Non-Western Traditions Flashcards
India was not ruled centrally how did this effect architecture
Diversity in its architectural heritage
India and Pakistan’s thought on details
Details play a significant role in architecture and interiors
India and Pakistan’s city layout
3000 BC large cities on grid plans
India and Pakistan wall construction
Walls were constructed of baked brick
India and Pakistan materials for roof and floors
Roofs and floors were mostly wood (non-monumental)
India and Pakistan earlier buildings
Utilitarian and bare, no ornamentation can be seen in earlier non-monumental examples in Mohenjo-Daro
India and Pakistan temples
rock cut and carved
India and Pakistan masonry buildings
Masonry buildings were usually monumental (temples) and were elaborately carved
3rd-1st century BC temples
structures with high vaulted central space and side aisles
13th century temples
Islamic rule and its influence
Chaitya Hall date and location
Karle 1st CE Buddhist Temple
Chaitya Hall Structure
Buddhist rock-cut architecture
Chaitya Hall Size
Comparable in size to that of a Gothic church
The largest of all of the chaityas (Buddhist shrines)
Chaitya Hall plan
Prayer hall with a stupa at the end
Main hall + two aisles
Chaitya Hall features
Main hall + two aisles + ornate carved stone columns + plain wooden ribs + vaulted ceiling
At the time Buddhism was most followed by?
wealthy merchants
The rest of society followed?
Brahmin (Hinduism) practices were favored
Monks sought to build temples in remote locations to…
avoid conflicts with Brahmins (a member of the highest Hindu caste)
Import things to identify in Chaitya Hall
Wooden horseshoe arches
Carved rock columns
Stupa
Central nave and aisles
Chaitya Hall Proportions
Heroic proportions. India’s idealized concept of the human figure: Narrow shoulders, large breasts, small waist, and exaggerated hips for the female and solid stance, broad shoulders, and slender hips for the male.
Plan of the temple city, Madurai, India
12th-17th century
temple type in Madurai, India
Hindu Temple
increasing wealth within society
because of kingly patronage during the medieval period
The Nayaka ruler
Vishvanatha
Vishvanatha, had his civil architect redesign the city of Madurai in…
strict accordance with the principles laid down in the ancient text dealing with urban planning
What planning type is not visible in some other ceremonial cities
Unitary planning
Addition to cities made by
princes, nobles, and merchants
the temple and city faced what direction and why
faced east –for the direction of the rising sun holds the greatest cosmological significance for the Hindus
Gopura, Meenakshi Temple, Madurai features
A gapura is a massive tower, an entry gate
Thousand Pillar Hall
Jainism: Anantekavda
Many Truths (Concept of relativity, there is no one truth)
Jain Temples floor plan based on
Temple floor plans based on Hindu temples
Jain Temple locations
built on mountain tops
how to tell if a temple is a Jain temple
Different deities depicted inside is the biggest clue
Jain Temple precedents
Initially copied Buddhist and Hindu temples
Jain Temple materials
carved marble
Jain temple features
Profusion of ornamentation
A square floor plan with openings in four cardinal directions
Jains created temple…
cities as opposed to solitary Hindu temples
Jain Temple roof forms
Roof forms with concentric rings of carving
Jain temple structure
Use of false arch/bracket springs, false-support for domical roofs
Jain temple exterior
Multiple domes create a distinct skyline
HINDU TEMPLES
Hinduism: Polymorphous
Tend to be linear in floor plan
Jain Dilwara “Tejapala” Temple DATE + LOCATION
Rajasthan, India, 10th century
“Dancing Pavilion” , (Jain Dilwara “Tejapala” Temple)
Overwhelming amount of detail in carvings
Korea’s Wooden structural system of building was introduced from…
China in 1st century BC
Well-preserved palaces survived in…
Seoul from 15th -17th centuries
Korean structures
Columned and tile roofed structures
Korean seating
No use of chairs, elevated tables or beds
Korean furniture
Use of low shelves, writing tables, and storage units
Korean Gendered furniture
Furniture for use of men tend to be austere, functional but not ornamented, with natural wood finishes whereas women’s furniture is more colorful, lacquer finishes, more colorful wood species, ornamental knobs, handles, etc.
