.::Architecture::.

Gothic Architecture

Development of Gothic architecture: Gothic sculpture is linked to the rise in Gothic architecture, which began at the Abbey Church of Saint-Denis (fig.2) in about AD 1130, then spreading to the cathedrals of Sens (1140), Noyons (1150), Senlis (1151), Paris (1163), Laon (1165), and Chartres (1194). By the 13th century, Gothic architecture and sculpture had become fully developed in the cathedrals of Amiens and Reims, and spread to major towns in Britain, Iberia, and Germany. The Romans, who were influenced by the techniques of the Etruscans, began the development of a mature vaulting system in the 1st century AD, which included both the barrel and the groined vault (fig.1), The groined vault is the intersection of

two barrel vaults, producing a surface that has arched openings on its four sides, and thus divides the area to be vaulted into squares known as bays. Rediscovered by Romanesque architects, this type of vault became the basis for a more complex and varied type of vault construction in the Middle Ages (Bony 1983; Fitchen 1961).
The main shift of the Gothic era occurred from the older, heavier style of Romanesque architecture, based on a solid stone vault, to the lighter, elevated Gothic style based on both the Romanesque and Islamic use of the pointed arch and cross-ribbed vault. This shift coincided with widespread rebuilding of many older Romanesque cathedrals which had been destroyed by fire. The different phases of Gothic architectures in northern France progressed from the Early Gothic to the High Gothic and Rayonnant styles and the eventual Flamboyant style.
[Fig.1: Diagram of Romanesque vs. Gothic vaults].
The two main structural innovations of Gothic architecture were pointed arches and ogival or ribbed vaulting (Bony 1983). By the 12th century, architects realized the superiority of the groined vault compared to the barrel vault and started to add ribs, which were used to support the weight of the vault. Cross-ribbed vaulting functions in much the same manner as plain groined vaulting, except that it is reinforced with ribs, and can be made much thinner. The vault uses a diagonally reinforced arch resting on thin pillars, permitting the walls to be hollowed out (and thus, filled with windows), while also allowing the vaults to extend higher. At Amiens, for example, the introduction of an extra transverse rib between the diagonal ribs of the vault allowed for a lighter and more elevated interior. Such light, skeletal construction employing cross ribbed-vaults and other thin carrying structures (interior columns, exterior flying buttresses), replaced the massiveness of Romanesque vaults. This had the revolutionary effect of opening up the interior space of a large building such as a church. As the Gothic era progressed, vaulting became increasing complex and saw the development of more varied forms such as the quatri-partite vault and the sexpartite vault. Slender columns and stained glass windows also gave the church a more spacious and heightened effect (fig.3).
Initially occurring at the Abbey Church of Saint-Denis, architects now linked the transept and the choir together, often reducing the size of the transept, and creating single or double ambulatories with radiating chapels and side aisles (fig.2). The church exterior was also characterized by double span flying buttresses and the light admitting rose window along with a wealth o

f sculpture that became much more realistic as the Middle Ages progressed. Increasing amounts of tracery, pinnacles, and gargoyles also became another common feature.
Sources of architectural influence: The new Gothic architecture in France had its roots in older Romanesque forms of England, Italy, and Normandy. The origin of the Gothic style has a strong Norman influence in the cathedrals of Jumièges, Evreux, and Lesay, which inspired several architects in the Paris region. By the late 11th century, there had already been efforts to increase the height of Norman churches at Caen, Bayeux, Jumièges, or Mont-Saint-Michel.
[Fig.2: Saint Denis ambulatory (1140-1144), showing ribbed vaults supported by a slender column (photo: Athena Review)].
By the early 12th century, prototypes of ribbed vaults and pointed arches had developed at the Rivolta d'Adda in Italy (1100), Durham cathedral in England (1093), and Jumièges in Normandy (ca.1120-1125). Some scholars also suggest that the ribbed vault may have first appeared at the Church of Sant' Ambrogio in Milan (1060). As noted, ribbed vaulting may have originated in Islamic Spain, where it had appeared as early as the second half of the 10th century (Bony 1983).
Likewise, the pointed arch has its origin in the Islamic architecture of the near East of the 8th century which then spread rapidly throughout Egypt and Tunisia into Moorish Spain and towards Italy. According to one theory (Bony 1983), the pointed arch may have been used on the island of Sicily, which soon spread to France via the Norman Conquests of the island in the 1060s and 1070s.

