Architectural construction affords a remarkable opportunity to present a personal or collective philosophy through a visible and permanent creation. Such constructions may be very subtle, and only understood by those with specialist knowledge, or they may be deliberately obvious in their design to sway public opinion and serve political purpose. The seminars examine three time periods in which architectural symbolism was used for deliberate ends to announce a political affiliation or influence the will of those who encountered the buildings under discussion.
The first seminar engages with the work of the Tudor nobleman Sir Thomas Tresham, a staunch Catholic who was persecuted for refusing to deny his faith. Known in his lifetime as Thomas the Builder, Tresham used the medium of architecture to make a profession of his faith through the design and decoration of various small buildings on his lands. We will examine these structures to interpret both the overt and more subtle symbolic language employed.
Building on the concept of architectural symbolism, the second seminar engages with public construction in the Victorian period and the search for a true National style. We will analyse how different architectural styles were perceived by the population and which qualities were deemed to be inherent within. We will consider the writings of Augustus Pugin and debate the truth of his belief that architecture styles have inherent moral qualities which impact on the behaviour of the population.
Finally, in the third seminar, we will examine how Mussolini made deliberate use of architecture in his expansion of Rome to promote his Fascist ideology and to pursue his dream of building a city greater than that in the time of the Emperor Augustus. We will consider the type of building projects which Mussolini undertook and how they were carefully selected to secure his political position. We will also consider the decoration of Fascist structures and the holistic approach to design and symbolism in this period.
Learning outcomes
- Students will develop their ability to examine architectural construction and identify symbolic content;
- Students will be able to discuss the use of symbolism in architectural design and place such buildings in historical context;
- Students will be able to institute comparison between the use of architectural symbolism in different time periods.
