Developmenthistory
Conceptdefinition
Theso-called"neo-classicism"firstlyfollowstherationalistviewpointandbelievesthatartmustproceedfromrationalityandrejectthesubjectivethoughtsandfeelingsofartistsEspeciallyinthefaceofsocialandpersonalconflictsofinterest,individualsmustrestraintheirfeelings,obeyreasonandthelaw,andadvocatetheperfectmoralityofcitizensistosacrificethemselvesandfulfilltheirresponsibilitiesforthemotherland.ThecreationofartisticimagesadvocatestheidealbeautyofancientGreece;paysattentiontothecompleteandsculpturalmodelingofclassicalartforms,pursueselegance,dignity,andharmony,whileadheringtostrictsketchesandclearoutlines,andstrivestoweakenthecolorelementsofpainting.The"newness"of"neoclassicism"liesinborrowingancientheroismthemesandformsofexpression,directlydepictingmajoreventsandheroesinrealstruggles,closelycooperatingwithrealstruggles,anddirectlyservingthebourgeoisietoseizeandconsolidatepower.IthasadistinctivefeatureRealistictendency.Therefore,neoclassicismisalsocalledrevolutionaryclassicism,anditsoutstandingrepresentativeisDavide.
TheRisingCountry
FrancewasthecenterofEuropeanneoclassicalarchitectureactivitiesattheendofthe18thcenturyandthebeginningofthe19thcentury.ThePantheonbuiltinParisduringtheFrenchRevolutionisatypicalclassicalbuilding.DuringtheNapoleonicera,manymonumentalbuildingswerebuiltinParis.Amongthem,theArcdeTriompheandtheMadeleineChurchareallexamplesofancientRomanarchitecture.BritainmainlyrevivesGreekarchitecturalforms,suchastheBritishMuseuminLondon.TheBrandenburgGateinBerlin,Germany,andtheBerlinCourtTheatreareallrevivalsofGreekarchitecturalforms.Amongthem,theBrandenburgGatewasbuiltinimitationofthemountaingateoftheAcropolis.BeforetheindependenceoftheUnitedStates,thearchitecturalstylesweremostlyEuropeanstyles.Afterindependence,theUnitedStatesreliedontheclassicalarchitectureofGreeceandRometoexpressdemocracy,freedom,gloryandindependence,andneoclassicalarchitectureflourished.TheU.S.CapitolwasbuiltinthemodelofthePantheoninParis.
Historicalstatus
Frencharchitecture,togetherwithpaintings,iscalledtheneoclassicalperiod.Duringthisperiod,nonewarchitecturalstyleswereformed.Itwasjustthealternationofancientbuildingsandtherefurbishment.SomepeoplecalleditItis"RomanticClassicism".
IntheeraofNapoleon’sempire,thearchitecturalartwasbasedonancientGreco-Romanarchitectureasthestandard,andthesolemnDoricstylewasthefashionableadmiration.Thelarge-scaleurbanconstructionthatwasinterruptedduringtheRevolutionaryeraandthedawnofrevivalappearedintheNapoleonicera.ThemostspectacularbuildingleftduringthisperiodistheArcdeTriompheinEdwardSquare.
Modernistarchitecture’scontemptforclassicalaestheticsanditsdisregardforformmakesitmoreandmoretowardthequagmireoflarge-scaleindustrialmassproduction:moreandmoreawayfromtradition,awayfromart,awayfromculture,dullanddry,It'sthesame,allataglance.Thissituationfinallycausedpublicdissatisfaction,whichalsocausedarchitectstoresistthenewtradition.