The spread of Gothic architecture from northern France to other regions occurred partly through the movement of architects and master masons or sculptors to new building projects or, through widespread competition between bishops, monasteries, and other patrons of cathedrals (see Funding the Construction of Gothic Cathedrals by Wolfgang Schöller). The Gothic style was quickly absorbed in England, which then had political ties with France. Durham cathedral, consecrated in AD 1133 (which had already pioneered the use of ribbed vaults) showed continuing early Gothic influences in its construction. The main breakthrough in England occurred in the 1170s with the cathedrals of Canterbury, Lincoln, and slightly later at Salisbury. Soon the first Gothic cathedrals were erected on the Iberian peninsula, starting in the 1190s at Evora in Portugal, and from the 1220s at Léon, Burgos, and Toledo in Spain.
The influence on cathedral art within the territories of present-day Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy started slightly later at about 1230-50, although some earlier buildings had already introduced initial elements of the Gothic style. Whereas Gothic architecture had difficulty establishing a secure foothold in Italy, with its artistic traditions inspired by the classical style, it had an enormous impact in Germany, which eventually took over the leading role as an innovative center of the Gothic tradition. As in England, where also specific, but more nationally restricted Gothic styles developed, the German late Gothic art survived into the 16th century.

Greek and roman Architecture

	Greek Architecture
		At the end of Pheros era Greek and Roman came to Egypt and affect on its civilization spicialy in Alexandria. We will present it.
This is just an introduction, we will add pictures very soon in sha'a ALLah

