A Neoclassical Building in Washington DC, USA
Referring to the popular saying by the esteemed author, Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, this article's headline has sparked controversial conversations on how people perceive the physical characteristics of architecture.
The Interesting Definitions of Beauty
What is beautiful for you? Do you have certain criteria for something or someone to qualify for this particular description? For the average person, the word "beauty" most probably is defined as an outstanding attribute found in a person or object that offers delight or profound happiness to the mind, whether encompassing its sensual, emotional, or spiritual qualities. As debatable and subjective as this topic is, there are plenty of influential factors to be considered before concluding with our final judgments.
The breathtaking panorama of the City of Innsbruck in Austria
Specifically, we are here to focus our attention on the beauty of architecture, its physical traits, and the various design styles it presents to the public arena.
Since time immemorial. ancient buildings such as the rock-hewn dwellings of Turkey, colossal monuments for the Pharaohs in Egypt, majestic cathedrals of religious orders in Italy, luxurious royal estates with castles in France, up to the modern skyscrapers of America and other sophisticated cities of today, have captivated our wild imaginations, offering us an actual taste of the myriad of architectural flavors within our appreciation, discernment, or criticism. Yet. as pleasurable as these experiences were, some of these edifices appeared baffling, misleading, and disgusting. Did these strange occurrences happen to you too?
The vibrant Metropolis of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia
One prominent argument in the scientific community states that for a work of architecture to be recognized as beautiful, it needs to conform to the "Golden Ratio", also conceived as the "Divine Proportion".
This design principle dates back to 300 BC and is argued to be the foundation for the genuine beauty found in nature, art, and architecture.
The Fibonacci Spiral otherwise known as The Golden Ratio | Source
The Golden Ratio conforms to the Fibonacci sequence, a series of numbers formulated by adding the current number in the line-up to the previous one, resulting in the following number of the sequence. The numerical pattern can be demonstrated as follows:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, etc.
For example, let's take 1+2=3, 3+5 = 8, 8+13=21…and so on.
There are a lot of online sources if you're genuinely interested in deep-diving into this marvelous study. The practical and efficient application of the Golden Ratio in the field of architecture has been proven to be one of the most effective references for creating beautiful buildings. Again, due to its subjective nature, this body of research has always been subjected to continuous debate.
An Aesthetical Review of Buildings
To illustrate the concepts of beauty, I am openly sharing my uncensored criticisms of three (3) architectural projects that I have encountered in my lifetime, according to their visual presentation, physical properties, and descriptive allure. As a disclaimer, please note that I have absolutely no intention of degrading the following built environments as they have earned my prior respect and admiration, but the examples cited here are purely meant for learning purposes. You may recognize some of these buildings or may have actually traveled there yourself. Hence, feel free to voice out your honest opinions (in the comments section below) - it would be a pleasure to engage in your discussions.
The Bath Abbey in the historic City of Bath, United Kingdom
BATH ABBEY, Bath, United Kingdom. Also known as the Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, this sacred building in this historic spa town and UNESCO-declared metropolis is the parish church of the religious order "Church of England". Institutionalized in the 7th century, it is one of the most enormous demonstrations of Perpendicular Gothic architecture which is characterized by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, buttresses, and the vast application of stained glass.
The Bath Abbey in the historic City of Bath, United Kingdom
At first glance, although I had the impression that it was a type of holy monument, its exterior facade raised hairs on my skin. Perhaps because of my fondness for horror movies including the typically hideous structures that are highlighted in their scenes, I tend to associate pointed elements with feelings of danger, caution, or other threatening experiences.
Due to the several sharp corners, crevices, and points exhibited in this building plus its overwhelming amount of details usually called "wedding cake" ornamentation (prevalent in classical buildings during the ancient times), it produced a surprisingly intimidating effect on me. However, after being in its proximity for a while, I eventually managed to accept its distinctive architectural signature and was curious enough to investigate more of its underlying secrets.
The EuroTours Travel Company in the peaceful Town of Kitzbuhel, Austria
EUROTOURS GES.M.B.H., Kitzbuhel, Austria. As the largest upcoming operator for tourism and travel in Central Europe, Eurotours is also Austria's second-largest tour organization. The building's spectacular design concept was created by Austrian Architect Michael Rhomberg and captured the symbolism of a cruise ship on a lengthy voyage on the open seas. The panoramic windows on its exterior facade provided breathtaking vistas of the surrounding mountain terrains of the Wilder Kaiser, offering occupants healing views of the natural environment.
