Romanesque and Gothic Style; Our Own Architectural Favorites

Today we discussed the differences between Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

Here's a Romanesque church

The students pointed out that Romanesque churches tend to be short, with thick walls and few windows. The arches are rounded, and the inside space tends to be confined and a bit dark.

Another Romanesque church. This one has a rose window, but it's fairly close to the ground.

Gothic architecture, on the other hand, emphasizes height and light. The arches are pointed, and tall spires soar toward the sky. Flying buttresses enabled architects to build much larger windows, many of which were fitted with stained glass.

Notice the spires reaching upwards...

The students also pointed out examples of architecture that inspires them:

Phineas said that the Duomo has been a source of wonder since he was eight years old.

Meredith, Channing, and Kat said that UVa's new Children's Hospital is a Charlottesville architectural gem.

Speaking of UVa, Zach said that he loves the inclusion of the grass hill at Scott Stadium.

And Gabriel crosses the Atlantic Ocean for his architectural favorite: the one-of-a-kind Louvre!

Finally, here's the link for the Stone Arch Building Challenge (if you are able to build a ten stone arch, please send me a screen shot!):

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/arch-physics.html