Greek in Alexandria The achievements of the Greeks in the ancient world, by no means few, may have reached their peak in the city of Alexandria. No less a ruler than its namesake, Alexander III of Macedonia (Alexander the Great), Alexandria dominated the eastern Mediterranean world culturally, politically, and economically for more than nine hundred years, the latter three hundred of which it competed with even the eastern capital of the Byzantine Empire, the famous Constantinople. Few cities in the world can claim success of this magnitude for close to millenium, and even fewer still flourish to this day. Part of the reason for Alexandria's success was its location, both geographically as well as politically. Situated on the coast of the Mediterranean, it was the true bridge between Europe and Africa while still being a world all to itself. It was largely separate from the political upheavals of the Hellenistic kingdoms, and then later shaded by the Pax Romanum, as well as being quite far from the chaos of the barbarian invasions that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire. Freed from many of the fetters that chafed against its peers, and enriched by both maritime trade and its Greek intellectual tradition, Alexandria soon earned the title "Queen of the Mediterranean."
Part of Alexandria's power and majesty came from its status as the new capital of Egypt. In 320 BC it replaced Memphis as the seat of rulership for the Ptolemaic dynasty and it remained so throughout the Byzantine period. The rest was largely due to its monopoly on the papyrus industry for the entire Mediterranean world, as well as its hold on the manufacture and export of medicines, perfumes, jewelry, and art. Additionally, many materials and goods prized by the ancient world from the east came into Alexandria and were exported from there.
The arrival of the Greeks brought an unprecedented amount of change in Egypt as they overlaid the existing society with that of their own. At first glance, the Grوco-Macedonian period seems to lack the romance and awe of the Pharaohs who came before, but it was during this time, between Alexander's conquest and the Arab takeover of Alexandria in AD 642 that Egypt made some of its most significant contributions to the classical world, as well as absorbing its influences. Change came in many sectors of Egypt and Egyptian life. A new system of roads and canals was created which, coupled with the Nile travel already mastered by the Egyptians, resulted in the ability to move goods and people all over the Nile Valley and the Delta like never before. Better travel resulted in better communications across Egypt, which in turn resulted in greater military security as well as the faster spread of new cultural and social patterns.
Alexander the Great took Egypt from the Persians in 332 BC and made it a part of the the Greek Empire. In the first part of 331 BC, shortly after being crowned Pharaoh in Memphis, he sailed northwards down the Nile and there, prompted by a dream, he began his most lasting contribution to civilization. On the natural harbor near Rhacotis he built a fortified port and named it, in a moment of egotism, Alexandria. Alexander then connected the island of Pharos, located in the center of the bay, to the mainland with a 1,300-meter causeway, the Heptastadion. Thus two great harbors were created for his city and towering over it all, the Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Yet Alexander, true to his nature, did not say long enough to see a single building built of his new city. Instead, he traveled to Siwa and then back to Memphis before setting out on his conquest of Asia. He never returned, dying in Babylon at the age of 38.
Following Alexander's death, his generals divided the Empire, each setting up their own kingdoms. One of them, Ptolemy, took Egypt as his share and made Alexandria his capital, ruling as Ptolemy I Soter and thus established the last dynasty that would rule Egypt with the title of Pharaoh. He brought Alexander's body with him to be buried in the city, reuniting the famed conqueror with the city that bore his name. For the next two-and-a-half centuries, the Ptolemaic dynasty of the Greeks would successfully rule Egypt, mingling Hellenic traditions with the mighty legacy of the Pharaohs.
It was under the Ptolemaic Dynasty that Alexandria truly became the cultural and economic center of the ancient world. Egypt was ruled from Alexandria by Ptolemy's descendants until the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BC. The early Ptolemies raised the quality of Egyptian agriculture by reclaiming cultivatable land through irrigation and introduced crops such as cotton and better wine-producing grapes. In addition, they increased the wealth of their population by increasing foreign trade, making more luxury goods available to more people. In return, Egypt enriched their lives as the new rulers absorbed their adopted culture. Egypt had enchanted the Ptolemies, as it had all its foreign rulers before them. Ptolemy and his descendants adopted Egyptian royal trappings and added Egypt's religion to their own, worshipping the gods of Eternity and building temples to them, and even being mummified and buried in sarcophagi covered with hieroglyphs.
This adoption of Egyptian culture was really the secret to Ptolemy's rule (and that of his descendants). Alexander came and left, burning with the desire to bring the rest of the world under his influence, but Ptolemy saw a need to become one of the people he intended to rule. Indeed, the famed Satrap Stele, on which is carved a decree from Ptolemy from the same period as his installation as ruler reads, "I Ptolemy, the satrap, restore to Horus, the avenger of his father, the territory of Patanut [Egypt], from this day forth for ever..." In addition to showing respect for the Egyptian religion and beliefs (something previous conquerors had failed to do), this inscription reminded the people exactly who it was who had liberated Egypt from the Persian Empire, thus ensuring much support for the new ruler and the dynasty that would follow him.
