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, Wharf Shack, Timon Sloane

Timon Sloane

Painting . 22.9 x 30.5 x 1.3 cm Painting . 9 x 12 x 0.5 inch

CHF 512

Painting, Identity, Anna Krtshatsyan

Anna Krtshatsyan

Painting . 22 x 21 x 0.3 cm Painting . 8.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch

CHF 340 CHF 306

Print, NY City Hall, Lucio Forte

Lucio Forte

Print . 50 x 70 x 0.2 cm Print . 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 117

Painting, Red Canyon, Richard Szkutnik

Richard Szkutnik

Painting . 40.6 x 50.8 x 0.5 cm Painting . 16 x 20 x 0.2 inch

CHF 1,380

Photography, Luna Park, Rodrigo

Rodrigo

Photography . 35.1 x 27.1 x 0.1 cm Photography . 13.8 x 10.7 x 0 inch

CHF 1,553

Painting, City of Joy, Anand Manchiraju

Anand Manchiraju

Painting . 66 x 114.3 x 0.3 cm Painting . 26 x 45 x 0.1 inch

CHF 5,340

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 250, Tarek Butayhi

Tarek Butayhi

Fine Art Drawings . 21 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.3 x 11.8 inch

CHF 680

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 246, Tarek Butayhi

Tarek Butayhi

Fine Art Drawings . 21 x 30 cm Fine Art Drawings . 8.3 x 11.8 inch

CHF 680

Painting, Phantom Pain, Dyala Khodary

Dyala Khodary

Painting . 195 x 130 cm Painting . 76.8 x 51.2 inch

CHF 11,173

Photography, #3, Julien Espiaut

#3

Julien Espiaut

Photography . 29.7 x 21 x 0.1 cm Photography . 11.7 x 8.3 x 0 inch

CHF 185

Fine Art Drawings, Bravo, Esther Blanchot

Esther Blanchot

Fine Art Drawings . 30 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.8 x 8.3 inch

CHF 437

Print, Famiglia, Colomba Pino

Colomba Pino

Print . 49 x 35 x 1 cm Print . 19.3 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

CHF 379

Painting, Belvedere park, Oksana K.

Oksana K.

Painting . 30 x 60 x 2 cm Painting . 11.8 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch

CHF 349

Photography, The Round Tower, Guy Sargent

Guy Sargent

Photography . 100 x 70 x 0.2 cm Photography . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 666

Photography, Riflemaker, Guy Sargent

Guy Sargent

Photography . 70 x 90.5 x 0.2 cm Photography . 27.6 x 35.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 675

Photography, 22 Bishopsgate, Guy Sargent

Guy Sargent

Photography . 100 x 70 x 0.2 cm Photography . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 666

Photography, The Watchtower, Guy Sargent

Guy Sargent

Photography . 100 x 70 x 0.2 cm Photography . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

CHF 656

Fine Art Drawings, Florence, Nigel Bailey

Nigel Bailey

Fine Art Drawings . 35.6 x 27.9 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 14 x 11 x 0 inch

CHF 753

Photography, Gaze, Nilgun Sezgin

Nilgun Sezgin

Photography . 60 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography . 23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch

CHF 243

Fine Art Drawings, Balcon sur rive, Quentin Badran

Quentin Badran

Fine Art Drawings . 42 x 29 x 0.01 cm Fine Art Drawings . 16.5 x 11.4 x 0 inch

CHF 7,287

Photography, Path to the Sea, Arantza NT

Arantza NT

Photography . 40 x 30 x 0.01 cm Photography . 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

CHF 187