The Classical Language of Architecture

World of Art

by John Summerson

The author's purpose is to set out as simply and vividly as possible the exact grammatical workings of an architectural language. Classical architecture is a visual "language" and like any other language has its own grammatical rules. Classical buildings as widely spaced in time as a Roman temple, an Italian Renaissance palace and a Regency house all show an awareness of these rules even if they vary them, break them or poetically contradict them. Sir Christopher Wren described them as the "Latin" of architecture and the analogy is almost exact. There is the difference, however, that whereas the learning of Latin is a slow and difficult business, the language of classical architecture is relatively simple. It is still, to a great extent, the mode of expression of our urban surroundings, since classical architecture was the common language of the western world till comparatively recent times. Anybody to whom architecture makes a strong appeal has probably already discovered something of its grammar for himself. In this book, the author's purpose is to set out as simply and vividly as possible the exact grammatical workings of this architectural language. He is less concerned with its development in Greece and Rome than with its expansion and use in the centuries since the Renaissance. He explains the vigorous discipline of "the orders" and the scope of "rustication"; the dramatic deviations of the Baroque and, in the last chapter, the relationship between the classical tradition and the "modern" architecture of today. The book is intended for anybody who cares for architecture but more specifically for students beginning a course in the history of architecture, to whom a guide to the classical rules will be an essential companion.

Genres: Architecture, Art, Nonfiction, Art History, History, Design, Urbanism

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Sir John Newenham Summerson CH CBE was one of the leading British architectural historians of the 20th century
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sum...


Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Maryam Shahriari · Rating 4 out of 5]

جان سامرسون تاریخ‌نگار معماری قرن بیستم بوده است که سال‌های سال هم کرسی تاریخ هنر دانشگاه آکسفورد و کامبریج را در اختیار داشته است. در این کتاب گفتارهایی از خود را که در سال 1963 در رادیو بی‌بی‌سی پخش شده است را جمع‌آوری و منتشر کرده است. سعی او بر این بوده که زبان معماری کلاسیک یونان و روم و تاثیرات آن بر دوران کلاسیک‌گرایی مدرن را به مخاطبش بفهماند. به نظرم خواندن این کتاب برای درک واقعیت آن چیزی که معماری کلاسیک غرب را ساخته مفید باشد. مخصوصاً که به زبان ساده هم نوشته شده. البته به درد آن دسته از مثلاً معمارهایی که دلشان می‌خواهد نماهای رومی آنچنانی طراحی کنند و پزش را به فک و فامیل‌شان بدهند هم می‌خورد. حداقل می‌فهمند اصل کلاسیک رومی یعنی چه!‏



یکشنبه 15 تیر 93
تهران

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid classical architecture book, good 1 John

[Lusca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma introdução instigante e bem elucidativa para os leigos, assim como eu, nos conceitos e ideais que permeiam a arquitetura clássica.

Nesta obra, somos confrontados com uma exposição do desenvolvimento histórico da arquitetura clássica (inclusive com as especulações de sua gênese) e, consequentemente, sua influência nos projetos arquitetônicos barrocos, neoclássicos e modernos.

[Mana Ravanbod · Rating 5 out of 5]

سامرسون انگار دستت را گرفته باشد در شهرهای اروپایی بگرداند از پاریس تا رم و آتن و لندن و معماری کلاسیک غرب را در تک تک بناها نشانت بدهد، ستون‌ها و سرستون‌ها را برایت بشمرد، کاری کند که مثل یک زبان مرده، قواعد معماری کلاسیک را یاد بگیری. البته وقتی رسیدی اخر کتاب، بدانی که هیچ نمی‌دانی از معماری کلاسیک

[Lukas · Rating 3 out of 5]

i think this good book

[Ricky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of the history and substance of Classical Architecture, but towards the end he starts to connect it to modernist Architecture. This was written in the 1960's, so I suppose hindsight is 20/20, but the author seemed to think that architecture was moving in a good direction and that clearly has not been the case.

Still a useful read for a beginner's level overview of the 5 Orders of Architecture and how Neo-Classical Architecture evolved from the earliest examples from Vitruvius and the thoughtful changes of various architects, from those faithful to the orders to the rebels against them.

[Scott Abercrombie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshingly unpretentious history of architecture overview, focussing primarily on Anglo / Italian exemplars. Would have been a 5-star review had it not been for the authors dismissal of the Greek Revival in Architecture, which was only allowed a couple of pages, and also happens to be my favourite of the styles!

[Tainá · Rating 5 out of 5]

O autor revisita a história da arquitetura clássica para mostrar sua influência nos estilos arquitetônicos, defendendo que a arquitetura que temos hoje ainda guarda traços da antiga grega e romana. Apesar de não se aprofundar no século XIX como se aprofunda nos demais séculos, o livro cumpre o que promete com um texto claro e objetivo.
Ótimo livro, leitura fácil e reflexões profundas.