This was quite literally a golden age for the citizens of Alexandria, and for Egypt as a whole. Although Alexander never lived to see its glory, it nevertheless became the racial melting pot he is said to have wanted for his capital city. Ptolemy decided early on that Alexandria would be not just another port capital, but the home of a new age in Greek science and art. It may seem surprising to find such an impulse in a military man, but Ptolemy was more than just another general. He was a great writer of histories, including detailed accounts of Alexander's campaigns, and this love for learning did not die with him. Ptolemy's son and heir, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, for instance, had a passion for science, and Ptolemy III as we shall see, was a manic collector of books. The Greeks had long had a tradition of enlightened rulers, and despite being on foreign soil, the Ptolemies would be no exception. Ptolemy invited scholars and artists from all over the known world to come to Alexandria, not to be mere court window dressing, but to foster the learning culture of Alexandria. The arrival of many of these learned people, and later the successors they found amongst the citizens of their new home, resulted in one of the most famous images of historic Alexandria: the Library.
The Library at Alexandria was conceived largely as an attempt to bring together in Alexandria the whole of the earlier Greek science, art, and literature. Ptolemy I, though respectful as he was of the Egyptian culture, nevertheless believed the Greek culture to be superior in many respects, and thus the preservation of it in Alexandria was of utmost importance. The models for this project may very well have been the research center created by Aristotle at the Lyceum, as well as Plato's Academy. Between these two centers of learning, later joined by the Library, something very close to the modern university was being created, for these centers did not just archive information, they made it accessible to those who sought it, and in return, added to it. And add to it they did. At one point the Library held close to fifty thousand books, not much when compared to the university libraries of today, but for the ancient world it is an astonishing number.
It was the mission of the librarians, as well as of those rulers who supported it, to rescue and archive all Greek knowledge and to obtain copies of every known work. Stories abound about Ptolemy III Euergetes I, grandson of Ptolemy I, who seized cargoes of books from ships docked at Alexandria, had copies made of each volume, returned the copies to the shipmasters and kept the originals for the library. He also borrowed the complete works of Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles from the Athenian collections and never returned them. Yet this is not to say that the Ptolemies hoarded knowledge. The libraries were open to all those who could read and who wished to learn. And learning was easy indeed thanks to the widespread teaching of the Greek alphabet. With only thirty symbols, as compared with the multitudes of hieroglyphs, virtually anyone could learn it, and almost everyone did. A new age of learning had dawned, and Alexandria stood at the bulwark of it.
The eventual fate of the Library is unknown. A significant portion of it is said to have been destroyed during Julius Caesar's war against Pompey, though how significant this portion was, or even the size of it, is not certain. The Library may have perished during the 270s, along with the palace quarter. At the very least, it does not appear to have existed at the time of the Arab conquest in the seventh century AD. Stories do abound, as they always will, that part of the library was rescued and remains hidden, waiting to be discovered.
For the next three centuries the Ptolemaic Dynasty would hold sway over Egypt, surviving both family feuds and external conflicts while living an unusual combination of Hellenic and Egyptian life. And under them Alexandria grew mighty and prosperous, the center of an empire that extended around the coast of Syria to the Aegean Sea. In fact, if Alexandria had been any more prosperous, it might have replaced Rome as the center of the world, as Rome was neither as strategically located nor as culturally diverse. But all this is not to say that Alexandria was a city completely at peace with itself. With the large numbers of people and cultures coming through the city, it was inevitable that conflict would arise. Certainly racial tensions, by no means an invention of the twentieth century, played a strong part. Additionally, a number of more tradition-minded Egyptians resented the presence of the Greeks, nations brought their feuds with them to the streets and businesses of Alexandria, and there was always the wildly unpredictable Alexandrian Mob to lend spice to things.
Little by little however, the glory days of the early Ptolemies came to an end. The later successors to the throne did not live up to the standards set by their forebears and moreover, internal strife took its toll. The Egyptians grew more restless year by year and finally, beginning in 206 BC, Upper Egypt openly rebelled. Suppressing these revolts took more out of the treasury than the Ptolemies could afford and this, combined with the less-than-sound foreign policy of the later Ptolemies, brought Egypt increasingly under the influence of Rome.
http://www.touregypt.net/alexhis1.htm

