From feelings - melancholy and bewilderment. Because the builders of sheds and garages have heavily referenced the noble concept of "architectural concept". Type this couple of words in the search engine, they will vividly explain to you that all the fuss is for the customer, and the result will be a “reasonable decision of the site”. And it is better to order the service immediately with the concept.
We will go the other way
But what about the great architectural transformations that influenced the lives of generations? What about the famous social innovations in the residential environment? And what about the ingenious urban solutions that are being implemented around the world? Let's try to deal with all this without sheds.
We won't mess with the definitions in the links, it's a catastrophe. Let's do it ourselves. To begin with, briefly about the concept in general: it is a system of views, the main idea. If we talk about the architectural concept, then this is also a system of views and justifications for a new style, technological solutions, destruction of the old, etc. This is a clear argument why it is necessary to build in such a way,not otherwise.
Palladianism is the first bird
André Palladio is an architectural conceptualist of pure water. First in history. Few people understand how much European and American cities owe him the similarity of their architectural and artistic concepts. Step away from the famous squares or monuments, which can immediately recognize Prague or, for example, Budapest. Walk along the middle and small European streets - you will not be able to understand which city you are walking in. Because Andre Palladio wrote the famous work - "Four Books on Architecture", which taught and inspired architects around the world. Palladianism is the symmetry, perspective and principles of the ancient Greek style.
This concept has exactly five features:
- proportions in everything, with mathematical precision;
- absolute symmetry;
- three-part Venetian window;
- triangular gable;
- architectural orders - standardized columns.
The farthest railway stations and provincial houses of culture are all lined with gables, columns, symmetrical and proportional. Concept for the whole world.
Baroque: a competitive solution for Catholics
In the history of world architecture, there are only two great eras, the main concept of which was "to be more beautiful, to please the eye." It is modern and baroque. Of course, each era has its own context, in art nothing appears from scratch. The history of the concept of the great baroque beganfive hundred years ago in Germany, oddly enough. Martin Luther nailed to the church door a list with major claims against Catholics in approximately the following format: they snickered, they sold out, then down the list. The Catholic top management did not realize in time that it was sharply outdated - feudalism is behind, the bourgeois spring is in the yard - they did not rebuild in time. And the great battle for the flock began - the war of competitors, the Protestants appeared.
What about Catholics? They created a completely new concept of the architectural and artistic appearance of Catholic churches. It was a game of contrast: against the background of the harsh simplicity of the Protestants, they gave rise to the greatest era in art - the Baroque. "Come in, good people, look at our beauty." Baroque is beauty on beauty, curl on curl, solemnity, sophistication, splendor. These are the crazy facades of Italian churches - it all started with them. We have the Hermitage and the Catherine Palace… By the way, in music, these are Bach, Handel and Vivaldi and their comrades. Here it is, the life-giving power of competition…
World Champion in Architectural Concepts
Well, of course, St. Petersburg. Perhaps this is the largest implementation of a single architectural concept. And for the entire history of construction.
Of all the capitals of the world, St. Petersburg is the only city built from the very beginning according to the master plan - the concept of the architectural appearance of the entire urban ensemble entirely and at once. Paris, London and other world megacities began with small placers of crooked huts near the river, concepts there anddid not smell.
Even at the beginning of the 17th century, a unified urban planning policy of the city was approved - a unique case of this kind. The reason for this was the catastrophic fires among the wooden buildings. The new concept included a new plan with 12 perspectives and 3 rays-avenues, which were supposed to converge at the point of the Admir alty spire.
Tear the hell out of Paris
The famous radiant city from the great and terrible Le Corbusier is an example of an architectural and planning concept that has changed the face of modern cities around the world. We are talking about urban planning - a branch of architecture that deals with the planning and development of cities.
Almost a hundred years ago, Corbusier began planning a city for three million inhabitants with a garden and industrial plants located outside the green belt. He proposed demolishing 240 hectares of old Paris to build a business center with skyscrapers for offices and maximum space for pedestrians, parks and wide driveways. Reminds me of nothing?
Corbusier's concept consisted of four principles:
- high population density in the city;
- maximum number of modes of travel: buses, metro, tram lines, etc.;
- many parks and green areas wherever possible;
- unloading the city center, where everyone aspires. Outskirts development.
Comments are not needed here. All megacities of the world are now developing according to such principles. Paris,True, he survived in the twenties: Corbusier himself abandoned this radical step. But he changed the face of the world, this is a figure of the scale of Andre Palladio, of course.
Khrushchev: simpler, bigger, cheaper
Construction of cheap concrete boxes in crazy volumes throughout the Soviet Union began after the development of an architectural concept - reasonable and progressive. Now everyone likes to grumble about six-meter kitchens and rotten pipes. And in the late fifties, Khrushchevs were a welcome alternative to barracks with toilets in the yard and the notorious communal apartments.
One way or another, it was a new height of life for Soviet citizens. Khrushchev microdistricts are an excellent example of the implementation of a large-scale architectural concept. House-building factories were being built all over the country, producing standard panels like hot cakes. As much as possible and as cheaply as possible - that's the main idea. No frills, just features. Quite competent and successfully implemented initiative, by the way.
And finally
It is important that behind the cloud of offers of small architectural services, understanding of real phenomena and historical values is not lost. So that the high aesthetics of new concepts are not lost behind everyday stereotypes.
Because nothing can compare with architecture and its development in a historical and technological context. This is an amazing world of art, engineering, psychology, technology and much more.
