45.72 x 60.96 x 1.27 cm Painting . 18 x 24 x 0.5 inch

CHF 1,070

Print, Soviet, Jibé

Jibé

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

CHF 97

Painting, Gallery II, Iszchan Nazarian

Iszchan Nazarian

Painting . 101 x 126 x 3 cm Painting . 39.8 x 49.6 x 1.2 inch

CHF 1,849

Painting, Source, Marta Rynkiewicz

Marta Rynkiewicz

Painting . 120 x 150 x 2 cm Painting . 47.2 x 59.1 x 0.8 inch

CHF 1,460

Photography, Cemetry, Cécile Baldewyns

Cécile Baldewyns

Photography . 40 x 60 x 0.5 cm Photography . 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.2 inch

CHF 681

Fine Art Drawings, Le vaisseau, Emmanuel Deschodt

Emmanuel Deschodt

Fine Art Drawings . 77 x 57 cm Fine Art Drawings . 30.3 x 22.4 inch

CHF 2,334

Painting, Home sweet home, Pol Ledent

Pol Ledent

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

CHF 778

Painting, Pool at 9.17 PM, Kseniya Rai

Kseniya Rai

Painting . 100 x 150 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 59.1 x 0.8 inch

CHF 866

Painting, Red roofs 25, Poovi Art

Poovi Art

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

CHF 793 CHF 714

Painting, Constancy, Ksenia Tsyganyuk

Ksenia Tsyganyuk

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

CHF 1,168

Painting, Golden Gate Bay, Vianney

Vianney

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

CHF 4,573

Photography, Fishing Villages, Joon Lee

Joon Lee

Photography . 40.64 x 60.96 x 1 cm Photography . 16 x 24 x 0.4 inch

CHF 632

Photography, Expectation, Miran Mun

Miran Mun

Photography . 60.96 x 45.72 x 1 cm Photography . 24 x 18 x 0.4 inch

CHF 632

Print, Afternoon, Jason Alexander

Jason Alexander

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

CHF 490

Painting, Mikonos, AVEL Muñoz

AVEL Muñoz

Painting . 45 x 38 x 3 cm Painting . 17.7 x 15 x 1.2 inch

CHF 973

Painting, Street of Hometown, Liu Ziyu

Liu Ziyu

Painting . 41 x 68 x 0.1 cm Painting . 16.1 x 26.8 x 0 inch

CHF 1,849

Painting, Back in the days, Meleo

Meleo

Painting . 19 x 14 x 1 cm Painting . 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inch

CHF 243

Print, Untitled, Jorge Castillo

Jorge Castillo

Print . 91 x 107 cm Print . 35.8 x 42.1 inch

CHF 1,070