Historicalevaluation
Asoftenhappensinhistory,wheneveranewformbecomesanimpersonalformulaicinertia,peoplewillinevitablyfocusonInthepast,fromtheruinsofhistory,fromtheclassicalFrench,toseekopportunitiestobreakthroughthecurrentmortarorframe.Sincethe1950sand1960s(Note:SirJohnSomersonwrotein"ClaasicArchitecture":"Since1939,therehavebeenthreespecialproblems:First,peoplehavediscoveredthatthemodernmovementContainsseriousinherentflaws,especiallyingeneral,itisimpossibletocreateapopularimageandmetaphor;second,thepublic'sconceptofconservationandenvironmenthasbeenreversedonebyone,fromtheabandonedanduglypre-warurbanenvironmentThegeneralhostilityofthiskindofenvironmentisacceptedasa“legacy”witharomanticandnostalgicattitude;third,since1939,thehistoryofarchitecturehasbeenalmostcompletelyrewritten.Thesethreeissuesareintertwinedandmutuallyintertwined.Function,itmakesusenteranewatmosphereofarchitecturalthinking,anatmospherethatmakesitpossibleforustodiscussmodernclassicalarchitecture,andthishaslongbeenconsideredunsuitablefordiscussion."JohnSummersonNaturallyThereishisreason,butifweconsiderneoclassicismfromtheperspectiveofpostmodernarchitecture,wemuststartfromthe1950sand1960s.SeeDrAndreasC.Papadakis&HarrietWatson.NewClassicism,London.AcademyGroupLtd,1990:16.).IntheWesternarchitecturalworld,somevisionaryarchitectsbeganaseriousexplorationofresistancetothenewtraditionofmodernism,whichwaslatercalledneoclassicism.
DemetriPorphyriossaid:"DoesmoderneclecticismstartfromthelateworksofGropiusandWright,orfromthematureworksofAalto,orfromthelater60s,thatis,fromTheearlyworksofVenturi,Moore,andGreavesstarted,wearenotsureyet.Butwecanbesurethatitisstillfulloflifetodayandverypopular.”(Note:"ClassicismIsNotAStyle"Style),seeDrAndreasC.Papadakis&HarrietWatson.NewClassicism,London.AcademyGroupLtd,1990:19.)Aslongaswelookbackonthehistoryofmodernarchitecture,itisnotdifficulttofindthatthefirstchallengetomodernismYes,itispreciselythosepeoplewhowerethemostdiligentinadvocatingandpracticingmodernistaesthetics,suchasLeCorbusier,Gropiusandothermasters.
ItisdifficulttoaccuratelyspecifythedateofthebirthofneoclassicismlikeJenksorEisenmandeclaredthedeathdateofmodernismorpostmodernism.ButIamwillingtosettheapproximateperiodofitsproductionbetweenthe1950sandtheearly1960s.Becauseseveralimportantworksappearedatthisstage,suchasAalto’sSanatceiroTownHall(CivicCenter,Saynatsalo,Finland,1949-1952),EdwardD.Stone’sNewDelhiAmericanEmbassy(UnitedStatesembassyNewDehli,1954)andtheAmericanPavilionattheBrusselsExpo(1958),PhilipJohnson’sAmonKarterMuseumofWestArtandtheSheldonMemorialArtattheUniversityofNebraskaGallery,1958～1966),Yamasaki’sMcGregorMemorialCommunityConferenceCenterWayneStateUniversity(McGregorMemorialCommunityConferenceCenterWayneStateUniversity,1955～1958).Althoughtheseworkshavedifferentstyles,theyhaveonethingincommon:theyhavebrokenthroughthegeometricstereotypesofmodernism,andhavemadenewinterpretationsofclassicalvocabularywithstrongnostalgiaandboldinnovation.Aalto’sSanatCerroTownHall"combinedrusticandclassicalformsintoaprimitiveandmoreauthenticformofexpression."Architecture:ACriticalHistory",Beijing:ChinaConstructionIndustryPress,1998edition.);EdwardD.Stone’sAmericanEmbassyinNewDelhi,theAmericanPavilionattheBrusselsExpo,andPhilipJohnson’sAmonCarterMuseumofWesternArtWiththeSheldonMuseumofArtattheUniversityofNebraska(1958～1963),withtheingeniousconceptionofoldsongsandnewsinging,theelegantclassicaltasteandchicandsophisticatedmoderntechniquesareintegrated;Yamasaki’sAmericanWeiTheMcGregorConferenceCenterofEnStateUniversityusesamoreabstractandrefinedapproachtoshowtheinfinitecharmofclassicalaestheticsintheeulogyofmodernlife.Amongalltheaboveworks,theAmericanEmbassyinNewDelhidesignedbyEdwardStone,whowontheALAAwardin1961,isaworkthatshouldberememberedespeciallybyhistory.ThisisabuildingwithelegantproportionsandverticallayoutsimilartotheParthenon.Itisnotatallrestrictedbytheprevailingmodernistgeometryatthetime.Itintegratesclassicandmoderndesignwithadesignphilosophythatisbothancientandmodern:columns,axes,anddecorationsexpressclassicsolemnityandelegance.Italsoexpresseslocaltraditionswithpools,deepoverhangs,andsunshades,andtakesintoaccountthefunctionofadjustingthelocalclimate.Atthesametime,theslenderandgorgeoussimplifiedcolumn,whitecurtainwallandglassinnerwallexpressadistinctiveatmosphereofthetimes.Stonenotonlyresurrectedthespiritofclassicisminthisbuilding,butitssuccessandawardsquicklymadethistypeofworkhaveaworldwideimpact.ThereasonwhyVenturiand"ContradictoryandComplexityofArchitecture"appearedinthe1960s,andtheemergenceofneoclassicalarchitectssuchasCharlesMoore,obviouslyhasaprofoundconnectionwithStone'sexplorationinthe1950s.
