Opus Week Four

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This week we looked at Rome, an ancient Empire that encompassed Italy, Greece, parts of Asia Minor and the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Ancient Roman architecture has become an archetype for numerous modern building forms today. Governmental buildings in the United States are hybrids modeled after Roman architecture mainly because Rome was considered the first democratic society. Another beautiful example of modern architecture synthesizing Greek and Roman Architecture together in a hybrid of ornament and dedication to the fine arts is the Pan Pacific Exposition of the Palace of Fine Arts in San Fransisco originally built in 1915 and later reconstructed in the 1960s.

We get our inspiration from Rome; but where did Rome get it’s source of inspiration? The prototype or the very first form of Roman architecture came from the Greeks and the Etruscans. The Greeks and Etruscans were the main settlers in the Roman Empire coming from Greece and parts of Asia Minor and the orient. The Etruscans brought with them great structural techniques for architecture were very skilled builders. The Greeks brought with them the classical orders and ornament that inspired much of Roman architecture. (Blakemore 45)





One can see the source of Roman Columns inspired by the Greeks classical orders. The Corinthian and Composite order seem to be used the most in Rome. What makes Roman columns slightly different from the Greek classical orders is the columns are often plastered onto the building and are there for ornament (these are called engaged columns or pilasters). One can see examples of engaged columns right here on campus on many of the buildings on College Ave. The Pantheon is an example of columns being used as decoration for the facade of a building rather than structural purposes. As Patrick said in class, the Pantheon would be rather plain on the outside without that front facade.

An entourage in architecture is defined in the dictionary as the environmental features surrounding a building. An entourage can also be a group of people. In this context we can look at the word entourage and think about space and how people moved in and out of public and private spaces in ancient Rome. Roth says that the "shaping of space became the essence of Roman architecture." (Roth 247) Romans put great emphasis on public space and the development of their city. The streets of Roman cities such as Pompeii were laid out in block form and at the heart of the city was the forum, a public space with civic and governmental buildings. The forum can be compared to the Greek agora. (Roth 253) Much of Roman life took place outdoors. The streets and public forums were surrounded by an environment much like that of Greece, where the sea is close and the there are hills and lush mountain sides. Although a great deal of Roman life took place outdoors there were domestic homes (domus) where the Romans lived. When entering a Roman domus such as one in Pompeii a visitor would first enter at the Vestibulum, a covered area right off of the street. Then this room opened into another room called the Fauces, another small room with a low ceiling. Finally the visitor can enter the atrium, the main reception hall which is much larger and has furnishings and natural light. Rainwater would fall into a storage space in the center of the atrium called a impluvium. Then one could enter the tablinum , an area defined by Blakemore as having 'the most commanding view of the house. It is an area between the atrium and the peristylium, a courtyard with columns and garden features. Surrounding rooms are for private use only and were often bedrooms and rooms for bathing and dining. (Blakemore 49)

Hierarchy of people was defined in the design of seating as it was in Egypt. Thrones were made for the Gods and often had reliefs of spirital animals such as the sphinx or griffen. Stools functioned as 'a seat of honor and symbol of legal authority, it was used by high magistrates or by the emperor.' (Blakemore 63) Those who were allowed to sit had hierarchy over someone who was standing.