Cathedral of Notre Dame; Notre Dame de Paris; Temple of Reason/Temple of the Supreme Being
Master Mason/Architect: Jean De Chelles (1250-1260)
image 1:Paris_Notre-Dame_Southeast_View_01,jpg (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Paris_Notre-Dame_Southeast_View_01.JPG)
image 2:Notre-Dame_de_Paris_2013-07-24.jpg (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Notre-Dame_de_Paris_2013-07-24.jpg)
1163 – Bishop Maurice de Sully begins construction of new cathedral.
1270 – South transept and rose window completed by Pierre de Montreuil.
15 April 2019 – A fire destroys a large part of the roof and the spire. Reconstruction begins two years later in 2021.
Fall 2024? - Notre Dame reopened after complete restoration.
The Bayt al-Subyami is a 17th-century Ottoman house located in Cairo, Egypt. The house is rather rectangular, with a courtyard at the center of its three-story foundation. Primarily made from stone, the upper levels are made of timber and brickwork. Latticed screens allow privacy and light into the main rooms, adding a rich elegance to the spaces. The rooms are also decorated with painted beams and tiled ceilings/walls utilizing geometric patterns and floral motifs.
Image 1: Flickr_-_Gaspa_-_Cairo,_Bayt_es-Suhaimi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayt_al-Suhaymi#/media/File:Flickr_-_Gaspa_-_Cairo,_Bayt_es-Suhaimi.jpg)
Image2: GD-EG-Caire-Suhaymi033 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayt_al-Suhaymi#/media/File:GD-EG-Caire-Suhaymi033.JPG)
Image 3: GD-EG-Caire-Suhaymi008 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayt_al-Suhaymi#/media/File:GD-EG-Caire-Suhaymi008.JPG)
Image 4: GD-EG-Caire-Suhaymi023.JPG (https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GD-EG-Caire-Suhaymi023.JPG#mw-jump-to-license)
The building has a rectangular layout with a gable roof. At the front of the structure, there is a roofed porch-like area, with walls at the back and on the side, but only a small fence at the front. At the back of the porch, there is a door on the viewer’s left side, and a window on the right. Coming from the small fence in the front of the porch is a red beam that supports the roof, connecting to the roof at its peak. There are two sets of twin statues at opposing sides of the front facade, resembling somewhat of a totem pole with a large face below each statue. There are another two carvings that sit at either end of the supporting beam, one of a man (which is on the bottom) and one of a face (which sits at the top). The building is made of wood, with lots of brown colors, plenty of red accents along the borders and statues, and smaller details painted with white, black, and green. On the inside of the roof, there are squared off sections with raised beams decorated with white motifs. The outside of the roof is black in color. Along the inner side walls of the porch there also stands another four carved statues along each side and situated at the end of each of the raised beams from the roof. The building had played a religious purpose as a meeting ground for the Ngāti Awa tribe. The large roof provides shade for the porch, and the wood in which this structure was made was easily accessible. This building provokes a ritual movement as a sensory experience.
Image 1: mataatua-wharenui-5.jpg (https://wanderlusters.com/mataatua-wharenui-the-house-that-came-home/)
Image 2: British Empire Exhibition, Wembley Stadium, 23 April 1924 (16963240130).jpg (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/British_Empire_Exhibition%2C_Wembley_Stadium%2C_23_April_1924_%2816963240130%29.jpg)
1879: Relocated to display the building in multiple locations
2011: Returned to the place of its origin
Reconstructed Scandinavian Viking Longhouse - Vikingekongehal
Faithfully recreated biased on the largest royal hall known from the Viking Age in Denmark. Modernized with amenities such as air conditioning and heating. Vikingekongehal sits as Lejre Land of Legends greatest attraction, a large complex dedicated to preservation and historical life's of the Nordic people. Internally the building's massive hall spans multiple supports acting as a nature room divider. These supports hold important lighting which previous would be candles and torches now LED's for safety purposes. Along the sides built in seating, tables. and other misc items lay along the walls. Stepping down into the center a large stone hearth for cooking stands between two massive dinning tables ready for a feast. Weapons and shields hang on the walls.
Kongehal 25. maj 2020 10.jpg - Visit Denmark - https://www.visitdenmark.com/press/latest-news/denmarks-largest-viking-longhouse-opens
Part of the attraction Lejre Land of Legends established 1964. Reconstructed after original findings of the hall by archeologists in Gl. Lejre back in 2009.
