NameThatDome2

The Greek culture greatly improved the building methods the ancient Mesopotamians and Egyptians began. Using mathematical order and giving sculptural beauty to post-and-lintel construction, the Greeks took their native blue and white marble and created structures that are still copied today. Look at your local courthouse, bank, or city hall and you’ll probably see a building that looks very much like the Parthenon in Athens , Greece .

Many of the words we use today to describe architectural elements were invented by the Greek people at this time. They also gave us the three types of columns we see today:

The column was of great importance to Greek architecture and was an important part of each of the three orders: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. Each had its own set of rules which controlled proportion or the size relationship of each part to the other.

Greek culture also saw a shift from architecture that served a god or king to architecture that served a more human purpose. Hellenistic Era Greeks started planning to use the inside space instead of just stressing the exterior form. They built theaters, offices, and restaurants.

Greek order not only applied to one structure, it was applied to whole cities. Here began the street grid and traffic flow planning that are essential to any modern city. Separation of building usage or zoning also began during this period with separate areas set aside for housing and business. In the era known as Hellenistic, Greeks also planned housing for those who couldn’t normally afford it.

It was also at this time in architecture that one could look at a domestic structure and actually call it a “house.” There was typically a wall around the house separating it from the street, and an entrance that opened into the first of a bunch of rooms that each had its own purpose.

And, what the peoples of Greece improved in architecture, the Romans seem to have perfected. They continued using the columned building, creating vast buildings for public use- government buildings and temples. Where the Greeks thought of a building as a separate sculptural piece, the Romans began to blend a building with its surroundings.

One of the first original contributions the Romans made to architecture was concrete . Wait. Concrete ? Yes, the stuff sidewalks and parking garages are made of. Early concrete was made from a mixture of lime mortar, water and volcanic dust. The volcanic dust made it stronger compared to earlier attempts at concrete. It wasn’t as strong as modern concrete and was often covered with marble sheets to make it look more appealing. But concrete allowed the Romans to build even bigger and better. Especially when used in conjunction with the next great Roman invention- the arch.

First used by the Etruscans, the original Italian peoples, the arch became an important part of Roman building. When used with concrete, the arch could enclose vast spaces with less interior support. They used the arch in their famous aqueduct system that carried water all over the countryside, and it played a key role in civic events such as triumphant processions and theatre and games.

Your Turn:

What actually keeps an arch from collapsing in? The “key” to an arch is the “keystone” or the voussoir . Look up voussoir in the glossary. Now draw an arch and color the voussoir a different color. Draw more arches on either side of your first one; now you have the beginnings of a Roman bridge. Now draw a line across the top your arches and draw a second row of arches – it’s a Roman aqueduct. Draw a third row of arches; what famous building in Rome does this look like? (Think gladiators!)

Romans gave domestic architecture an increasing role as home, hearth and family were considered sacred to the Romans. Their house was the most important part of their life. Large courtyards, fountains, gardens, statues and brightly painted walls decorated the houses of the wealthy families. Indoor plumbing and heating were conveniences that could be found in grander homes.

With a population of over one million, not all people of the city of Rome lived quite so well. Public housing was built in multi-story apartment buildings called insulae. 90% of Rome ’s population called an insulae home. The ground floor was occupied by shops and community toilets used by most of the residents. The upper floors had the apartments- some quite spacious with private toilets, some with balconies overlooking the inner courtyard. A Roman apartment would look very similar to a modern apartment building of today.

Public baths were available to all. They were an important part of Roman culture because they acted as a social center. To heat the water, slaves kept very hot fires burning in underground chambers. The hot air from these fires was sent through pipes that would heat the pools of water, the walls and floors. Some of these baths could contain 1600 bathers at once!

Perhaps the most important contributions of the Romans to architecture were the vault and the dome . The challenge they faced was how to enclose the largest amount of space without losing any illumination (lighting) or having to use any interior support for the roof. By combining the arch with the continually improved concrete, they first created a vault called a tunnel or barrel vault . It was simply an arch that was really deep. Here, the weight of the half-cylinder ceiling was carried by the upright post part of the arch – and, if necessary additional wall support in the form of buttresses . The only support the roof needed now was temporary support until the concrete hardened. Two barrel vaults can be made to intersect each other forming a cross shape, called a groin vault . With a groin vault there are four ends to let in light instead of just the two ends in a barrel vault. The Romans kept improving the vault system by making them bigger and more light-filled.

The dome is also based on the arch. It is simply an arch that is turned around and around. Picture yourself holding an arch like a spinning top, the handle right above the keystone. Now give it a spin once around. The shape you just made is a dome! The dome was a shell of concrete that was thicker at the bottom for strength. Often they left a round hole in the top completely open to let in light. To decrease the weight of the ceiling the dome would be coffered or have sunken panels. This decreased the thickness in many areas, which decreased the weight, all without losing strength. A perfect example of the dome in Roman architecture would be the Pantheon built 118-125 CE. Can you think of other examples of the dome in architecture? How about the stadium where your favorite sports team plays? One more you could discover would be just a few blocks from Molly Brown’s house in Denver , Colorado .