Essay about Greek and Japanese Architecture - 865 Words

Greek and Japanese Architecture For a great many years, architecture has been a breaking point for different artisticeras in history. Some of the most famous â€Å"works of art† have been chapels, temples, and tombs. Among the most dominant and influential eras of great architecture are the sophisticated, stoic Greeco-Roman periods and the more mystical, elemental Japanese eras. These two very distinct and very different eras have more in common than you may realize. When work began on the Parthenon in 447 BC, the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. Work on the temple continued until 432; the Parthenon, then, represents the tangible and visible blossoming of Athenian imperial power, impaired by the damages of the†¦show more content†¦Currently, Japans modern architecture is having a striking influence on global architecture. Japanese architecture is an inherent part of Japanese culture, and even Tokyos most modern high-tech buildings draw their inspiration from old Japanese design. Japans ancient castles and palaces, timber houses, tatami-mat tea rooms and Zen gardens, Shinto shrines, and Buddhist temples, as well as the latest shopping centers, sports facilities, residential complexes, office towers, department stores, and high-tech structures are some excellent examples of Japanese Architecture (hkuhist2.hku.hk). Japan is described as a country of wood, and the reverence of natural materials. The depths of the love and admiration that the Japanese people have for wood are famous, which is similar to the Greek love of pristine marble and its smooth surfaces. This can be seen in an old Japanese expression plants and trees all have something to say, Japanese believe that trees have a soul and say they can sense spirits, or kami, within them. It is trees that form the core which nurtures the sensibilities about nature held by the Japanese people. It is thus natural for architecture in Japan to be based on wood. Many structures are made of wood, ranging from shrines and temples to palaces and homes, and in doing so grand structures have been created (Stokstad). Castles and palaces datingShow MoreRelatedFrank Lloyd Wright : A Comparison Of Modern Architecture988 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout my day trip to Chicago, Illinois as part of American Experience, there was one question that behind my experiences that guided my thoughts: â€Å"What does modern architecture mean?† It is a simple question to ask, but a much more difficult question to answer. After all, we hardly even recognize the styles behind the buildings we see and use everyday, let alone what those styles represent. 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