architecture cosmos 113

8/8/2019 Architecture Cosmos 113

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ARCHITECTURE and the COSMOSARCHITECTURE and the COSMOS

Cosmos = perfection, therefore it is ideal to be imitated

on earth

Incorporation of these ideals into the choosing of the

location for a sacred site, its design and structural

elements

Ceiling of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, Temple of

Heaven, Beijing, China, 1420 A.D.


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MandalaMandala

Used in rituals and meditation

Hindu, Buddhist, Jain


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BorobodurBorobodur, Java, Java


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BorobodurBorobodur, Java, Java


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CELESTIALCELESTIAL

ALIGNMENTALIGNMENT The use of the movement and the position of the

constellations and the visible planets to plan the

location and the architecture of a religioussite/building

the proximity to a religious site

direction of nearest religious site


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COSMIC PILLARSCOSMIC PILLARS

Vertical axes linking heaven and earth

Thrusting upward, representative of the separation ofthe heavens and the earth

Natural, man-made,


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Pacific-Northwest

Native American

totem pole


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Gothic spire of the Ulm

Cathedral


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DWELLINGS OF THEDWELLINGS OF THE

GODSGODS Shrines

Containing relics or other objects of veneration

capturing a divine presence

Where gods are best encountered


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CHOOSING A SITECHOOSING A SITE

Usual sites are intrinsically auspicious locations, places

where the gods are thought to manifest, located by

forms of divination Mountain-tops, springs, etc.

Made sacred by events having occurred there

- Achieved by carrying out certain rites

- Stages of an important persons life


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Mahabodhi Temple at

Bodh Gaya, India.

2ndcentury.


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THE MYTHICALTHE MYTHICAL

DIMENSIONDIMENSION Myths as means by which we interpret images, finding

out the underlying meanings of certain structural

characteristics

Buildings can have structural elements that have a

connotations


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Photograph of a kiva atPueblo Bonito


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Mayan Ball CourtsMayan Ball Courts

Used for acting out myths in remembrance of their

gods

Often played for sport, though also held ceremoniously

Rubber ball passed back and forth with any part of the

players bodies except the hands; the ball was not

allowed to touch the ground

Goal to pass the ball through a stone hoop


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Mayan ball-court at

Chichen Itza


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BODY, PLAN ANDBODY, PLAN AND

PROPORTIONPROPORTION

The human body as basis for architectural design

Sites are namedand function like some of the parts ofthe human body

Parts of the human body itself as symbols


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THE SACRED HOMETHE SACRED HOME

Traditional cultures have little or no distinction

between the sacred and the secular

Imitative of the human body, the cosmos, and animals

wherein parts of the home have given bodily functions


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THE SACRED MEETINGTHE SACRED MEETING

PLACEPLACE A structure where the community meets

Creates and denies at the same time

Meeting-houses, most times used by only the males


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PROCESSION ANDPROCESSION AND

PILGRIMAGEPILGRIMAGE Buildings are meeting-points between the earthly and

the divine

Re-enacting sacred events, moving towards sources of

power, creating corridors of sacredness

Circumambulation

Architecture of destination reflects purpose of

pilgrimage


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Church of the Bom Jesus,Portugal


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TheThe KaabaKaaba, Mecca, Mecca

Pilgrimage at least once in a believers lifetime to

Mecca during hajj

Believed to be where the prophet Muhammad received

Gods Law

Located in Saudi Arabia

Kaaba building made of dark grey stone, covered

with a cloth embroidered by calligraphy


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MEGALITHICMEGALITHIC

MONUMENTSMONUMENTS Simple types of building large stones; sometimes

carved

Burial chambers, calendars, gravestones, landmarks


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Carnac Stones, FranceCarnac Stones, France


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architecture cosmos 113

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