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!

Search by Image

Save your search and find it in your favorites

13/100 1 10 11 12 13 14 15 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Categories

Subcategories

Architecture

Jr (1983) - JR au Louvre, 29 Mars 2019, 19H45

La Danse de la Mort - Planche 1 (293)

Reflection of the Empire State Building

Eiffel Tower 5

Road to home. Batumi

Untitled (home)

Edge of Dreams

Unforgettable Lake Como

Twilight in Los Angeles

Holy Spirit Monastery

Evening Brooklyn Bridge

Summer café

City Park Evening

New opportunities

Yard by the sea

28 mm, Face 2 Face, Separation Wall, Security fence, Palestinian side, Bethlehem, 2007

Urban barriera margine confine

Sur les toits de Paris

Sunset love

Archipelago house

Night cafe by the highway

Alex

Dubrovnik

Botanical sceneries - Petit palais Sévilles

Le Flatiron Building

Le Brooklyn Brigde

Brouillard à St Guénolé

Crossing the Waters of Home

I carry this Place wherever I go

Embracing the Sun

Enjoying each Moment

Free falling in Love

You are what Dreams are made of

Boards in Ximen District, Taipei

Look the ocean

2007 Windows

Tressage mental 1

Poolside Ladies

Le Réconfort d'un Ami

La Pensée du Soir

Une Seconde Avant l'Envol des Anges

Reflet III

Stairs museum Collection MMCA Museum Modern Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea

Temples

N°2076

Trompe l'oeil, Les Falaises du Trocadéro (Portfolio of 4)

Saint Augustine

Fossil Factory HPM 2/6

The tree

Sunset Boulevard

Wrapped Barcelona fontain

Factory stacks (Earth First)

IINDIAN DREAM

0884_1214 _mythologies

Night in Paris

Vieil immeuble

Paysage urbain #1

Red wall

Paradise Courtyard

Village de campagne 2

Village II

Village 102

La rue de la Soie

Molles

Italian lonely balcony

Big red wall