Formal Description A beautiful, fascinating house that looks like it is standing tall right in the sky above all other houses, like it is floating in the sky like clouds without any base. Makes you wonder what it feels like to be up there. This house has many layers of walls, and the gates that surround the central tower. The layout is fascinating but also complicated and mysterious. It feels like a maze. It is mostly designed to confuse enemies. The paths of the house are twisted and turned, leading uphill through courtyards, towers, and narrow passageways. Each area is built to slow down attackers and protect the center. The highest tower is 152 feet tall. From the outside, it looks like it has five levels, but actually it has six levels inside and also a basement. Each level gets smaller as it goes up. The entrance of the house is made up of a large wooden gate at the very bottom of the hill. It moves through the paths and multiple gates, which lead to the main tower. The building material is a wooden post and lintel structure. Beams and columns support each floor. There are no vaults or domes, just stacked wooden levels with steep tiled roofs. The Surfaces are smooth white plaster over wood and stone. Roofs have repeating curved tiles and family crest tiles at the edges. Decorations are simple but elegant, with fish-shaped roof ornaments for protection. The light of this house comes through small windows and slits in the walls. The house is made of wood, stone, and white plaster. The base is made from a strong stone, and the towers and walls are mostly made out of wood, with plaster to help prevent fire.
Interpretive Reading This house was designed to protect, impress, and show power. The maze paths, tall stone base, and strong wooden structure were chosen to be a military defense, to make it hard for enemies to attack. At the same time, is elegant white walls and layered roofs gave it a beautiful, almost floating look, which signaled wealth, power, and control. In its historical context, it likely showed the strength of the ruling family and helped to keep the peace. The use of wood and plaster helped keep it light and flexible, which is good for earthquakes, and the stone base gave it the strength to keep it together. It may have felt like walking toward the sky and heavens. The whole structure can be seen as a metaphor for a mountain, with many levels rising to the peak, and the main tower is its hierarchy, where power is held.
Contemporary Resonance or Reflection Today, this house is a rare example of a large wooden structure that has survived for centuries, so it raises questions about how this building has lived for centuries that not even in modern times, with a lot of technology, we are unable to build such a building. It also reminds us to think about how power and beauty were shown through architecture, and how a design and an idea will still live on even after the architect dies.
Image 1: Himeji-Castle-01.jpg https://www.remotelands.com/travelogues/app/uploads/2019/07/Himeji-Castle-01.jpg
Original construction: 1333 by Akamatsu Norimura
The Parson Barnard House is a sturdy, symmetrical colonial structure made of weathered wood and framed with hand-hewn timber. Its steep gabled roof, covered in gray wooden shingles, reflects a practical design suited for New England winters. The front is balanced and orderly, with five evenly spaced windows—small-paned and framed with simple trim—and a central door framed by plain pilasters and a transom. A large brick chimney rises from the center of the roof, marking the heart of the home. The house rests low to the ground, with an ell extending from the back, suggesting later additions. The overall feel is modest and functional, with little ornamentation. It sits quietly in its surroundings, bordered by simple shrubs and a stone path, embodying the practical elegance of early American life.
Image 1:https://images.ctfassets.net/nonm77rtn1g8/GOyucsLWP9FH7R5RSvocy/e3e998e61f9ff05c549a7429f0025404/Sunny_Saltbox_Norwich_Connecticut__1670.jpg
A stilted longhouse of the Karos people in Northern Sumatra. Usually it has a rectangular foothold, the structure rises around 12meters. It has an iconic triangular thatched roof that makes up over half of the structure's size. The insides are large enough to house large families. The purpose of the building's unique style is to resist the elements of the region, such as earthquakes and storms. Made of out wood, bamboo and reeds, traditionally without the need of nails or modern tools.
Karo Peoples of North Sumatra, Indonesia
Image 1: Siwaluh Jabu Desa Budaya Lingga.jpg (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Siwaluh_Jabu_Desa_Budaya_Lingga.jpg) Image 2: COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Een Karo Batak loods TMnr 60004176.jpg (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Een_Karo_Batak_loods_TMnr_60004176.jpg)
Lingga Village, Karo District, North Sumatra, Indonesia
House of the Narawa Family, Fukushima Minka-en
The building is a reconstruction of the House of the Narawa family, originally made in the mid-18th century, or the Edo period. With wooden and concrete outer walls, the house has a rectangular floor plan emphasized by its yosemune-zukuri (four-sided hipped) thatched roof. Its interior is separated into four rooms, each having small, solid wood doors. On the exterior of the home, shoji sliding doors, made from a lighter material like paper or cloth, contrast with the interior. Despite the shoji, the overall structure of the building lets little light reach inside. It is a private abode. This house is an example of minka-style homes popularized in Japan by the non-samurai class, namely farmers, merchants, and artisans. While not the upper class, a position reserved for samurai and the shogun's prefectural advisors, these workers would accumulate wealth during the Edo period. This specific home was likely owned by a wealthy farmer, as highlighted by its large yard and guest room.
