Richard Lucero 1A-2B Portfolio

\Viollet-Le-Duc.03\.Structural Rationalism
What are the advantages and disadvantages of these two forms of representation.
Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-duc wrote 11
books; some of which were composed of
multiple volumes. They dated from 1840’s
to the 1870’s. These books contained his
ideas on what he thought were the best
historical examples of good architecture
and how material should be put to use. He
also discusses how plan and construction
methods are equally important and should
have a correlation and response to one
another. Materials in his opinion should
refl ect its own methods of procurement
and each material should have its own set
of building methods unique to it. Mixing
materials and construction methods that
are true to the materials, organized and
respondent to the plan and function of the
building will result in Viollet-le-duc’s opinion
a building of worth that does not have
any superfluous structure or ornament and
it will function as it needs to and will be
appealing to the senses.
The French Gothic Architecture for Violletle-duc
represents a building methodology
that was representative and an achievement
given their lack of resources and
there desire to create large spanning
monumental spaces. The lack of timber
for framing and the queries for large stone
resulted in a construction method that was
pure and simple structure that supported
its self with out the need of heavy thick
walls. Thus creating a skeletal type structure
that would be in close alignment to its
purpose and rational (fig . 6).
For Viollet-le-duc this method of construction
was closer aligned with the Greeks
rather than the Roman primarily because
the ornamentation was incorporated and
built into the structural members as part
of its construction rather than an after
thought or application of material in addition
to the structure without any reasoning.
What was rather inelegant about the
french method of construction was the
need for extra support during the construction
process for the vaults while they
set, which was years. This was the sort of
barbaric type of construction and unnecessary
work that the Greeks would never
bring themselves to do. In Contrast to the
Romans the French did not play as close
attention to the planning and the structure.
The Romans had a thick and heavy building
system that resulted in a well insulated
building that would not be affected by
weather and outside conditions of the
area; where as the French Gothic with its
relatively thin walls and skeletal structure
resulted in the easy transfer of the cold
and wet conditions of the winter and the
hot and humid conditions of the summer.
Though structurally elegant it was not
suited to most climates.
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