Ancient Egypt Architecture

Pharonic Architecture
	Egypt has almost 66% of the Monuments of the world. Pharos are the first civilization that founded in the whole world. We tried to present most of this civilization in most of Egypt:
For many, the scope of Egypt's history is difficult to comprehend. Its history covers some five thousand years, and encompasses the origin of civilization, the rise of the Greeks and Romans, the establishment of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions, the colonial era when first France and then the English ruled the country, and finally, a return to independence. Egypt has played an important role through all of these eras, and today one can find monuments that evidence Egypt's role in most of the world's historic events, from the beginning of mankind until the present. More and more, we are not only learning about the history of mankind in Egypt, but also about his prehistory, the way that he migrated and finally began to organize communities that eventually lead to a civilized world.

The title of "Pharaoh" actually comes to us from the Greek language and its use in the Old Testament. It originates in the Egyptian Per-aa, meaning "Great House", a designation of the palace, which first came to be used as a label for the king around 1450 BC, though it only became common usage some centuries later. For most of the time, the usual word for the king of ancient Egypt was nesu, but a whole range of titles were applicable to any full statement of a king's names and titulary. In ancient (Pharaonic) Egypt, the pinnacle of Egyptian society, and indeed of religion, was the king. Below him were the layers of the educated bureaucracy which consisted of nobles, priests and civil servants, and under them were the great mass of common people, usually living very poor, agricultural based lives. Except during the earliest of themes, when the highest official was apparently a Chancellor, for most of Egyptian history, the man or men just under the king were Viziers, (tjaty), a position that was roughly similar to a modern Prime Minister.
http://www.touregypt.net/ancientegypt/ http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/pharaohs.htm

The Sphinx and a pyramid in the background.

In this section of Architecture Through the Ages, you will learn about the great architecture that was made by the Egyptians. You will learn how the pyramids were built, what was carved on top of many stone columns, and more. We hope that you enjoy this page!

Probably the most famous structure in all of Egypt, the Pyramids are still on of the worlds best architectural achievement, even though they were built many centuries ago. These structures can be as tall as 482 feet (147 m) high. The Pyramid towers over many other famous landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty.

The first true pyramid was build at saqqara for the king Zoser. It was called a step pyramid because of its step shape. The later pyramids were smooth sided, like the Great Pyramid at Giza, built for the king Khufu about 4,500 years ago.

The smooth sided pyramid was built from the Dynasty IV and on. They were built by first having men chisel the block of granite the way that they wanted it. The stonemasons used special rods to check that a stone block was cut accurately. Next, the blocks stayed in the quarry until the flood season. They did this so they could use barges to haul over the heavy granite blocks. Once the boast had arrived near the pyramid and unloaded the blocks, they were hauled up a ramp. Then, ropes and levers were used to maneuver the huge blocks into position. The overseer checked that every block was laid correctly. Once all of the granite blocks were placed in place, laborers rubbed the casing blocks with polishing stones until they would shine in the sun. The overseers used plump lines to check that the angle of the slope was correct.

As for the finishing touches, workers placed hieroglyphics around the pyramid as well as many statues. There were also a lot of bright and vibrant colored columns. There were also one or two large boats buried near the tomb so the king to have a peaceful sail over to the Next World.

As for the path that leads up to the pyramid, there was first the Valley Temple. When the king died, his body was first rowed across the Nile to the Valley Temple to be mummified. Next, there was the causeway. This was a covered processional way which came from the Valley Temple. The walls on the inside were decorated many times, and there were holes in the roof to provide light. At the end of the Causeway, there was the Mortuary Temple. This was built against the side of the pyramid. The Mortuary Temple was the place where priests made offerings to the king's spirit every day for eternity. To the left of the Mortuary Temple, can be found the queen's pyramid. Much smaller than the kings pyramid, this was where the king would bury his wife.

The number of granite blocks were enormous. There had to be a huge quarry to supply the huge demand. And of course, there were many accidents at the construction site. There were doctors on the site, but little helped for sprained or broken body parts. Eventually, the whole pyramid was built, and all of the sweat and toil payed off. To learn more about the Ancient Egyptian pyramids, seeThe Evolution of the Pyramid

Before the pyramid, the kings used to be buried inside of tombs. The tomb itself was usually composed of two distinct parts: the chapel and crypt. The highly decorated walls of the funerary chapel accommodated a false door. This was the symbol linking the living with the dead, and there was a carved image of the tomb owner. The halls were flanked by A gate to a city

several smaller rooms housing the deceased's provisions such as furniture, offerings, sacred text, victuals, etc.

