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, Balmoral 2, Ian Jones

Ian Jones

Print . 80 x 60 x 0.5 cm Print . 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.2 inch

CHF 827

Print, Balmoral 5, Ian Jones

Ian Jones

Print . 80 x 60 x 0.5 cm Print . 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.2 inch

CHF 827

Print, Balmoral 4, Ian Jones

Ian Jones

Print . 80 x 60 x 0.5 cm Print . 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.2 inch

CHF 827

Photography, Attente, Quentin Badran

Quentin Badran

Photography . 10.7 x 8.8 x 0.02 cm Photography . 4.2 x 3.5 x 0 inch

CHF 827

Fine Art Drawings, Oscar Neimeyer, Rodrigo Spinel

Rodrigo Spinel

Fine Art Drawings . 31.8 x 24.9 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 12.5 x 9.8 x 0.1 inch

CHF 1,605

Painting, Arches, Clotaire Lehoux

Clotaire Lehoux

Painting . 180 x 120 x 1 cm Painting . 70.9 x 47.2 x 0.4 inch

CHF 2,919

Print, Cherry Blossom, Jayson L

Jayson L

Print . 89 x 62 x 0.1 cm Print . 35 x 24.4 x 0 inch

CHF 1,642

Painting, Temple lotus. Fiery., AreiRa

AreiRa

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

CHF 1,070

Photography, Solitare, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

CHF 195

Photography, In Jail, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

CHF 195

Fine Art Drawings, Hall, Alexandre Berlant

Alexandre Berlant

Fine Art Drawings . 23 x 31 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 9.1 x 12.2 x 0.1 inch

CHF 438

Print, 5 pagliai, Tino Stefanoni

Tino Stefanoni

Print . 60 x 170 x 0.1 cm Print . 23.6 x 66.9 x 0 inch

CHF 1,009

Fine Art Drawings, Landscape, Alfred Sobottka

Alfred Sobottka

Fine Art Drawings . 29.4 x 32.7 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 12.9 x 0 inch

CHF 477

Print, B1, Isthme

B1

Isthme

Print . 30 x 40 x 0.4 cm Print . 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch

CHF 243

Fine Art Drawings, Nexus papel III, Marc Prat

Marc Prat

Fine Art Drawings . 100 x 160 cm Fine Art Drawings . 39.4 x 63 inch

CHF 803

Painting, OW1.08, Jean Feinberg

Jean Feinberg

Painting . 32 x 180 cm Painting . 12.6 x 70.9 inch

CHF 3,248

Print, Venise, Philippe Geluck

Philippe Geluck

Print . 80 x 60 cm Print . 31.5 x 23.6 inch

CHF 175

Sculpture, Pagode, Sylvain Corentin

Sylvain Corentin

Sculpture . 34 x 10 x 7.5 cm Sculpture . 13.4 x 3.9 x 3 inch

CHF 438

Painting, With a view 1, Dyala Khodary

Dyala Khodary

Painting . 105 x 80 x 1 cm Painting . 41.3 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

CHF 3,892

Sculpture, COLONNE, Marc Mugnier

Marc Mugnier

Sculpture . 163 x 37 x 37 cm Sculpture . 64.2 x 14.6 x 14.6 inch

CHF 4,379

Painting, Blooming Haven, Vahe Bagumyan

Vahe Bagumyan

Painting . 30 x 24 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 9.4 x 0.8 inch

CHF 177 CHF 152

Painting, Sunny Beach, Peter Mac Floy

Peter Mac Floy

Painting . 82 x 82 x 4 cm Painting . 32.3 x 32.3 x 1.6 inch

CHF 3,406

Photography, On the road, V, Tony Harmer

Tony Harmer

Photography . 76 x 114 x 0.5 cm Photography . 29.9 x 44.9 x 0.2 inch

CHF 876

Painting, Blue, Aurélie Trabaud

Aurélie Trabaud

Painting . 61 x 46 x 1 cm Painting . 24 x 18.1 x 0.4 inch

CHF 681