Inthe1960s
IntheWesternarchitecturalworld,neoclassicalworksbegantoemergeinlargenumbers,andtherewasatendencytofail.SuchasHeadquartersBuildingforNursesandDentists(1960)inVenturi,GildHousefortheElderly(GildHouse1960～1963,Philadelphia),ChestnutHillHouse(1962)andGordonWuHall(GordonWuHall),IncollaborationwithRockyandScottBrown,1982~1984,Princeton,NewJersey),Moore’sArchitect’sHome(1962)andItalianPlaza(1975~1980),MichaelGraves’PortlandCityHall(1980~1982))AndHumanaHeadquarters(1982～1986,Kentucky),RobertStern’sstorefrontandNewJerseyvillaforBestProducts(VillaInNewJersey,1983～1987)andResidenceofMarblehead(Massachusetts,1984～1987),Yamasaki’sNorthwestNationalLifeInsuranceCompany(1961～1964),PrincetonUniversityWilsonCollege(1965),PhilipJohnsonandBogey’sAT&Theadquarters(1978),190SouthRussellAvenue,ChicagoBuilding(1983)andsoon.Thetremendousimpactofthesebuildingsonmodernistgeometryandpurismcanbeexperiencedfromthedramaticandcomplexchangesinthedecline,turn,anddevelopmentofmodernistarchitectureafterthe1970s.
Buildingclassification
Neoclassicalarchitecturecanberoughlydividedintotwotypes.Oneisabstractclassicism;theotherisconcreteoreclecticclassicism.TheformerisrepresentedbytheworksofPhilipJohnson,GravesandYamasaki;thelatterisrepresentedbytheworksofMooreandRicardoPoffel.
Abstractclassicismusesasimplifiedmethod,orafreehandmethod,tosubtlyintegratetheabstractclassicalarchitecturalelementsorsymbolsintothearchitecture,sothattheclassiceleganceandmodernsimplicityareperfectlyembodied..Yamasaki’sNorthwestNationalLifeInsuranceCompanyisbasedonaGreektemple,butitscolonnades,eaves,andarchesareallexpressedinasimplifiedform,simpleandpowerful,simpleandelegant;Graves’waveThroughthemethodofflatteningandcolorizingclassicalelements,theTranCityHallcreatesatensionandharmonyintheunityofoppositesbetweentraditionandmodernity;PhilipJohnsonandBogey’sAT&TheadquartersarefullydisplayedinabuildingModerntechnologyandzeitgeistskyscrapersexpresstheeleganceandnobilityofRenaissancearchitecturethroughthethree-sectionstructure,themountainfloweronthetop,thearchesandroundwindowsatthebottom,andthestoneveneer;theflatglasscompanyheadquartersismoreSkilledskills,moderntechnologyandmaterials,intheformofaGothiccastle,createafairytalemonument.
