Choosing an architect for your project should be done carefully. Whether he is just remodeling part of your house or you want to put up a family home, you will have to live with what he does for a long time.
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Some people have this rather abnormal view that universities are very good at teaching irrelevant courses. Even if this is true about some university courses, it can never be true of architecture.
The greatest architectural marvels of our time exist in all corners of the world. From the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, to the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, there are many construction feats to behold.
Every visitor to Venice is struck by the buildings that seem to float upon the lagoon. Although there are diverse influences, they come together in a cohesive harmony, creating a distinctive and unique Venetian style. This leads to the question: Venice - the worlds greatest architectural achievement?
Over the centuries, many observers seem to have thought so. The 18th century painter Canaletto derived his inspiration from Venice’s buildings and canals, and the Victorian art critic John Ruskin praised the architecture in his three volume work ‘The Stones of Venice’. Today the hordes of tourists with snapping cameras are proof of the continuing lure of the city and its buildings.
Much of the reason for this is Venice’s unique geographical position. Its early connections were with the Byzantine and Islamic worlds rather than with the rest of Italy, and these influences are reflected in its architecture, for instance in the magnificent Byzantine Basilica of St Mark. The influence of mainland Italy came later, in the form of Gothic architecture, particularly the arches which are so characteristic of Venice today.
The 14th century was a period of great prosperity, and much building took place during this time. The fusion of the oriental and Gothic traditions created a new style known as Venetian Gothic. Examples of this are the Doge’s Palace and the Ca’ d’Oro (Palazzo Santa Sofia).
Because Venice is built on a series of islands and marshy land, building techniques have had to be adapted to ensure stability on uncertain foundations. The choice of building materials was also important. At the same time, every inch of land was valuable and buildings were designed to maximize the use of space available. Each of these factors influenced the uniqueness of the architectural design.
A further aspect was the work of Andrea Palladio in the 16th century. Palladio is the architect most closely associated with Venice, and he built churches, public buildings and palaces in the classical design. Perhaps the most famous is the island church of San Giorgio Maggiore.
Although Venice’s architectural style is unique, it has influenced the rest of the western world. Palladio’s work has been widely copied elsewhere, and John Ruskin’s visits to Venice influenced the Victorian Gothic revival. Perhaps the final word on Venice’s achievement is in its inclusion in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites as an ‘extraordinary architectural masterpiece’.