Architecture is the manifestation of many intangibles. The museums in Ontario such as the Royal Ontario Museum (the ROM) and the Art Gallery of Ontario (the AGO), both illustrate many intangible force – the vision of the architects, the ambition and hope of the clients, as well as the resolve of the community, etc. These two representatives of Ontario public institutions have both gone through transformation from the classic style to the contemporary one. On the west side of Queen’s Park in Toronto, stands the great building the houses the Royal Ontario Museum. Nowadays, the ROM is famous for its Crystal exterior. The rusting-steel-looked structure of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal becomes one of the landmarks in downtown Toronto. However, the ROM’s original master plan was created by the …show more content…
The Governor General of Canada, Duke of Connaught was presented the plan when he received the hand-written, illuminated document. It was clearly derived from J.N.L Durand’s ideal and is another example of the use of half of his prototype. If the ROM had been fully realized as the illuminated plan suggested, it would be a classic Beaux-Arts building in plan but with a rather more eclectic façade treatment. (Figure 1) The eclectic façade treatment of the ROM’s 1914 building exemplified the pre-20th-century approach in which symbolism was paramount importance. It was an agglomeration of historic components that mirrored the idea of the museum as gathering disparate pieces of history together. Similarly, the ROM’s 2007 Crystal galleries appear like the 1914 galleries – large rooms full of objects in cases. The function of the gallery is back to where it started, a temple of objects. The ROM’s 2007 Crystal exterior reverts to a level of interest in symbolic form comparable to the 1914 one. The contemporary structure is stridently in juxtaposition to what remains visible
Queen Anne architecture can not be defined easily. It's architectural style has many different characteristics. In this paper, I will show how the Queen Anne style evolved from the architecture that was common during the reign of Queen Anne herself and also show how it evolved in America in the late 1800's during the Industrial Revolution. I will then show how the Queen Anne style is incorporated into today's architectural design.
Hitchcock, Henry Russell. The Crystal Palace: the structure, its antecedents and its immediate progeny: and exhibition. Northampton, Mass.: Smith College Museum of Art, 1952.
As evidenced by many of its historic buildings, Fredericton was greatly influenced by the neoclassical architectural period that swept Europe and North America during the 18th century (Young 1982, 10). This period was marked by an influx of buildings designed to reflect the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome (Faulkner 2009, Neo-classical architecture). It grew from the burgeoning interest in classical antiquities and antiquarianism, a movement led by Englishmen such as Lord Elgin and William Stukeley, which marked the 1700s (Greene and Moore 2010, 16, 38). While the style did not come to Canada until the late part of the 18th century, it quickly became a dominate form of choice for both public and private buildings and Fredericton is an excellent example of this (Young 1982, 10). Typical attributes of neoclassical architecture include columns fabricated from wood or stone, wide friezes, and pediments above the doorways (Harris 2006, Neoclassical style). Each of the three Greek orders, Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, are well represented. However, this paper will deal with the Ionic and Corinthian orders only and their presence in the city of Fredericton.
On my trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I decided to take my mother with me. While being in the museum, I decided to focus on “The American Wing”. In “The American Wing”, there are amazing pieces of art, jewelry, and antique silver. I was amazed on how each piece of artwork and item was carefully designed. They had an amazing design that you do not see now in days.
As the tour of the museum began, it was easily noticed that all of the objects on display were placed behind thick glass cases. Many plaques inside of the case provide the visitor with information about the specific case that is being looked at. In most cases the plaques didn’t so much provide an elaboration on the pieces, but rather expand upon the historical context of the pieces. Also, the plaques shed light onto muc...
Duncan’s (1991) analysis of western museums is defined through the theme of “durable objects” as a criterion to judge the heritage of American and European art as a ritual of the modern state. In this manner western art museums are built like “temples” as a symbolic and figurative representation of greatness of western culture throughout the world: “[They] are more like the traditional ceremonial monuments that museum buildings often emulate—classical temples” (Duncan 90). This interpretation of American/European museums defines a dominant source of cultural heritage that ritualizes
The two artifacts depicted here are a bird's eye view showing the main buildings of the exhibition, and a map ...