Theconcreteclassicismisdifferent.Itisneithertextual,dogmaticclassicismnorYamasaki-stylefreehandclassicism.Inthistypeofarchitecture,architectscanfullyexpresstheirstrongclassicalculturalinterestandprofoundclassicalarchitecturalskills.Inotherwords,theycanuseauthenticclassicalarchitecturaldetails,buttheyarebynomeansstuckinimitationandplagiarism.Themaincharacteristicsofthistypeofarchitecturearetheuseofthebest,therichnessofothers,thebrightcolors,andthestrongdecoration.Concreteclassicismisdifferentfromabstractclassicisminitsfreehandbrushwork.Ithasthecharacteristicsoffinebrushwork,whichismoredetailed,moreexquisite,richer,moredignified,andmorehistoricthanabstractclassicism.However,inthiseraofnoheroesandnoauthority,anyattempttosetthearchitecturaltypeofacertaineraintoonebuildingisimpossible.Althoughcomparedwithabstractclassicism,concreteclassicismrespectstheclassicalarchetypesitimitatesormetaphorsmore,butwhentheyadoptclassicaldetails,theyaregenerallymorecasual,andtheycanuseavarietyofhistoricalstylesinabuilding.Therefore,forthesamefigurativeclassicism,Venturimostlyadoptsthehybridstyle,Sternmostlyadoptstheexaggeratedanddistortedstyle,andMooreandPoffelusethemeticulousandsolemncommemorativestyle.
Theemergenceofneoclassicismoriginatedfromtheimpulseofarchitectstocorrectthearchitecturalreality,andthenitbecameaculturalstrategy,whichisbeyonddoubt.However,wemustalsoseethattheemergenceofthistrendofthoughtalsoshowsthat,asaculturaltradition,classicalarchitecturewillalwaysbeavaluableassetforfuturegenerations.Theso-calledrevolutionthatregardstraditionasaburdenandbreakswithtraditionateveryturn.Behavior,inmostcases,canonlybeaharmfulandunhelpfulbehavior;atthesametime,italsoshowsthat,likealltraditionalcultures,classicalarchitecturehasbecomeahistoricalcomplexinthehumanspiritualstructure,akindofhiddendeepinthehumansoul.Prototypeschema.Aslongasitencounterstherightsoilandwarmsunshine,thisseedofcultureandartwilltakerootandblossomandbearfruit.
Stylefeatures
Elementalabstraction
First,theclassicalelementsareabstractedintosymbols,whichareusedasdecorationsandmetaphorsinarchitecture..Forexample,someworksbyPhilipJohnson,Venturi,GreavesandYamasaki,theclassicalcolumns,archesandevenmountainflowersandmoldings,toalargeextent,areestablishedbetweenhistoryandreality,architectureandenvironment.Akindofcontextualconnection,andproducesarhetoricaleffect.
Vividandrich
Thesecondisbrilliantandrichcolors.SuchasPortmanCityHallandGraves(LcosPegaseWinery,California,1988),Pofil’sItalianPlaza,Moore’sswimmingpoolandsaunachangingroom(California,1967,Klotz,160),VenturiandJohn·Lodge’sNewHavenDixwellFireStation(1970～1973,Klotz,158),Venturi,JohnLodgeandScottBrown’sBASCOSupermarket(Philadelphia,1976,Klotz,157)AndBESTsupermarket(Pennsylvania,1977,Klotz,157)andotherworks,throughtheingeniouscontrastofcolors,createwonderfulpaintingeffects.EspeciallytheBASCOsupermarketandBESTsupermarketdesignedbyVenturiandothers,eitherdecoratethestorefrontswithhugeandcolorfulletters,ordecoratethewallswithhugeplumblossompatterns,notavoidingeleganceandvulgarity,andboldideas,whichfullydemonstrateswhatheadvertises.Thebeautyof"mixedelements".
Thicknessandeleganceandvulgarity
Thethirdisthecontrastbetweenroughnessandfineness,eleganceandvulgarity.Intheworksofmanyneoclassicalarchitects,wecanclearlyseethatontheonehand,thereareelegantanddelicatedetails,ontheotherhand,therearevulgarandcrudesimplicity.Thetwocontrastingstylesarebothopposedtoeachotherandunified.Venturi'sworksmainlyprovideuswithabeautifulchaos;andsomeofStern'sworksprovideuswithexamplesoftheperfectcombinationofsimplicityandelegance.