Japanese invasion of Korea DATE
16th century
Korean nature
Nature deemed important and was expressed in traditional motifs
Korean natural beings depiction
Natural beings depicted as pairs: harmony (cosmic principle of ying and yang)
Changdeok Palace DATE + LOCATION
Seoul, Korea, 15th century
Changdeok Palace name meaning
“Palace of Illustrious Virtue”
All the royal palaces in the capital were burnt down during…
the Japanese Invasions (1592-1598).
Changdeok Palace rebuild
The palace was rebuilt in 1608
Changdeok Palace Plan
The site plan markedly different from the traditional Chinese-oriented style of palatial construction
How is Changdeok Palace plan different
It does not display the typical symmetrical arrangement of major halls and gates along the north-south axis on flat ground
Changdeok Palace location and why
Mountain palace following native Korean values emphasizing harmony with nature: flexible ground plan
The palace blends in with the topography
Changdeok Palace spatial layout
No man-made axis regulating its spatial layout
Changdeok Palace Garden design:
minimized man-made elements
Changdeok Palace exemplifies
The palace exemplifies the moral value of the Confucian-oriented Joseon Dynasty which cherished modesty and frugality, doing away with extravagance
How did the Changdeok Palace change over time
By the end of the Joseon Dynasty, imported goods from China, Japan, and the West adorned palace interiors
How was furniture determined for Changdeok Palace
The allotted space for furniture, type and size of the furniture depended on the status of the resident
Changdeok Palace king and queen living quarters
The living quarters of the king and queen were left sparse with little furniture: dignified and orderly space
Changdeok Palace furniture location
The visible furniture pieces were placed in subsidiary room and used there
Changdeok Palace furniture finish
Many of the palace furniture pieces were varnished with red lacquer, some with black or yellow lacquer
Injeong Hall in Changdeok Palace use
The throne room used for formal state ceremonies
Injeong Hall interior influence
Chinese-influenced interior
Changdok Palace interior details
Landscape painting
Low seats
Kings Folding Chair
used by the royal family for special events
colored with red lacquer
portable folding chair
handles and back has embellished decorations
Huijeongdang Hall, Chandeok Palace location
Innermost quarter of the palace
Huijeongdang Hall use
Women’s residence, later a place of work and rest for the king
why did Huijeongdang Hall need rebuilt
Rebuilt in 1920 after a fire
Modernized interiors: Electricity, chandelier, glass windows
Huijeongdang Hall interior
EUROPEAN STYLE FURNITURE REMINISCENT OF BAROQUE/ROCOCO
Still has TRADITIONAL FURNITURE
Seonjeong Hall, Changdeok Palace use
Working office of the king and his officials
Seonjeong Hall folding screen
The folding screen behind the throne is a Joseon royal screen. It depicts the sun (king) and moon (queen)
Traditional Korean Houses features
Regional variations
Wooden floor (maru) used to store grains
Elevated floor
No flat roofs. Curved roof lines
Traditional Korean Houses why elevated floor
protection from humidity
stored grain
JAPAN Five major periods
Ancient
Classical
Medieval
Early Modern
Modern
Traditional Korean Houses why no flat roofs
because of climate/snow
Ancient
(Before establishment of the empire court and Buddhism)
Classical
(Imperial family)
Medieval
(Political power shifted from the imperial family to Shogun military)
Early Modern
(Feudal system, No interaction with the West)
Modern
(Emperor regains power)
why did foreign influences did not reach Japan easily
Island country
what influences did Japan have
Korean and Chinese
Japan climate
subtropical - mild yet distinct seasons
Japan’s relationship with nature
Close relationship between season, nature and spaces
Japan use of interior and exterior
Outside in (opening up the spaces with the use of sliding components, hinged screen walls, use of rice paper-let’s light in)
Japan interior decoration
Paintings: Important components of interior design, especially on doors (screens)
Japan thoughts about high art and craft
No division between high art and craft
Shinto
Japan’s oldest and native religion (the way of the Gods)
Shinto concept
Pureness is the single most important concept
Japanese cypress with straight grain is used in construction of temples (natural, unstained)
Use of joinery
Use of traditional construction techniques and tools
Emperor ordered shrines to be kept new DATE
7th century
Permanence and newness idea
The idea of Permanence and newness are not considered contradictory but rather correlated
Replaced wood is considered…
sacred and sent to other shrines.