The EuroTours Travel Company in the peaceful Town of Kitzbuhel, Austria
I was immediately stunned the very second I met this peculiar building up close and personal. In fact, masterpieces of architecture that source metaphorical inspirations from everyday objects seem to always attract me the most as they connect to ordinary references we can relate to, translating them into epic projects worthy of admiration.
Although the edifice's front surfaces also had the initial impression of resembling a Viking's traditional hat or helmet, my real perception was redirected to boats right away the moment I learned the entire structure incorporated a travel agency. Its minimalistic approach definitely radiated a touch of class and elegance and therefore imprinted a feeling of satisfaction within me.
The Urban Skyline of the ancient City of Amman in Jordan
URBAN BUILDINGS, Amman, Jordan. In the Jordanian capital of Amman, its architectural landscape embodied an interesting mixture of design styles because this multicultural landmark was of massive significance to Christians, Muslims, and Jews since it was considered to be a territory of the Holy Land. As a result, its modern city skyline consisted of a more flexible approach to global architectural trends, most importantly, its adaptability to the harsh desert climate. Instead of adhering to their more traditional and vernacular characteristics, the Jordanians adopted an international framework with their urban infrastructure.
The Urban Skyline of the ancient City of Amman in Jordan
Personally, there was nothing special about the recent buildings I have encountered in the city of Amman. The majority of their modern architectural styles consisted of simple, box-type, square, and rectangular configurations that had a variety of openings that served as windows or ventilation shafts. The stark geometries of the buildings were straightforward and were constructed from a more practical functionality as opposed to being aesthetically pleasing to the visual experience.
Thus, although their city architecture was not as impressive, attractive, and striking as the other urban centers I have been to, I perfectly understood and respected the primary reasons why the Architects had created these types of developments in the first place. Perhaps also from a cost-effective solution, the local population learned to adapt to their distinctive designs.
Beauty Continues to Exist
We live in a world where people of different preferences, interests, and pursuits continue to thrive. So, in the natural course of life and as much as human beings have personal choices, our global architecture with its myriad of aesthetic qualities will either be loved or hated by them. It is for this reason that Architects and Designers are commissioned to suit the different tastes of clients from all walks of society. While there are instances when projects are nicknamed "client-dictated designs", it is a clear fact that various individuals possess the freedom to select a variety of building styles. As a result, architecture became a more diversely interesting discipline.
The Hotel Claridge along Champs-Élysées in the romantic City of Paris, France
Of course, the relevant professionals involved in the architecture and design industries will ultimately be the driving forces, leading the way in the relentless pursuit of transforming our planet into a more beautiful environment.
#Hive, which of the three (3) buildings featured in this post would you consider beautiful, and why? If none of them has appealed to your discerning tastes, please state your reasons? What are your personal requirements for architecture to become works of beauty?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ERNE, also known as STORIES OF ERNE (@storiesoferne), is an Architect, Environmentalist, Lifehacker, and Adventurer.
On the Hive Blockchain, he is the Creator of the Architecture+Design Community.
Self-Expression Empowers Human Evolution™
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A very interesting theme, my friend @storiesoferne. Beauty is a topic of reflection that is of the utmost importance for everyone dedicated to designing, regardless of their area of expertise. Personally, I believe that there is beauty even in what for many may be called ugly, but in the end, your own experiences, level of education, and personal tastes always come to the fore. Here in Venezuela, there is the following popular saying: "Between tastes and colors there are no authors", which means that no one has the authority to aesthetically qualify something or someone, that is, what is beautiful for me may not be beautiful for others.
A simple design but with a powerful visual concept
The Bauhaus had a lot of influence on my professional development and I particularly like minimalist design, but minimalism that is not to be confused with design poverty. So of the three buildings, I prefer the building of the EuroTours Travel Company in Austria. Its simple design, but with a great sense of aesthetics and a brilliant concept involving the company's mission, catches my attention. The EuroTours Travel Company building is created not only to house offices but to generate admiration because its design stands out from the rest of the boxes, as you describe the room buildings in Jordan, which is finally one of the most widespread urban concepts in the world for its simplicity of form and ease of construction. Notice how each floor is divided by a strip of windows and the floor above is differentiated to resemble the deck area of a large ship.
