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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Architecture

Vers soi

Land of water

5th Avenue give and take

Le bureau

Viens

Nexus papel I

Je t'aime

A glimpse into rural tranquility

Sumériens

Les pigeons

Untitled #42

Regresa vida mia que te espero 4

Mon coeur

Nuit sur NY

Un été à Pékin

Le pont japonais

Bronze

Au fil du temps

Arlequin

Mine de Chuquicamata

New York 2

Greenwich Village Shadows

Untitled (Facade)

Untitled (Exterior)

Untitled (Tomb)

Untitled (ufo)

Cat

Robbe Grillet

Ombre et lumière #4

Matriochka

Maison de poupées 2

Le Corridor

Dusk

Grand Bazar

Ateliers

Petit intérieur III

Les toits de Paris

Lichtmalerei 180.18.2003

Place des Vosges

Tour Eiffel

Via Veneto #9

Via Veneto #8

Paris 2

Terrace, Villa Medici II

The Temple of Hercules

Untitled (structure)

The Pyramid of Caius Cestius

Via Santa Sabina

Group, Circo Massimo

Thunderstorm, Villa Medici

La Grandeur d'Esprit

Abri provençal

203R0941

The promenade of memories

Retour à la caverne, acte I, collage, Paris, 2023

The bay's radiance

Gentle evening in Venice

Beautiful day in Venice

Autumn tale

Merry bridge

Summer day

This blue dream

Les amants imaginaires

Temple in Kyoto

Apartments

Pause musicale