Image 1 - Former_House_of_the_Narawa_Family_at_Fukushima_City_Minka-en (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Former_House_of_the_Narawa_Family_at_Fukushima_City_Minka-en.jpg)
Image 2 - Interior_of_Former_House_of_the_Narawa_Family_at_Fukushima_City_Minka-en (https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Fukushima_City_Minka-en#/media/File%3AInterior_of_Former_House_of_the_Narawa_Family_at_Fukushima_City_Minka-en.jpg)
Image 3 - Household objects at the Former House of the Narawa Family at Fukushima City Minka-en.jpg (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Household_objects_at_the_Former_House_of_the_Narawa_Family_at_Fukushima_City_Minka-en.jpg)
Image 4 - Fukushima_City_Minka-en_entrance (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Fukushima_City_Minka-en_entrance.jpg)
Mid-18th c. - Estimation of original construction
Initial - Joraguchi, Yamada, Fukushima City, Fukushima, Japan
Current - Oishimae Kaminagura, Fukushima, Japan
Formal description: The Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of Saint Catherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai, more commonly known as Saint Catherine’s Monastery, stands at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt. Dating back to the mid-500s AD, it is one of the oldest and still occupied monasteries in the world. Harboring the aesthetics of most Byzantine and early Christian style structures, its plan is rather irregular and has a fortress-like format with its high, thick granite stone walls to house a collection of buildings. It is rather compacted and the various structures primarly range between 33 and 66 feet. The natural earth colored exterior blends in with the desert surroundings, as the granite was excavated from the surrounding mountain environment. A fortified gate named after Emperor Justinian, who ordered the building of the monastery (Justinian’s Gate or Gate of the emperor), was no longer used as the main entry point to preserve its condition. One of the main basilica-style churches has a timber roof, wooden doors, and decorative beams that contain intricate mosaics and depictions of important Byzantine icons. Next to it is the notable belfry, which is three stories but divided into 4 tiers, has open archways, and large bells that are still in use today. It is a much later addition to the monastery and was built in a style similar to 12th-century Syrian churches. The monastery's overall structure flexes its dual role as an elaborate sanctuary and fortress, as it was meant to protect monks and pilgrims within its massive granite walls that are practically impenetrable. Housing manuscripts, relics, and even a library of volumes in various languages, the monastery, for many, is a holy place and sacred. It is believed to be built where Moses witnessed the burning bush, which still lives on the premises. It was then that the building of all the surrounding structures became almost an act of worship in itself, and certainly a way for people to preserve the divinity of the area. Then, the body of Catherine of Alexandria (after which the monastery was later named) was also said to have been discovered there. This only further cements the status of it being spiritual, which has stretched across all three major Abrahamic religions. Each faith has its own tie to the area, such as the discovery of Christian Palestinian Aramaic, Arabic, and Hebrew texts.
Image 1: Katharinenkloster_Sinai_BW_2 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Catherine%27s_Monastery#/media/File:Katharinenkloster_Sinai_BW_2.jpg)
Image 2:1920px-Monastery_of_Saint_Catherine_at_Mount_Sinai-_drawing_from_the_Description_de_l'Égypte_(1809) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Catherine%27s_Monastery#/media/File:Monastery_of_Saint_Catherine_at_Mount_Sinai-_drawing_from_the_Description_de_l'%C3%89gypte_(1809).jpeg)
The main building, or principal block, is rectangular in shape and flanked by two courtyards–the east and west courts, respectively. Together, all three blocks make up the “Great Court”. The structure is built in the English Baroque style. Guests may enter the building through the north facade found at the center of the principal block, which is fronted by both Corinthian and Doric columns. There are three primary floors. Approximately 1,000 windows line the walls of the building, which illuminate its 187 rooms. The structure was primarily built with Cotswold, Portland, and Plymouth stone, however timber and slate have also been used in roof restoration projects. The stone is primarily golden in color.
Architect: Sir John Vanbrugh Patrons: Anne, Queen of Great Britain; John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
Image 1: Blenheim_Palace_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4753811 (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Blenheim_Palace_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4753811.jpg)
Image 2: https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.14928371
Image 3: https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.14934913
1705 - Construction begins 1722 - Construction is completed 1987 - Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site