During my career, I also understood what you call "client-dictated designs" and it is logical that the client determines what he wants and even establishes the guidelines. There are clients who are very intelligent and also have excellent taste. These aspects influence so much that the final design is probably enhanced by that additional guidance, concluding in a beautifully proportioned piece, however, I have also come across clients who do not even know what they want and also want to direct everything in real-time, which in the end constitutes the worst experience and the resulting piece lacks all grace and is very faded. The latter I have long refused to do. I ask all my clients for a briefing on their requirements before starting any project and I also encourage them to tell me about their particular preferences, which helps the result to be a professional design, but with all the characteristics of the beauty standard that the client handles.
This is much appreciated my friend @charsdesign. Certainly, when it comes to the subject matter of beauty, we both are constantly presented with a myriad of challenges due to the close relationship between our professions: architecture and graphic design. Producing authentic beauty in our proposals, presentations, and projects typically becomes easy when our clients are surely pleased with our visual inclinations. On the contrary, problems do happen when their personal masterpieces get bombarded by unwanted criticisms from others, sometimes going to the extent of being disrespected, degraded, or ridiculed. These occurrences not only devalue the customer but also directly impacts the original creators of these works. A depressing reality indeed!
Moreover, because the design principles of the Bauhaus Movement (precursor of modern design) have positively influenced your career, I'm not surprised by your great choice of the EuroTours Travel Company in Austria. This building's concept and architectural character lean more toward the international style, exhibiting simple geometric shapes, rounded corners, flat features, and long lines of windows, without the need for elaborate ornamentation - prevalent in the said edifice. Similarly, the urban architecture of the city of Amman in Jordan likewise reflects this distinctive application of its design principles: low-cost, practical, and efficient.
Finally, I'm delighted that in your years of professional dealings with various works, you found a practical and non-stressful solution to counteract the so-called "client-dictated designs". In fact, I also follow your effective method of requesting project briefs or orientations from clients to provide me with some ideas of what they envision for their dream buildings. At the end of the day, their ultimate happiness, satisfaction, and positive experiences are what matter the most. 👍😊
Thank for your very interesting essay about beauty and architecture. Although beauty is subjective i feel like overtime beauty that used to be one of the main characteristics of architecture has been diluted and abandoned due to financial reasons: how to make the most amount of money per square foot but also due to regulations & restrictions (safety, etc). It is very interesting to read someone else’s perspective.
Indeed dear @parmengo. You have definitely revealed one of the harshest realities of the architecture industry. Seldom there are occasions when real beauty is ignored and taken for granted for the sake of economic gains. And that pretty much happens to most structures, buildings, and projects around the world.
On the contrary, for some works of architecture, various types of restrictions and regulations in a way simply challenge the Architects and Designers involved, pushing them to squeeze their brains and come up with creative solutions to enhance the aesthetic qualities of their masterpieces despite the looming issues. Thank you for voicing out your valuable insights! 😊
Each one in its particular style, I loved them, now the one that surprised me the most was the structure that represents the ship, for being so peculiar and fun, but due to my particular love for historical buildings, without a doubt my taste is debated between the cathedral and the French hotel, since it has balconies, and I feel great weakness for them as well.
Excellent post!!!
That's true @caracasprin. Every work of architecture has something to reveal to its viewers in varying degrees of beauty, ugliness, or anything in between. As controversial as the topic of beauty is, we are nevertheless still captivated by the plethora of buildings that tell us a story, evoking all sorts of emotions, depending on our personal perceptions of them. I'm glad you are fond of strange structures with adventurous designs like the Austrian project and fancy French hotels with their distinctive allure. Grateful for your appreciation! Cheers! 😊
Hello my friend @storiesoferne.
There is no doubt that all three buildings are very striking and very interesting.
For me personally, I find Bath Abbey more beautiful.
I love the gothic design and its history. 😊
Hi @garvi, my friend. Exactly! The 3 buildings featured here have their distinctive architectural styles and offer a variety of interesting responses from people from all walks of life. The Bath Abbey is a great choice! And your frequent exposure to other similar buildings in your place of origin is a strong justification for your love of them. 😊
Always informative Erne! I enjoy reading these bit of technical architecture from you. The one in Kuala lumpur fascinates me the most. I was there and stayed pretty high up at an apartment. The view was everything in the middle and it was epic. The social contrast is so apparent on this one. I remember a place called "Kampung Baru" which was said as the last enclave in Malaysia and was actually below me or something. Hopefully, I can go there in a few months and able to capture some of their architectural design before they got demolished. I have not been following the news but it would be pretty sad for not going there for the last time before they are turning into another skyscrapers.
