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Art Principles and History

Basics of Architecture

What is architecture?

Famed modern architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe stated, “Architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks together.” Architecture is the art (or science) of designing buildings, and the study of architecture is the study of the built environment. Examples of architecture can range from the small, such as a Craftsman-style bungalow in California, to the very big, like the 108-story Willis Tower in Chicago. Architecture can also be very old. For example, Skara Brae, a Neolithic fishing village in northern Scotland, is thousands of years old, whereas the undulating metal of Frank Gehry’s Disney Concert Hall was finished in 2003. There are many different architectural styles and building systems throughout history, and throughout the globe. The study of architecture is an important part of art history.



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