History of Architecture

Egyptian (3000 BC - 900 BC)
Wood was not widely available in the arid Egyptian landscape. Houses in ancient Egypt were made with blocks of sun-baked mud. Flooding of the Nile River and the ravages of time destroyed most of these ancient homes. Much of what we know about ancient Egypt is based on great temples and tombs, which were made with granite and limestone and decorated with hieroglyphics, carvings, and brightly colored frescoes. The ancient Egyptians didn't use mortar, so the stones were carefully cut to fit together.
Classical Greek and Roman (850 BC - 400 AD)
Greek and Roman architecture made extensive use of columns, topped off with a frieze and pediment. See the diagram below for the names of the different parts of a Greek building.


Gothic (1100-1450)
Gothic architecture was popular in Medieval Europe. Builders used pointed arches and elaborate stonework. One of the earliest Gothic buildings was the ambulatory of the abbey of St. Denis in France, built between 1140 and 1144.

Renaissance (1400-1600)
In Europe during the Renaissance, builders loved to use symmetry and geometry to create well-ordered buildings. This building is by the famous Italian architect Palladio.
Baroque (1600-1830)
The Baroque style was very complicated, with many twists, turns, and intricate designs and details. This is the style of the famous Versailles Palace in France, where the French king lived.

Neo-Classical (1730-1925)
During this time, architects tried to copy the classic buildings of Greece and Rome. Of course, the style was not exactly the same as in the ancient world, but it was heavily influenced by it. One famous example of Neo-Classical architecture is the U.S. Capitol building.

Neo-Gothic (1905-1930)
At the beginning of the 20th century, architects were influenced by the old Gothic buildings. Many of the first skyscrapers were built in the Neo-Gothic, or "New Gothic" style. This is the Tribune Tower in Chicago.


Art Deco (1925-1937)
Art Deco is the "New York" style. It is simple but elegant, and it was used on many famous skyscrapers in New York. Think of the Empire State Building, with its powerful, tall, rectangular, design. The picture below is the Chrysler building, another famous New York building.
Modern (1900-present)
Modern architecture created whole new ways of thinking about spaces, with strange new designs that challenged the past. This is a museum at Cornell University.

Post-modern (1972-present)
Post-modern architecture is a combination of the wildness of Modern architecture and the more subdued traditional forms of architecture. It is old and new put together. However, many critics think that a lot of post-modern architecture looks ugly.