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Renaissance Architecture
| A clear mix of the modern and the classic is the Tower Bridge in London. Formed by a combination of masonry and iron, the Tower Bridge is unique in its attempt not to use the classic to mask the modern, but to use the two for different purposes. The bridge was designed by Horace Jones, who started construction in 1886 and ended construction in 1894. The bridge part is composed of high strength iron, allowing for its function to be served, and the tower part is composed of stone, adding a classical aesthetic to the structure. The iron allows for the passing of high density traffic, and the stone allows for the Tower Bridge to maintain the look of London. |
Courtesy of The Photo Album |
| The Tower Bridge is a different kind of building, openly displaying the benefits of both modernism and classicism. Another building, built 40 years earlier, demonstrated the feasibility of combing the two ideas into one without sacrificing the benefits of either. |
The architectural renaissance revival of the mid-19th century saw a return to the baroque style of constructing buildings. With its trademark curved, semicircular arches and repeating patterns, the renaissance revival saw its greatest comeback on May 1, 1851 at the Great Exhibition in London. The Crystal Palace is the best example of revivalist architecture combined with the utilitarian ideals of the Victorian Era.
Sketch of the Crystal Palace
The brainchild behind the design of the Crystal Palace was Joseph Paxton. The son of a farmer, Paxton created his first two buildings in 1836, both of which were greenhouses for the Duke of Devonshire. Using as the basis for the Crystal Palace, Paxton looked to his first creations for inspirations, thus leading to the glass-on-steel structure for the building that would soon house the Great Exhibition.
The Crystal Palace, designed to hold a large exhibition of worldly proportions, was intended to be only a temporary space to be used for the exhibition. Understanding the temporary existence of the building in London, the architects, 233 in total, built the Crystal Palace with simple materials that could easily be added, removed, or altered. The design of the baroque building was simple: steel squares covered in glass. These squares could be easily built, and were light enough to be placed almost anywhere, yet strong enough to meet the demands of a large exhibition. After the exhibition ended, the design of the building allowed it to be easily dismantled and relocated to Sydenham, where is was just as easily reassembled and reopened in 1852. Two years later a fire destroyed the newly relocated building. Despite its short existence, the Crystal Palace clearly showed that form and function could be blended into both an architectural masterpiece and into a utilitarian structure. The edifice at Kew Gardens, from which the designers of the Crystal Palace drew much of their inspiration, still stands and is also a testament to the belief that two formerly conflicting ideals can blend into one feasible whole.
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