In the rear , there was a burial shaft below ground which led to the actual crypt. Although it was walled in or dissimulated by all sorts of subterfuges-fits, snares, booby traps, and false galleries- the storerooms and chapel were devoted to the cult which remained accessible to the deceased's family and friends and to the priests who continued rituals. The crypt was highly decorated with carved An old temple

reliefs and wall paintings which described the truths expected to exist for eternity and depicting the figures of priests and servants. They would accompany the deceased and his retinue to his afterlife.

Scattered throughout Egypt, you may see some large brown columns. These structures are made of granite and they all have some hieroglyphics on it. You may see some sort of design on the top of the columns. Well, these designs are all based on things that are in Egypt. You may see the lotus flower, papyrus, palm, eight-sided column, and a proto-Dorix or sixteen-sided column. Each of these are all very interesting and fun to look at.

These columns were built to support buildings, obviously. However, many times, you see only the column standing. The reason being, is that the building which it was supporting was either torn down, fell down, or was destroyed because of vandalism. Lets hope that the columns that are left today will still be here tomorrow.

Also scattered throughout Egypt are stone figures. These figures could look like a tiger, a king, and eagle, or maybe even a mixture of both. Perhaps the best know stone figure of them all is the Sphinx. It is a figure of a kings head who is wearing the striped headcloth (nemes). His body is that of a lion.

Like many of the old figures found throughout the world, many of theserelics have either been destroyed, vandalized, or stolen. This is especially true about the Egyptian sculptures. You could see a lion figure with no nose, an eagle with no head, or, an empty stand where a figure once stood. You may even see a granite obelisk with 1/4 of their hieroglyphic rubbed out beyond recognition.

However, not all destruction is because of vandalism and such. Pollution is also a big factor. The pollution may stain or break down the structure of the figure. However, the pollution levels should be getting lower, thus helping to preserve these priceless figures.

Bibliography:

