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, Plein Air, Kamsar Ohanyan

Kamsar Ohanyan

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

CHF 340

Photography, Burano, Vassilia Kouboulis

Vassilia Kouboulis

Photography . 60 x 90 x 3 cm Photography . 23.6 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch

CHF 1,506

Photography, 1720A, Jean-Paul Baret

Jean-Paul Baret

Photography . 60 x 60 cm Photography . 23.6 x 23.6 inch

CHF 432

Print, Lunaria, Christophe Malsert

Christophe Malsert

Print . 90 x 90 x 3 cm Print . 35.4 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch

CHF 417

Fine Art Drawings, Folie 7, Denis Poughon

Denis Poughon

Fine Art Drawings . 26 x 13 x 1.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 10.2 x 5.1 x 0.5 inch

CHF 340

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Reyner

Reyner

Fine Art Drawings . 29 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.4 x 8.3 x 0 inch

CHF 680

Print, Untitled, Luis Fernández

Luis Fernández

Print . 100 x 70 x 0.1 cm Print . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch

CHF 216

Print, Untitled, Luis Fernández

Luis Fernández

Print . 100 x 70 x 0.1 cm Print . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch

CHF 216

Print, Untitled, Luis Fernández

Luis Fernández

Print . 100 x 70 x 0.1 cm Print . 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch

CHF 216

Print, Untitled, Luis Fernández

Luis Fernández

Print . 70 x 100 x 0.1 cm Print . 27.6 x 39.4 x 0 inch

CHF 216

Painting, Old Barns, Milan Laciak

Milan Laciak

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

CHF 321

Photography, MP170, Yasuo Kiyonaga

Yasuo Kiyonaga

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

CHF 486

Photography, MP096, Yasuo Kiyonaga

Yasuo Kiyonaga

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

CHF 486

Photography, Neighborhood, Noa Grayevsky

Noa Grayevsky

Photography . 152.4 x 127 x 0.5 cm Photography . 60 x 50 x 0.2 inch

CHF 19,431

Fine Art Drawings, Behind The Door, Victor Roschkov

Victor Roschkov

Fine Art Drawings . 47 x 41.9 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings . 18.5 x 16.5 x 0.1 inch

CHF 466

Painting, Inside Out, Dzovig Arnelian

Dzovig Arnelian

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

CHF 405

Photography, Bellagio, Donna Carnahan

Donna Carnahan

Photography . 91.4 x 121.9 x 3.8 cm Photography . 36 x 48 x 1.5 inch

CHF 1,509

Painting, GEAI BLEU, Ludovic Mercher

Ludovic Mercher

Painting . 50 x 73 x 2.5 cm Painting . 19.7 x 28.7 x 1 inch

CHF 437

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled, Reyner

Reyner

Fine Art Drawings . 29 x 21 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings . 11.4 x 8.3 x 0 inch

CHF 680

Photography, Château d'If #1, Samzaï

Samzaï

Photography . 50 x 75 x 1 cm Photography . 19.7 x 29.5 x 0.4 inch

CHF 379

Painting, Le Louvre, Paris, Phil

Phil

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

CHF 826

Painting, Time Square, NY, Phil

Phil

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

CHF 826

Painting, Blooming house, Anna Krtshatsyan

Anna Krtshatsyan

Painting . 21.5 x 16.5 x 0.3 cm Painting . 8.5 x 6.5 x 0.1 inch

CHF 340 CHF 306

Painting, La basilica, SLH Artiste

SLH Artiste

Painting . 81 x 61 x 2 cm Painting . 31.9 x 24 x 0.8 inch

CHF 972

Painting, Vatican City, Anand Manchiraju

Anand Manchiraju

Painting . 101.6 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Painting . 40 x 40 x 0.1 inch

CHF 5,785

Painting, Perspective, Anand Manchiraju

Anand Manchiraju

Painting . 101.6 x 76.2 x 0.3 cm Painting . 40 x 30 x 0.1 inch

CHF 5,340