Wow! That's amazing Mac! I'm really glad you were able to experience the vibrant city of Kuala Lumpur in all its architectural splendor. Indeed, the panoramic views of its urban landscape from the high elevation of your apartment would surely add to your thrilling moments. The fear of heights is out of the question here of course. 😁
Kampung Baru sounds like an interesting neighborhood to explore and document for your future architecture content as this remarkable place mirrors the traditional Malaysian village vibe of the city with its rural atmosphere contrasting the nearby modernized infrastructure. I'm definitely looking forward to your stories from your adventures there. Cheers! 😊 👍
Hello @storiesoferne ! Oh yes, I agree that beauty is an objective concept. For one person, beauty can mean a small hut, and for another, a skyscraper. I have heard of the "golden ratio" before and find the concept very interesting. This is from the point of view of a superficial observer. Since I am a big fan of places of worship, Bath Abbey in the historic city of Bath is the most attractive to me. Although this building may look intimidating outside, I think it has grace. But I like all the other architecture in your post and your thoughts. I believe there is no bad architecture - there are different points of view and visions. For example, I like one type of architect, and you like another. Variety is wonderful. Thanks to the diversity of architects, we can travel across countries and enjoy the culture.
Is not it? Thanks for the informative and interesting post.
Definitely dear friend @danny.green. Beauty is not objective but a subjective matter. And the golden ratio is arguably considered to be one of the most effective methods used by our ancestors as well as current creatives to produce so-called beautiful architecture.
I completely respect your choice of Bath Abbey as your design tastes align with it. As with the different architectural styles of buildings around the planet, we can only admire them or perhaps hate them, providing us the independent will to choose our preferences in a free world, At the end of the day, it's the variety of options that make life more interesting in the world of architecture and design. 👍
Happy to see you back in our beloved community. Keep up the fantastic content as always! 😊
Congratulations @storiesoferne! We're delighted to specially curate your awesome publication and award it RUNNER-UP in Architecture Brew #75. More power!
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Awesome! Thank you for this incredible recognition dear @aplusd. Wishing more power to our beloved architecture community for many more generations to come. Cheers! 😍😊
Thank you for the wishes, dear @storiesoferne 😀 We truly desire a real progress and huge successes of our beloved community and we hope to achieve them soon with joint efforts!
Your works are a real treasure, provoking the mind to think wildly and launching us on a far journey into the heavens, as we soon hope to achieve this effect with the community as a whole. Thank you for your efforts and immense dedication!
Dear friend Erne, today I am pleasantly surprised by your post about beauty in architecture. Although the topic of beauty belongs to aesthetics, part of philosophy, architecture and all other forms of art have a predilection for this topic. In principle, I believe that there is no universal criterion of beauty, thanks to the Creator, if that were the case the world would be very boring. Without wishing to be relativistic on the matter, I believe that the relationship between the object and the observer is extremely personal, I support the idea that the observed object, in this case an architectural work, has within it something to say to the observer, even something that not even the author of the work could imagine. I congratulate you for your reflections and your beautiful examples. Given the choice, I prefer Bath Abbey, which I was lucky enough to visit in 1975, when I was studying in London. The reasons are many, its elegance, spaciousness, the peace that is breathed inside, its beautiful stained glass windows, the gold leaf columns, as well as the fan-shaped vaults of its splendid ceilings.
Greetings dear friend Benjamin @besamu. Since beauty is a universal topic, it's also extremely relevant to the architecture and design industry as aesthetics plays a crucial role in a project's success. Although the real definition of beauty is debatable, Architects and Designers have experimented with creative methods to produce results that have a mass appeal to clients and customers. But again, the sensitive threshold between beauty and ugliness always challenges us to think outside the box, relentlessly enhancing our never-ending quest for ultimate perfection. 😊
I'm truly glad you had the opportunity to actually experience Bath Abbey in London. Despite our differences in judgment, the spectacular architecture of that church is highly respected in its own presentation. Thank you for your remarkable comment, filled with important insights and revelations. Best wishes! 👍😎
In response to your question: Which of the three (3) buildings that appear in this publication would you consider beautiful and why? I answer you frankly, the three designs are spectacular, but my eyes go to the great religious buildings such as the colorful cathedrals that are generally full of fine arts; in this case I lean towards Bath Abbey. Receive a strong and warm spiritual hug full of blessings, positive energy and lots of light.