1. Stierlin, Henri, The Pharaohs Master-Builders, Paris, Terrail, 1992

2. Millard, Anne, Pyramids, New York, Kingfisher, 1996

3. Chalaby, Abbas, Egypt, Italy, Bonechi, 1981

Egypt is the land of the pyramids

"Everyone knows that Egypt is the land of the pyramids, those mountains of stone which stand like weathered landmarks on the distant horizon of history. However remote and mysterious they seem, they tell us much of their own story. They tell us of a land which was so thoroughly organized that it was possible to pile up these gigantic mounds in the lifetime of a single king, and they tell us of kings who were so rich and powerful that they could force thousands and thousands of workers or slaves to toil for them year in, year out, to quarry the stones, to drag them to the building site, and to shift them with the most primitive means until the tomb was ready to receive the king. No king, and no people would have gone to such expense, and taken so much trouble, for the creation of a mere monument. In fact, we know that the pyramids had their practical importance in the eyes of the kings and their subjects. The king was considered a divine being who held sway over them, and on his departure from this earth he would again ascend to the gods whence he had come. The pyramids soaring up to the sky would probably help him to make his ascent. In any case they would preserve his sacred body from decay. For the Egyptians believed that the body must be preserved if the soul is to live on in the beyond. That is why they prevented the corpse from decaying by an elaborate method of embalming it, and binding it up with strips of cloth. It was for the mummy of the king that the pyramid had been piled up, and his body was laid right in the centre of the huge mountain of stone in a stone coffin. Everywhere round the burial chamber, spells and incantations were written to help him on his journey to the other world.
"But it is not only these oldest relics of human architecture which tell of the role played by age-old beliefs in the story of art. The Egyptians held the belief that the preservation of the body was not enough. If the likeness of the king was also preserved, it was doubly sure that he would continue to exist forever. So they ordered sculptors to chisel the king's head out of hard, imperishable granite, and put it in the tomb where no one saw it, there to work its spell and to help his Soul to keep alive in and through the image. One Egyptian word for sculptor was actually 'He-who-keeps-alive'.
"At first these rites were reserved for kings, but soon the nobles of the royal household had their minor tombs grouped in neat rows round the king's mound; and gradually every self-respecting person had to make provision for his after-life by ordering a costly grave which would house his mummy and his likeness, and where his soul could dwell and receive the offerings of food and drink which were given to the dead. Some of these early portraits from the pyramid age, the fourth dynasty of the Old Kingdom, are among the most beautiful works of Egyptian art. There is a solemnity and simplicity about them which one does not easily forget. One sees that the sculptor was not trying to flatter his sitter, or to preserve a fleeting expression. He was concerned only with essentials. Every lesser detail he left out. Perhaps it is just because of this strict concentration on the basic forms of the human head that these portraits remain so impressive. For, despite their almost geometrical rigidity, they are not primitive as are the native masks [discussed earlier]. Nor are they as lifelike as the naturalistic portraits of the artists of Nigeria... The observation of nature, and the regularity of the whole, are so evenly balanced that they impress us as being lifelike and yet remote and enduring.
"This combination of geometric regularity and keen observation of nature is characteristic of all Egyptian art. We can study it best in the reliefs and paintings that adorned the walls of the tombs. The word 'adorned', it is true, may hardly fit an art which was meant to be seen by no one but the dead man's soul. In fact, these works were not intended to be enjoyed. They, too, were meant to 'keep alive'. Once, in a grim distant past, it had been the custom when a powerful man died to let his servants and slaves accompany him into the grave. They were sacrificed so that he should arrive in the beyond with a suitable train. Later, these horrors were considered either too cruel or too costly, and art came to the rescue. Instead of real servants, the great ones of this earth were given images as substitutes. The pictures and models found in Egyptian tombs were connected with the idea of providing the soul with helpmates in the other world, a belief that is found in many early cultures. To us these reliefs and wall-paintings provide in extraordinarily vivid picture of life as it was lived in Egypt thousands of years ago. And yet, looking at them for the first time, one may find them rather bewildering. The reason is that the Egyptian painters had a very different way from ours of representing real life. Perhaps this is connected with the different purpose their paintings had to serve. What mattered most was not prettiness but completeness. It was the artists' task to preserve everything as clearly and permanently as possible. So they did not set out to sketch nature as it appeared to them from any fortuitous angle. They drew from memory, according to strict rules which ensured that everything that had to go into the picture would stand out in perfect clarity...
"A similar method is often used by children. But the Egyptians were more consistent in their application of these methods than children ever are. Everything had to be represented from its most characteristic angle. [Consider] the effect which this idea had on the representation of the human body. The head was most easily seen in profile so they drew it sideways. But if we think of the human eye we think of it as seen from the front. Accordingly, a full-face eye was planted into the side view of the face. The top half of the body, the shoulders and chest, are best seen from the front, for then we see how the arms are hinged to the body. But arms and legs in movement are much more clearly seen sideways. That is the reason why Egyptians in these pictures look so strangely...contorted. Moreover, the Egyptian artists found it hard to visualize either foot seen from the outside. They preferred the clear outline from the big toe upwards. So both feet are seen from the inside, and the man on [a] relief looks as if he had two left feet. It must not be supposed that Egyptian artists thought that human beings looked like that. They merely followed a rule which allowed them to include everything in the human form that they considered important. Perhaps this strict adherence to the rule had something to do with their magic purpose. For how could a man with his arm 'foreshortened' or 'cut off' bring or receive the required offerings to the dead?
...
"It is one of the greatest things in Egyptian art that all the statues, paintings and -architectural forms seem to fall into place as if they obeyed one law. We call such a law, which all creations of a people seem to obey, a 'style'. It is very difficult to explain in words what makes a style, but it is far less difficult to see. The rules which govern all Egyptian art give every individual work the effect of poise and austere harmony.
"The Egyptian style comprised a set of very strict laws, which every artist had to learn from his earliest youth. Seated statues had to have their hands on their knees; men had to be painted with darker skin than women; the appearance of every Egyptian god was strictly laid down: Horus, the skygod, had to be shown as a falcon or with a falcon's head; Anubis, the god of funeral rites, as a jackal or with a jackal's head. Every artist also had to learn the art of beautiful script. He had to cut the images and symbols of the hieroglyphs clearly and accurately in stone. But once he had mastered all these rules he had finished his apprenticeship. No one wanted anything different, no one asked him to be 'original'. On the contrary, he was probably considered the best artist who could make his statues most like the admired monuments of the past. So it happened that in the course of three thousand years or more Egyptian art changed very little.
"Everything that was considered good and beautiful in the age of the pyramids was held to be just as excellent a thousand years later. True, new fashions appeared, and new subjects were demanded of the artists, but their mode of representing man and nature remained essentially the same."