Designstyle
Theneoclassicaldesignstyleisactuallyanimprovedclassicismstyle.Readingalldesignideasanddesignstylesisnothingmorethananattitudetolife.Whendesigningaclassiciststylethatissuitableformodernpeopletoliveinfortheowner,withstrongfunctionalityandbeautifulscenery,whetheritcankeenlygrasptheneedsofcustomersactuallyputsforwardhigherrequirementsforthedesigners.Boththefurnitureandtheaccessories,withtheirelegantandbeautifulposture,peacefulandfullofconnotation,portraytheelegantandnoblestatusoftheownerofthehouse.Commonfireplaces,crystalpalacelamps,andancientRomancolumnsarealsothefinishingtouchesoftheneo-classicalstyle.Eleganceandharmonyaresynonymouswithneoclassicalstyle.White,gold,yellow,anddarkredarethecommonmaincolorsintheEuropeanstyle.Asmallamountofwhiteblendingmakesthecolorlookbrightandgenerous,makingtheentirespaceopenandtolerantandextraordinary,anditisnotatallcramped.Therearealsoarticlesonthecombinationofneoclassicallampsandotherhomefurnishingelements.Inthebedroom,youcanmatchneoclassicallampswitharococodressingtable,classicalbedsidelacecurtains,andthenputoneortwoclassicalstyledecorations,suchasthelittlelovegod-CupidstatueorhangingoneThisoilpaintingoftheBaroqueperiodallowspeopletoexperienceclassicaleleganceandgrace.SomepeopleputtogetherEuropeanclassicalfurnitureandChineseclassicalfurniture,combiningChineseandWesternstyles,whichblendstheintroversionoftheEastwiththeromanceoftheWest,givingitanoblefeeling.Theneoclassicalstyleismorelikeadiversifiedwayofthinking,combiningnostalgicromanticfeelingswithmodernpeople’sneedsforlife,compatiblewithluxury,eleganceandmodernfashion,reflectingthepersonalizedaestheticviewpointsandcultureofthepost-industrialeragrade.
TypicalRepresentative
AstorTheatre
TheAstorTheatreisalsothefirstneoclassicalbuildinginPrague,withatriangulargableandtwopairsThecolumnrevealsthearchitecturalstyleofancientGreece.In1783,thetheaterbecameasensationwhenMozartvisitedforthefirsttime.Asaresult,therearestillmanyMozart'screativeopera"DonGiovanni"puppetshows,blacklightdramas,andtraditionalplaysinPrague.
BrandenburgGate
Berlin’seternalsymbol,neoclassicalstyle,thedesigner’soriginalintentionwasthatitcouldbecomeadoortopeace.BrandenburgGate(BrandenburgerTor)islocatedattheintersectionofLindenstrasseinthecenterofBerlin.ItisafamoustouristattractionindowntownBerlinandasymbolofGermanunity.
St.Petersburg
BecausetheTsarwantedtouseSt.Petersburgasthenavybasecamp,itbecameamodelofRussianneoclassicalarchitecture-theAdmiraltydesignedbyAndrianZakharovThebuilding(1823)wasbuiltasthecenterofthecity.TheAdmiraltyBuildingisabout400meterslong.Thewholebuildingisdividedintothreeareashorizontally,andeachareaisdividedintothreeends.TheedificeoverlooksPetertheGreat’sdock.Theweathercockintheshapeofafrigateonitsspirehasbecomeasymbolofthecity.
Otherworks
Importantworks,suchasAalto’sSanatceiroTownHall(CivicCenter,Finland,Saynatsalo,1949-1952),EdwardStone’sNewDelhi,USAEmbassy(UnitedStatesembassyNewDehli,1954)andtheUnitedStatesPavilionattheBrusselsExpo(1958),HeadquartersBuildingforNursesandDentists(1960),GildHouse(GildHouse1960-1963,Philadelphia)),ChestnutHillHouse(1962)andHuYingxiangtang(GordonWuHall,incollaborationwithRockyandScottB,1982-1984,Princeton,NewJersey),Moore’sArchitect’sHouse(1962)andItalianSquare(1975)1980),MichaelGraves’PortlandCityHall(1980-1982)andHumanaHeadquar-ters(1982-1986,Kentucky),RobertStern’sstorefrontforBestProductsandVillaInNewJersey(VillaInNewJersey,1983-1987)andResidenceofMarblehead(Massachusetts,1984-1987),Yamazaki’sNorthwestNationalLifeInsuranceCompany(1961-1964),PrincetonUniversityWilsonCollege(1965),PhilipJohnsonandTheAmericanTelegraphandTelephoneCompanyheadquartersofBogey(1978),190SouthRussellAvenue,Chicago(1983),etc.
