The Architecture of the Gothic Cathedral

            In the late and medieval era the Gothic architecture was prominent. Many cathedrals and churches in Europe employ the Gothic architecture in which the great Gothic design’s distinctiveness appeal to the emotions.

            Robert Charles Venturi Jr. criticized the lack of cultural meaning in modernist architecture and indicate the significance its presence in historical styles. Venturi mainly cited historical examples like the Gothic Cathedral to make a position to help re-establish the importance of the past as a justifiable source of inspiration. Since he made specific points through mentioning specific features, he continues to employ historicizing quotations without even the sensible justifications that were natural in his influence. He influenced in the thinking that the present architecture grows out of the architecture from the past.

Robert Charles Venturi Jr. made a marked in the field of architecture when he published the Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture in 1966 where Venturi dared to say that ‘less was bore’. The lack of cultural significance in modernist architecture should be abolished according to Venturi and the meaning of its occurrence in the historical styles should be indicated (Hearn).

            Dennis Scott Brown discussed in her book Learning from Las Vegas that cultural meaning can be shown at even the lowest standard denominator of non-modernist popular architecture which for the built environment is shown to be essential. The conclusion that can be drawn is that the cultural meaning cannot be replaced by even the premier class of formal design. The cultural meaning cannot also be replaced even by the presence of functional requirements. Venturi and Brown together seek for ideas from the historical examples that had nourished their outlook.

            Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris also known as Le Corbusier was committed in providing fine living conditions for people in crowded cities. According to him the old “decrepit” structures from the past had to be removed to provide for the human progress. He envisioned the new roles of architect and the city planner as closely related. He believed in the need for modern housing and city which was a response for him at the chaotic environment that he is seeing – the massive traffic and filth of the housing of the workers.

            Corbusier believed in the theory of control and discipline in architecture. He supposed that the uplift theory of architecture for example in the improved housing would lift the workers from the state of poverty. He believed in the practicality of design in architecture and not at the cultural meaning that the structures provide.

            Viollet le Ducs was neither concerned in the use of the building’s design nor the aspects of their design that denoted cultural content. The Gothic Cathedral for him was not an expression of faith but rather a rational retort to different types of structural problems. The issue of importance in architecture was ignored by Viollet le Ducs.

Work Cited

Hearn, Fil. “Implications of Robert Venturi’s Theory of Architecture.” Architecture and Civil

            Engineering 2 (2003): 357-363

Venturi, Robert. Ideas That Shaped Buildings. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2003.