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!

Read more
Photography, Tchernobyl, Guillaume Herbaut

Guillaume Herbaut

Photography . 60 x 75 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 29.5 x 0 inch

£2,619

Photography, Poseidon, Guy Sargent

Guy Sargent

Photography . 92 x 68 x 0.2 cm Photography . 36.2 x 26.8 x 0.1 inch

£792

Painting, Selo - N, Ivan Tzonev

Ivan Tzonev

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

£142

Photography, Poloca #2, Edmund Sumner

Edmund Sumner

Photography . 90 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography . 35.4 x 23.6 x 0 inch

£2,047

Sculpture, 204, Hans Dieter Zingraff

204

Hans Dieter Zingraff

Sculpture . 67 x 115 x 2 cm Sculpture . 26.4 x 45.3 x 0.8 inch

£2,574

Painting, Coral Oasis, Valia

Valia

Painting . 80 x 60 x 0.1 cm Painting . 31.5 x 23.6 x 0 inch

£577

Painting, The Charmer, Grace Diehl

Grace Diehl

Painting . 27.9 x 35.6 x 1.8 cm Painting . 11 x 14 x 0.7 inch

£750

Fine Art Drawings, Wall and Time, Olga Koshelewa

Olga Koshelewa

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

£355

Painting, Barche, Dario Bazan

Dario Bazan

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

£710

Print, Aldeia 10, Ludovic Duprez

Ludovic Duprez

Print . 80 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print . 31.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch

£799

Fine Art Drawings, Honfleur, Jean Le Gac

Jean Le Gac

Fine Art Drawings . 29.5 x 38 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.6 x 15 inch

£932

Painting, A Hard Man, Rob Croxford

Rob Croxford

Painting . 56 x 56 x 1.5 cm Painting . 22 x 22 x 0.6 inch

£621

Painting, La tua natura, Mr.Tris

Mr.Tris

Painting . 97 x 97 x 5 cm Painting . 38.2 x 38.2 x 2 inch

£2,485

Photography, Royal Red, Moritz Hormel

Moritz Hormel

Photography . 70 x 100 x 3 cm Photography . 27.6 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

£1,243

Print, Marquee, Wayne Thiebaud

Wayne Thiebaud

Print . 53.3 x 30.5 cm Print . 21 x 12 inch

£9,756

Painting, Lookout, Nanci Erskine

Nanci Erskine

Painting . 106.7 x 71.1 x 3.8 cm Painting . 42 x 28 x 1.5 inch

£1,382

Painting, Il Duomo, Bernard Vié

Bernard Vié

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

£2,130

Painting, Vince II, Matthew Green

Matthew Green

Painting . 55.9 x 76.2 x 5.1 cm Painting . 22 x 30 x 2 inch

£772

Print, Lady Liberty, LeRoy Neiman

LeRoy Neiman

Print . 80 x 66.5 x 0.2 cm Print . 31.5 x 26.2 x 0.1 inch

£2,219

Sculpture, Ohne Titel, Gerd Kanz

Gerd Kanz

Sculpture . 24 x 20 x 3 cm Sculpture . 9.4 x 7.9 x 1.2 inch

£976

Painting, Night lights, Viktor Gutsul

Viktor Gutsul

Painting . 50 x 50 x 4 cm Painting . 19.7 x 19.7 x 1.6 inch

£244

Painting, An evening, Marta Rynkiewicz

Marta Rynkiewicz

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

£3,107 £2,796

Photography, Ocean view, Marcus Cederberg

Marcus Cederberg

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

£178