The use of brick color on Memorial Hall is an important aspect of its exterior, as it creates a striped pattern and border along the outside walls. Furthermore, the slate on the roof displays a pattern to view as well. Upon examining this building one can't h...
James F. O'Gorman, Dennis E. McGrath. ABC of Architecture. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998. Document. October 2013.
The “superstar” museum gained this status by considering every important detail during its establishment and initial phases of conversion from royal palace to museum (Gombault, 2002). As the purpose of the building changed, each room addressed new functions with new requirements. Although the function of the Louvre is different from the building’s original intention, the building is still appears dignified and important enough to display priceless artifacts and painting (Steffensen-Bruce, 1998). This consideration was applied in designing the Met. The Met looked towards the South Kensington Museum (Victoria and Albert) and the “ideal role model” due to its extensive collections and international reputation (Heckscher, 1995). The Met found itself in a similar situation to the South Kensington, because it did not have a building or a collection to start with (Heckscher, 1995). When designing museums, architects strived to create monuments that “prepare and educate the mind of the visitor (Steffensen-Bruce, 1998).” Education is an essential function of a museum. Acquiring, preserving, and properly displaying materials, permits a museum to fulfill this duty (Steffensen-Bruce, 1998). For instance, lighting is a factor that affects the manner in which artwork is viewed and can be properly appreciated. When determining the proper lighting for the Louvre, Comte d’Angiviller, strongly believed that natural, overhead lighting was the most effective solution (McClellan, 1994, p. 72). The same determination impacted the decision to add skylights at the Met. During the initial phase, architects Vaux and Mould, added skylights to the upper floor, and windows to the lower floor that provided a natural light solution (Heckscher, 1995). Additionally, glass-roofed courtyards provided “unimpeded light” for displaying
When French President Francois Mitterand “personally selected Mr. Pei in 1983 to design the Grand Louvre to give air, space, and light to one of the world’s most congested museums,” (Markham, 1989) there were many critics. The press “lambasted the idea of shattering the harmony of the Louvre’s courtyard with a glass iceberg” (Markham, 1989). But Pei proceeded as planned, taking a major risk in creating a glass pyramid structure at the entrance. He did not focus on what the critics would say about his plans, but hoped that the world would see, upon completion, that his vision of a contemporary, functional entrance would not clash with the Baroque style of the Louvre itself.
In order to create innovative public architecture, considered to be the most civic, costly, time intensive and physical of the arts, the project holds a degree of risk, strife, and negotiation . Overcoming these tasks and creating worthy public architecture is a challenge designers try to accomplish, but are rarely successful. The people involved in a potential public building, can be larger than the building itself. Public architecture tries to please all, even the doubters and critics, but because of the all these factors, a building is closer to failing than succeeding.
McCormick, P. (2007). Preserving Canada's cultural heritage: Library and Archives Canada. Feliciter, 53(5), 260-262. Retrieved from: http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy.ufv.ca:2048/eds/detail?vid=24&sid=334ec032-d383-4be8-b9e4-c81d19989439%40sessionmgr198&hid=105&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=aph&AN=27015194
A smaller pool lays adjacent to the building on the opposite side enclosed by a wall of marble. Mies designed the pavilion to blur the lines between inside and outside space. There are parts of the walls that seem to be missing which creates a flow between the two main spaces. The pavilion’s thin sweeping roof is supported by eight cruciform columns clad in chrome. This created an open and free space where he lined the outside of the building with glass. He then carefully placed a thin slab of onyx in the middle of the open volume.
When first arriving at the museum it was an old styled, rustic, building that was not very modern, which I think fits into the theme of the museum. The outside of the building had history, similar to how the inside of museum is filled with a history. There was also an impressive statue of former president Theodore Roosevelt. I thought it was an interesting display, but Theodore Roosevelt was an advocate for the preservation of national parks and the conservation of animals, moreover, I thought it was a great tribute to him. I think the outside of the museum shows how rich the history of the world is and there is so much to learn. The past has been polished for the people of the present to understand and admire. Overall, I felt every exhibit was easy to understand and not intimidating; subsequently, it was easy for children and adults to look at.