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, Chimeneas Batlló, M. Muro

M. Muro

Painting . 40 x 60 x 3 cm Painting . 15.7 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch

£2,663

Print, New Yorker, Jayson L

Jayson L

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

£1,498

Photography, Roi, Mario Tarantino

Roi

Mario Tarantino

Photography . 90 x 70 x 0.3 cm Photography . 35.4 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

£941

Painting, City Highways, Frank De Blok

Frank De Blok

Painting . 100 x 80 x 2 cm Painting . 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch

£1,332

Photography, Life Satisfaction, Tae Reed

Tae Reed

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

£577

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Ernest Salvadó

Ernest Salvadó

Fine Art Drawings . 90 x 54 cm Fine Art Drawings . 35.4 x 21.3 inch

£493

Photography, The classroom, Magnus Wahman

Magnus Wahman

Photography . 40 x 73 x 0.3 cm Photography . 15.7 x 28.7 x 0.1 inch

£1,065

Painting, Time, Keti Shapatava

Keti Shapatava

Painting . 60 x 60 x 2.5 cm Painting . 23.6 x 23.6 x 1 inch

£1,775

Fine Art Drawings, Illuminated, Victor Roschkov

Victor Roschkov

Fine Art Drawings . 50.8 x 66.8 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 20 x 26.3 x 0.1 inch

£527

Photography, San Diego Home, Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

Photography . 50.8 x 50.8 cm Photography . 20 x 20 inch

£2,752

Painting, Apparent, Mirtha Otaño

Mirtha Otaño

Painting . 70 x 100 x 4 cm Painting . 27.6 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch

£2,654

Photography, Untitled 25, Arslan Sükan

Arslan Sükan

Photography . 30 x 23 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.8 x 9.1 x 0 inch

£1,220

Photography, Equilibre libre, Bze Bzeland

Bze Bzeland

Photography . 48.3 x 32.9 x 0.1 cm Photography . 19 x 13 x 0 inch

£178

Painting, Havane, Mea Ambrozo

Mea Ambrozo

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

£2,219

Fine Art Drawings, Evening Street, Alla Kechedzhan

Alla Kechedzhan

Fine Art Drawings . 10 x 20 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 3.9 x 7.9 x 0 inch

£976

Painting, September, Alain Churlaud

Alain Churlaud

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

£710

Painting, Les barques rouges, Autonne

Autonne

Painting . 122 x 76 x 4 cm Painting . 48 x 29.9 x 1.6 inch

£4,261

Sculpture, Tour Eiffel logos, PyB

PyB

Sculpture . 32 x 15 x 6 cm Sculpture . 12.6 x 5.9 x 2.4 inch

£169

Painting, Car Wash, Nathan Rhoads

Nathan Rhoads

Painting . 91.4 x 61 x 3.8 cm Painting . 36 x 24 x 1.5 inch

£5,626

Photography, Dianatempel, Bernhard Lang

Bernhard Lang

Photography . 96 x 120 x 0.1 cm Photography . 37.8 x 47.2 x 0 inch

£1,598

Photography, Badekultur, Gina Soden

Gina Soden

Photography . 65 x 53 x 0.1 cm Photography . 25.6 x 20.9 x 0 inch

£1,296

Fine Art Drawings, Théorèmes #1, Nagsoul

Nagsoul

Fine Art Drawings . 22 x 32 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.7 x 12.6 x 0 inch

£710