NOTE: The concept of beauty (for me) is relative because what is beautiful for one is not for others.
Ante tu pregunta: ¿Cuál de los tres (3) edificios que aparecen en esta publicación considerarías hermoso y por qué? Te respondo con franqueza los tres diseños son espectaculares pero mis ojos se dirigen a las grandes edificaciones religiosas como las vistosas catedrales que generalmente están llena de bellas artes; en este caso me inclino por La abadía de Bath. Recibe un fuerte y caluroso abrazo espiritual cargado de bendiciones, energía positiva y mucha luz.
NOTA: El concepto de belleza (para mi) es relativo porque lo que para uno es bello para otros no lo es.
Good morning, dear friend Marcos @marcosmilano71. I'm surely happy you found this publication to your sincere liking. Although the topic of beauty would trigger debates, it's still a healthy conversation to dive into. Your honest preference for religious buildings is understandable due to your appreciation and admiration for sacred monuments. The Bath Abbey in England is definitely a striking edifice, respecting the paths of other awesome cathedrals around Europe and the world. As always, thank you for your interesting interaction. A blessed week ahead! 😊
All the architectural works that you show are magnificent, each one with a style and particularity that make them unique, but at the same time all of them are assimilated by the ingenuity and practicality of the human being in creating. Greetings !
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Precisely! Different buildings around the world, with their distinctive architectural styles, are definitely beautiful in their own right. Even though they get different reactions and perceptions from onlookers, they clearly show us the diversity of tastes of people from various walks of life. Thank you @wilfredocav for your honest impressions of the featured architecture in this post. 😊
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Welcome my friend...
Such a wonderful blog to read and I learned a lot again today. Also, the photos were magnificent.
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You're always welcome (^_^) @storiesoferne
Dear @storiesoferne, we need your help!
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Thank you @hivebuzz for sharing this message of concern. Will look into your proposal soon. 😊
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Dear @storiesoferne, sorry to jump in a bit off topic but may I ask you to support the HiveBuzz proposal?
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Thank you @arcange for this important notice. I will look into this soon. Cheers! 😊
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Absolutely dear @soulsdetour. Aside from mental stimulation, real emotions do play pivotal roles in human interactions with architecture. It's that "gut feeling" that allows a person to determine the atmosphere or spirit of a place, depending on their subjective perceptions of it. And you are right, pure logic doesn't need to justify this intimate relationship between people and their built environments because it's an unexplainable phenomenon. It's the same case when someone falls madly in love with another - the heart obviously overpowers and blinds the mind. 😍👍
Moreover, your personal approaches to the various architectural styles presented here are truly understandable. You have a reasonable explanation about Gothic architecture not being suitable for sacred monuments due to their grotesque impressions. So, probably a much more decent aesthetic would be more appropriate for such buildings as a sign of reverence, adoration, and appreciation.
The minimalistic architecture of the Amman buildings also directly reflects its primary purpose - to save costs, be more functional, and be more efficient in counteracting the seldom challenging climate of their region. Thus, beauty is most likely compromised in the visual presentation of these urban infrastructures.
And last but not least your favorite one, the Austrian building in the shape of a Viking boat. Although my description of it also mirrors its Scandinavian origins in the form of a helmet, I believe a Viking boat is literally closer in its resemblance. And just a wild thought, if they installed a massive swimming pool or water feature (not a small pond) in the lower levels of that building, then it would probably have appeared more realistic - a boat on the open seas. Wouldn't it? 😁
Since you are passionate about seawater and the beach, perhaps you could showcase some of the boat-shaped buildings you've discovered on your country's coastlines in our beloved community someday? Wouldn't that be an awesome idea? 😊
Yeah, if you zoomed in on the photo of the Austrian building, it has a small pond (reflecting pool) underneath which isn't obvious. It appeared more like a floor of green grass probably due to the moss/algae that have accumulated in the water over time. 😁
I'm definitely excited and I look forward to those boat-shaped buildings that you've photographed for publishing in the future. They would be interesting masterpieces of architecture to witness! 👍😊