[Merryn Summersgill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty short book to get through. Good overview of both classical and Renaissance architecture however he makes pretentious passing judgements and statements that are not backed up and are sometimes outdated. However I did like the description on what and how the columns are based on human figures.

[Dai · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was definitely not written for me; I just happened upon it while bored. That is to say I’ve been slightly indoctrinated into classical architecture now, and it’s this book to blame. I’m a little tired now but credit where credit is due I guess

[Nora C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Los ordenes, ciertas tipologias y contrucciones ornamentales, y su uso desde el Renacimiento. El legado de la Antigüedad en la arquitecta a través de arquitectos y tratadistas desde el s.xv hasta la modernidad.

[Georgia Gold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for class, but overall very interesting book on the classical roots of architecture. It was very digestible for a non-architecturally informed person like myself, and some of the chapters were actually super interesting.

[Alessandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libro di approfondimento consigliato per sostenere l'esame di Storia dell'architettura

[蓝 幻 · Rating 5 out of 5]

从柱式、比例到数量很克制的几种形制，非常有实操性地推演了「哪些是」建筑的古典语言，每种语法从何时发源，又如何留在了后世的设计中。逻辑极其清晰，实操性很强。

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

After all this time? Always. It's crystalized Western tradition, it's the ghost in the shell. History haunts

[Noemi Pellico · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro di studio molto ben scritto e chiaro, ti aiuta a comprendere l’architettura nel tempo attraverso gli ordini architettonici ad esempio

[Joao Ortale · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

[Carlo Mazzanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this, very instructive. Found it very easy to read with some great plates showing the concepts in action.

[Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summerson's six radio lectures about architecture is a short read, very easy to follow. It guides the Orders through the Renaissance, Mannerism, Baroque, Neo-Classical, and Modern architecture, briefly explaining some of the greatest works and architects form these periods. The premise being that classical values lie in the harmonious relationships of parts, it is important to know why and how this ideal has sustained itself over time.

The book seems to skim over the surface of the matter, but still required background familiarity with the Orders (Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Composite/Italian). The book works well as an introduction to classical architecture and its values and shifts over time, but it is by no means a stand-alone kind of book. Also, probably since these lectures were broadcasted by the BBC, there is a lot of emphasis on British architects and buildings.

Three stars. I will never understand books on architecture that have tiny greyscale images, all pushed to the last pages of the book. Thank the heavens for Google Images.

[Alexandru · Rating 4 out of 5]

Varianta tradusă și publicată de către Vremea Publishing House, în 2023, primește de la mine 3,8/5 ⭐, însă cea originală, din 1963, pe care am citit-o în format PDF, primește 4,5/5 ⭐, deoarece cea din urmă este mai bine explicată, și nu are erorile celei din limba română.
Pe de altă parte, le recomand pe ambele, sunt o lectură instructivă.

[Constance · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good intro to classical architecture. However, it's a little too Brit-centric, which is forgivable since it was originally a BBC radio broadcast. Sometimes the author forgets that he's addressing a non-architectural public, so those college days sitting in an architectural history course definitely came in handy. But, with google images nowadays, I think a novice could work through this book and walk away with a keener eye for classical motifs.

[Tomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

O livro só peca pela constante necessidade de trocar de página para observar as figuras que o texto faz referência. O movimento moderno é avaliado muito precocemente o que torna seu texto pobre, além de cometer o erro de tentar estabelecer relação entre a linguagem classica e moderna, tendo a felicidade de não cometer o mesmo erro com o gótico.

[Uaba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it in Portuguese. It's the best book about Classical Language on Architecture. It's clear, succint and easy to read. It goes from the first civilizations to use that form of expression, to the latest.

[Anibal]

La arquitectura es un lenguaje que no se oye, sino que se ve. En este libro se te habla sobre la esencia (simetria, orden, columnas, innovadores clasicos y modernos...) del clasicismo, uno de los dialectos mas puros de la arquitectura.

[SickWinnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessante, se non fosse che negli ultimi due capitoli si perde il focus. In particolare nell’ultimo mancano opere/stili/architetti europei (obv. datati prima della pubblicazione del volume) che sarebbe stato interessante analizzare in questo contesto.

[Guo · Rating 4 out of 5]

an comprehensive introduction to the architecture between renaissance and late Baroque

[Richard Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book: unpretentiously erudite, pleasantly concise, quietly enthusiastic.

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really useful for the course I was studying in classical architecture.

[Saiid Abdul Baqi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true masterpiece about classical architecture that spans antiquity to 19th century European and American architecture.

[Khenan Bragador · Rating 4 out of 5]

easy to read and very interesting