a r c h i t e c t u r e - i n t e r i o r a r c h i t e c t u r e - e c o l o g i c a l

WHAT IT MEANS / OUR DESIGN APPROACH

ECOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE merges the interests of sustainability, environmental consciousness, green, natural, and organic approaches to evolve a design solution from these requirements and from the characteristics of the site, its neighborhood context, and the local mirco-climate and topography.

ECOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE is naturally site-sensitive. The location of a building has a direct impact on its performance. The local ecology of the site, its gradient, orientation, and exposure provide specific conditions, while the regional climate offers a more general context for design. We incorporate aspects of passive solar and thermal mass into all of our work as a mechanism of reducing energy consumption.

ECOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE is design that emphasizes natural materials and the use of renewable resources that come from the earth in such a way that they can be returned to the earth without causing harm.

Many of our buildings appear very traditional (or normative) in style but often have not only a hyper-insulated or hybrid building skin (rammed earth with insulation for example) but also domestic hot water solar systems as the first steps toward energy independence.

Surveys by the City of Seattle and the Canadian government show that GREEN BUILDING has a higher first cost of only 2% to 8% more than conventional structures. Significant life cycle savings in both energy consumption and maintenance benefits reward these choices throughout the life of the project.

We begin our design solutions with the goal of "creating a place" which appropriately connects the project to its location and context. Our projects unify the solution through contextual sensitivity to place, a spatial creation which reflects the spirit of the Architecture, and a solution rooted in the site and ecology of the place in balance with appropriate forms.

Architecture is part of thought or rather an extension of thought incorporated into the physical environment through human effort. We seek to make this a healthy environment for the building users and also harmonious with the environment.

Sven Erik Alstrom AIA was raised in Kansas City and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1975. Mr. Alstrom is certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and is a licensed architect in California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico. After moving to Denver in 1981 to work on the Tabor Center project with Urban Design Group, Mr. Alstrom relocated to Aspen in 1988 and founded Alstrom Group P.C. in 1992. In September 1999 our business name was changed to ECOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE to renew our emphasis on environmentally based design solutions.

In 2002 a new office was established in Lawrence, Kansas near the University of Kansas. Mr. Alstrom is restoring a 1960 modernist house (see photo at contact us). Long term plans for this high thermal mass building include a partial GREEN ROOF and a second floor office with views of the University of Kansas.

ECOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE offers comprehensive architectural, interior design, and planning services (site adaptation). Our combined focus of technical expertise, aesthetic sensibility, and attention to detail results in the successful realization of each project. We provide the expertise necessary to realize these projects on time and within budget. Our flexible attitude and extensive experience enable us to communicate effectively about the design and technical aspects of construction with our clients, contractors, consultants, and other participants in the building process.

The firm is a member of the Heartland Renewable Energy Society www.heartland-res.org and the New Mexico Solar Energy Association.

Mr. Alstrom is a member of the City of Lawrence Historic Resources Commission and a member of the Lawrence Preservation Alliance. The firm is a member of The American Institute of Architects and the Kansas City Chapter of the AIA