Ordinary people were…
not allowed in Shinto shrines but only high priests and member of the imperial family
Horyuji Temple type
Pagoda
Himeji Castle DATE + LOCATION
Himeji City, Japan, 17th century
Modularity use in interiors
Tatami floor mat -3’x6’
Tatami floor mat -3’x6’
Made of straw
Determines size of space
Himeji Castle paintings
Semi-naturalistic paintings-landscape
Informal tea house, detached villa DATE + LOCATION
Katsura, Japan, 17th century
Informal tea house features
Relies on geometry
Looks more modern
Apart from landscape paintings all lines seen in architecture are connected, functional, structural, etc
What is interesting about how all lines seen in the informal tea house are connected, functional, structural, etc
Hard to tell what’s structural vs decoration
Chinese architecture
Wooden columns and beams; painted in rich colors
Richly carved bracketed connections
Sloped roofs with tiles
Often one storey
Fully exposed structural elements inside
symmetry of plan layout
Chinese houses
Outside walls were of masonry but not structural, courtyard house with porches and verandas
Symmetry of plan layout
Mat culture
use of mats instead of chairs or sofas
high level officials start using furniture pieces DATE
7th century
During Ming and Qing dynasties furniture was…
elevated from being merely a functional object to an art form
Chinese furniture
Attention to wood grain patterns, innovation in joinery
negotiates the balance between human body and space
Raised seating conveyed a an impression of authority
Use of softwoods and lacquer or hardwoods + fine grain = no lacquer
Structure exposed - can see exactly how it is constructed
Chinese Furniture types
Folding Horseshoe chair
Three-Seater Folding Settee
First pictorial evidence of Chinese furniture
11th-12th century painting (Night Revels of Han Xizai by Gu Hong Zhong)
Chinese use of Feng Shui
meticulously arranged furniture and living spaces meant a more rigid and disciplined manner of organization
Chinese Gendered space
Distinct separation between family and other members of the society
Chinese Hierarchical gradation
in ancient China people were divided into various social classes and this was reflected in architecture and interior design
Chinese Courtyard house
Spatial sequence is significant. Alternating interior and exterior spaces
Chinese space type
More introverted spaces compared to Korean and Japanese interiors once you are in interiors
Chinese furniture size
No mobility of furniture: Larger pieces with hand-carved details
Chinese color and murals
Use of red (good luck), murals depicting animals (dragons, fish, birds, etc.)
Chinese use of dougong (brackets):
a functional and decorative element; was later adapted by Korea and Japan
Korean Space is more suitable for use of furniture
Center of the room is left empty and furniture is arranged around the perimeter
Korea Gendered space
anchae women’s and sarangchae men’s space
Korea Spaces organized
based on hierarchical order (guests, servants, etc.)
Korea space use
Multi-functional spaces (Furniture enables modification of function)
Korean Furniture
Furniture is lifted up off the floor with short legs
Some mobility of furniture
Ondol
(under floor heating)
Korea shoes
Removal of shoes inside the home
Japan furniture use
Not as suitable for use of furniture: Spaces are divided with shoji (sliding doors) therefore there is no strict definition of spaces
Japan Gender
No separation between genders
Japan spaces organized
Spaces organized based on hierarchical order (guests, servants, etc.)
Japan space use
Use of spaces with more dedicated and specific functions
Japan furniture legs
Some furniture pieces have legs and some do not
Japan furniture use
Traditionally no use of furniture (tatami mats) Great mobility of furniture
Japan interiors
Simple interiors with limited ornamentation: Use of modular screens, landscape murals
Japan shoes
Removal of shoes inside the home
