First question: Explore Japanese traditional architecture and how the culture of Japanese affected their design and How Buddhism was a part of that.
Pictures:
Japanese Traditional Architecture
The above pictures of traditional Japanese architecture reflect how it is possible to invest in nature as a major element of design, not just parts of interiors’ materials. This unique investment was an inevitable consequence of the impact of Indian Buddhism in Japanese philosophy of transience. However, the Japanese comprehensively characterized this view to cover all of the tangible things. This approach encouraged finding beauty everywhere. That leads to understanding Japanese philosophy of beauty, WABI-SABI (Cabeza-Lainez 1) Thus, it is not surprising that Japanese architecture dealt with the darkness and shadows as part of the beauty.
Although there are a lot of factors that have influenced the methods of light treatment, such as climate and geography differences, the WABI-SABI emerged obviously in their vision of darkness and shadows. Junichrio Tanizaki, the author of “In praise of Shadow” considered shadows as a part of the beauty of Japanese interior (Gordon 1). There were diverse elements to achieve their concept of the relationship between light and shadows. Shoji was one of the most important element s of Japanese interiors. It is a window or sliding door made by using woods intersects with each other to create frame to cover it with translucent papers. The sliding doors give the opportunity to control the percentage of the sunlight which would be allowed to come inside. Other items that work as a Shoji with other functions are screens. Unlike Shoji, screen can be moved to any place in the house for different reasons: To achieve privacy, protection from the wind or even to reverse light to dim corners since they feature a reflective gold background (Whiton 243).
Indeed, dealing with shadow influenced some of contemporary Japanese architects designed. Such as Japanese architect When employed this notion in Church of light. Did he try to re-do what Buddhist did in their cave temples to illuminate Buddha’s face! Not only that but also employs light and shade together as Japanese to draw a cross on the wall! However, it will not be suppressing the effect of Traditional Japanese Architecture these days since the modern style may star when designers and architects became aware of Japanese Architecture.
Work Cited
Cabeza-Lainez, James, et al. Lighting features in Japanese traditional architecture, 2006, Web. 10 December 2013, <http://www.cuepe.ch/html/plea2006/Vol1/PLEA2006_PAPER773.pdf>.
Gordon, Gary. Light and shadow, 2005. Web. 10 December 2013, <http://www.lightingassociates.org/i/u/2127806/f/tech_sheets/Light_and_Shadow.pdf>.
Whiton, Sherrill. Interior Design& Decoration. Philadelphia :J.B. Lippincott., 1974.
Second question: Use Palladio as the lens to discuss Italian and English renaissances styles. Be specific ( place, attributes.)
Italian and English renaissances styles
In the sixteenth century, European live in the steady-state and richness and that reflected obviously in their architecture. This situation gave the opportunity for many architects to prove themselves and Palladio was one of them but was the most successful. He has made his name as a companion to the Renaissance architecture through his significant impact not only on Italian architecture but all over Europe.
The impact of Rom and Greek temples obviously appeared on Palladio’s’ buildings. The symmetry and the golden ratio, for instance, characterized his buildings. Indeed, he published his own applications of design in the Four Books of Architecture; symmetry was one of them (Whiton 260). Another major rule was a centralized structure. Four facades of his buildings were usually identical. The above-mentioned became later as principles of Palladianism architecture.
In Renaissance Italy buildings were generally designed with the symmetrical lines and mass in addition to the marble figures that decorated the façade (“Differences between the Italian and Northern Renaissance” 1). Palladio followed the same approach and applied his own style in Villa Capra La Rotonda as an example. In this building, the four facades were the same. They were decorated with statues inspired design of temples ancient civilizations, thus giving it a sense of religious. Also, the second floor was the main role in the design of the building and the windows were narrow and long to take advantage of the sun's rays.
In Renaissance England, the architects were influenced as mentioned above by Palladianism architecture. There were a lot of buildings that mimic Palladio’s style. The disadvantage of these affected was that some of architects have been copied the designs of Palladio windows without taking into account the different climate between England and Italy, sunshine, (“Differences between the Italian and Northern Renaissance” 1). Chiswick House which was designed in 1725 by William Kent is a good example of neoclassical houses in Renaissance England. It very similar to Pallido architecture but it differed than Italy buildings in several things. For example, It has four symmetrical elevations but not four identical one (Whiton362). There are no figures to design the elevations but they minute surface detail. (Ross 1).
Generally speaking, both of them Italy and England Renaissances mirrored the wealth that was in this period of time. And the small differences which became from developing Palladianism offered more elegant buildings that still attract architectures’ attentions until these days.
Works Cited
Differences between the Italian and Northern Renaissance, n.d, Web. 10 December 2013, <http://academicdecathlon.wikispaces.com/file/view/Italian+and+Northern+Renaissance.pdf>.
Ross David, Palladian architecture, 2012. Web. 10 December 2013, <http://archive.is/0Xma>.
Whiton, Sherrill. Interior Design& Decoration. Philadelphia :J.B. Lippincott., 1974.