ShanghaiConstruction
HSBCBankBuilding
TheBritishBankHSBC.DesignerGongheYang(nowPamaTannerOfficeinHongKong).HSBCwasestablishedinHongKongin1864andabranchinShanghaiin1865.In1874,ahousewasbuiltonthecurrentsiteoftheBund.Theoriginalbuildinghas3floorsandabrick-woodstructure.Itwaspartiallyrebuiltin1888andisaRenaissance-stylebuildingwithaBaroquestyle.In1921,oldhousesweredemolishedtobuildnewbuildings,namelytheexistingbuildings.Themainbuildinghasareinforcedconcretestructurewith5floors(onedayabovethegroundfloor)andabasementfloor.Themiddlepartis2storieshigherandiscrownedwithasteeldome.Theplanofthebuildingisnearlysquare.Insidetheentranceofthemainentrance,atthepositionofthedome,thereisacircularentrancehall.Duringtherefurbishment,averyexquisitemuralwasfoundintheceilingofthehall.Enteringthehallisthebusinesshall.ThesouthwestpartofthebuildingfacesanoriginalbusinesshallservingChinesepeopleonFuzhouRoad.Thefaçadeofthebuildingisconstructedinarigorousneoclassicalapproach.
Thewholebuildingisdividedintofivehorizontalsections,withantiqueRomanCollins-styledoublecolumnsrunningthroughthe2,3,and4floorsinthemiddle.TheverticaldivisionisalsoacaseofancientRomancolumnproportions.ThetopdomeisreminiscentofthePantheoninancientRome.Theouterwallismadeofstone,andthereisapairofbronzelionsattheentrance.ThebusinesshallhasanarchedglassceilingandanIoniccolonnadecarvedoutofItalianmarble.Whenthebuildingwascompleted,theBritishoncepraiseditas"themostexquisitebuildingfromtheSuezCanaltotheBailingStrait."ThebuildingwastheofficebuildingoftheShanghaiMunicipalPeople'sGovernmentfromthe1950sto1995.ItisnowthePudongDevelopmentBank.
ForeignTradeBuilding
ForeignTradeBuilding,formerlyknownasJardineMatheson.Itstartedbysmugglingopium.LocatedatNo.27,ZhongshanEastRoad,wasbuiltin1920-1922,designedbySijiushengForeignTradeCo.,Ltd.,itisatypicalneo-classicalform.
YouyiBuilding
No.4,ZhongshanEastRoad,isnowSingaporeGitiPrivateInvestmentCo.,Ltd.FormerlyknownastheUnionBuilding,itwasownedbyU.S.AdvantageBank,soitwascalledU.S.BankBuilding.Thebuildingwascompletedin1916.ThedesignerGongheYangxingisaneoclassicalworkwithaBaroquetowerontheroof.The7-storeybuildingimitatestheRenaissancearchitecturalstyleasawhole.Thewindowframesaremostlydecoratedwithbaroqueart,whichisfullofrotatingpatterns,andthegateisdecoratedwithIoniccolumns.Thetallfloor-to-ceilingwindowsarenotonlyconducivetolighting,butalsoincreasethebuilding'smomentum.Thewholebuildingisanaxisymmetricfigurecenteredonthedoor.Soitgivespeopleapeacefulfeeling.
CustomsBuilding
CustomsBuilding.LocatedatNo.13ZhongshanEastRoad,builtbetween1925and1927,thedesignerGongheYangxingisaneoclassicalwork.Thecentralaxisissymmetrical,withstackedtowersprotrudingupward,andlargeclocksareplacedonallsides.Itisfamousforitsbeautifulbells.maritime.TheporticocolumnisatypicalGreekTauliccolumn.
DongfengHotel
DongfengHotel,originallytheBritishAssociation,islocatedatNo.3,ZhongshanEastRoad.Itwasbuiltin1912byTarantandMaurice.TheinteriordesignisJapan.HereticalarchitectShimodaKikutaro.Itisabaroqueneoclassicalwork,withadoublecolonnadeandahighchandelierhall,whichservesasanactivitystageforShanghaisocialists.