A Definition of Architecture: A Reflection of Utility and Culture
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A 10 page overview of UK architecture, concentrating primarily on London. The author reviews architecture from the earliest history of the region to the present to support the contention that architecture is distinct from the simple construct of construction in that it encompasses aesthetic as well as utilitarian considerations and that these considerations are shaped by both time and circumstance. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Filename: PParchUK.rtf

A Study of Gulru Necipoglu’s Article “The Life of an Imperial Monument: Hagia Sophia after Byzantium”: Summary and Critique
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This is a 10 page paper discussing Gulru Necipoglu’s article “The Life of an Imperial Monument: Hagia Sophia after Byzantium”. Gulru Necipoglu’s article “The Life of an Imperial Monument: Hagia Sophia after Byzantium” highlights many of the cultural and historical aspects of Hagia Sophia since Mehmed II’s conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Necipoglu comments that her purpose for the article is to fill in many of the details which have been missed in other works relating to the transition Hagia Sophia has undergone within its last 451 years. While Necipoglu does have a great deal of professional knowledge in the field of architecture and especially that within the Islamic world, Necipoglu’s article actually emphasizes the cultural and religious significance and changes within Hagia Sophia and of the architectural changes which accompany these transitions. Her emphasis is on the cultural and religious flexibility of Hagia Sophia and not only how it accommodated the transition from being The Great Church in Christianity to becoming the great Ayasofya mosque in the Muslim world but also she reveals many of the myths which were created in order to support its growing importance in the Islamic world. While it may seem that a great many of the historical and architectural details are absent from Necipoglu’s article which preceded Byzantium, the article appears within a larger text on Hagia Sophia and its placement near the end provides a good contextual finish to the text of a monument which has undergone a great deal of architectural, cultural and religious renovation and change. Bibliography lists 10 sources.
Filename: TJNecip1.rtf

Alberti's On the Art of Building in Ten Books
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This 6 page paper critically evaluates Alberti's work that was first written during the fifteenth century. His ideas about nature and architecture are explored. No additional sources cited.
Filename: SA312ten.rtf

ALFRED HITCHCOCK AND FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
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This 3 page paper discusses the lives and accomplishments of two innovators of the twentieth century: Alfred Hitchcock and Frank Lloyd Wright. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: MBhitchwit.rtf

Alternative Building Materials
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A 9 page research paper on alternative materials for home construction other then the traditional use of wood and drywall. The writer discusses unusual materials being used in construction today such as old tires, aluminum cans, bales of straw and rammed earth. This report shows that these homes are not only affordable, but energy efficient. Bibliography lists 7 sources.
Filename: Altaarch.wps

Alvar Aalto's "Summer House"
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10 pages in length. The legacy of Alvar Aalto brings to mind the necessity to soften the inherent hardness of man's machines. Clearly, the prestigious architect knew what he was talking about when he often said that there must be a happy medium between the coldness of typical architectural style and the human beings who occupy such structures. His point was always meant to bring out the intrinsically natural quality of a building or piece of furniture as a means by which to strike a chord of affinity. Perhaps one of his greatest architectural examples of this was his famous Summer House. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Filename: TLCaalto.wps

American Museum of Natural History.
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(6 pp). The Rose Center's permanent exhibits, detailing the size, scope and growth of the universe as well as the earth's place within it, were unveiled in February (2000) inside the new structure of steel and glass. The seven-story orb appears to hover next to the museum, and at night it is illuminated, by a soft blue light. The center replaces the old Hayden Planetarium, a New York City landmark that introduced millions of city kids to the night sky between 1935 and 1997: kids are still thrilled - no matter what their ages. still and design and exhibits are spectacular.
Filename: BBamNHM.rtf

Anthony Lawlor's Eight Elemental Forms
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A 7 page pager based Lawlor's (1994) book entitled "The Temple in the House." The writer focuses upon a specific chapter which outlines Lawlor's Eight "Elemental Forms" -- the greatest and most fundamental forces of architectural power. In Lawlor's view, these eight core elements of structural design comprise the primary basis for everything that we see, feel, and experience in a building. The writer applies what is learned in Lawlor's book to explicate the architectural design of Washington D.C.'s Capitol Building. One additional source is listed in bibliography.
Filename: Elemform.wps

Antonio Gaudi
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5 pages in length. Spanish-born Antonio Gaudi was first recognized for his extraordinary artistic talent when he attended Barcelona's Escola Superior d'Arquitectura, where his first major commissioned design incorporated a Gothic Revival appearance that was clearly the indicator for his life's career. Gaudi's blend of surrealistic curves, which many consider to be quite sensual in appearance, brought him wide acclaim for an avant-garde style for which he would always be considered the leader: Spanish Art Nouveau. Bibliography lists 10 sources.
Filename: TLCGaudi.rtf

Apostolic Succession: Its Evolution In Roman Imagery
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8 pages in length. When discussing the theme of apostolic succession and its evolution in Roman imagery – including architecture – from Early Christianity through the seventeenth century, the student will first want to define the notion of apostolic succession. In essence, it represents "Christ's promise to remain with His Church so that 'he who hears you hears Me'" (Kresta, 2001), thereby necessitating human agents in order to uphold this pledge. This "laying on of hands" (Sweeley, no date) established man as the conduit between the Apostles and the rest of humanity, which was inherently conveyed by way of architectural design of the time. Indeed, one might readily surmise that throughout this particular period, architecture illustrated mankind's role of divine interpretation, especially when exploring the vast and varied aspects of religious structures. Bibliography lists 6 sources.
Filename: TLCRmnIm.rtf

Architect Dom Hans Van Der Laan and His Theories About Architectonic Space:
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This 9 page paper discusses the style of architect Dom Hans Van Der Laan and his ideas about architectonic space. More specifically, this book references his book entitled "Architectonic Space", which addresses this issue. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Filename: GSVanDer.rtf

Architect Marcel Breur
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6 pages in length. One of architect Marcel Breuer's earliest buildings was that of the architect's own home. Built in 1939 in Lincoln, Massachusetts, the construction consisted mainly of wood and stone bearing walls with wood spans. It was situated on a rural site in a temperate climate. The style of the time was considered modern. This paper focusses on his buildings built before 1950 as well as those built after 1950. A short biography of the architect is included. Bibliography includes 5 sources.
Filename: JGAbreur.wps