Rationalism in Architecture

Rationalism began as a 17th century ideology that led to the Enlightenment (reason was the
primary instrument for justifying and understanding the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of things and
circumstances).
In layman terms, to be rational is to be understandable, measurable or definite. So, it pertains to
accuracy in designing and building the height, breadth or depth of a structure
Architectural Rationalism was a solid evidence of the Enlightenment influence in the field of
architecture. Modern Rationalist designs have little resemblance to Enlightenment architecture.

 To contextualize Rationalism by differentiating its two variants

 18th century Rationalism
 recent 20th century development

The similarities and differences of their respective designs and, if possible, functions are noted to
give us an idea on how Rationalism has evolved as an architectural ideology.

18th Century Rationalism

The Enlightenment Architectural Rationalism was focused on

 Symmetrical
 having accurate measurements of classic shapes
 functionality

Neoclassicism (under the Rationalist wing)

Was established in reaction to the flamboyant (a style of French Gothic architecture marked
by wavy flame-like tracery and ornate decoration) and seemingly excessive Baroque and
Rococo styles.
The movement was named ‘neoclassical,’ as opposed to pure classicism, as not every
classical design was applied
It selected from the wide array of designs those feasible to society.
  Characterized as
 Symmetry
 columns that functioned as support
 Minimalistic design composed of basic geometric shape
 overlaid triangular gable commonly known as pediment.

Existing in the 16th century towards the culmination of the Renaissance period
Andrea Palladio was the first known architect to revive and apply the classical designs of
Graeco-Roman society in many villas, palaces and basilicas.
o foundation of Enlightenment Architecture
o dedicated follower of Vitruvius and his timeless principle(firmitas, utilitas,
venustas)
o carefully ensured that his structural designs were durable, useful, and attractive as
stipulated by Vitruvius in his ten-volume masterpiece ‘De Architectura.’
o proportions and putting a purpose on every structural component
o wanted geographical attributes of the estate to match with the house’s structural
desige
o intermingling values of beauty and the social environment and position of their
respective owners
o designed structures according to their context
o contributed several design innovations in public buildings and churches
o made of affordable materials, usually stucco, traditionally made with lime, sand
and water, to cover and bind bricks.
 urban structures for prestigious Venetian owners had high classical porticos with
pediments that extended as far as the second floor and were supported by giant
colonnades. These porticos were raised above ground level and on the same level as the
rest of the ground floor. This raised floor called ‘piano nobile,
Palazzo Chiericati in the city of Vicenza
Villa Foscari
there was an elevated podium bordered by
lower service wings, connected with an elegant
curving flight of stairs. The owner maintained
residence at the elevated portion.

Influence in colonial and post-colonial America, where his designs were replicated in the houses
of well-known families, state buildings and even the private abode of Thomas Jefferson, the
freedom President.
Pompeii and Herculaneum

Étienne-Louis Boullée and Claude Nicolas Ledoux

The two architects followed principles of rationality into their Graeco-Roman inspired designs.
Boullée ‘illusions of grandeur’ was known for fusing geometry with the standard classics.
Like most neoclassicists, his designs were
 minimalistic
 devoid of ornamentation
 bold enough to repeat certain structural components, especially if they were functional
(i.e. columns),
 sought to emphasize the purpose of the structure and its parts.
Boullée also proposed a cenotaph (empty tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or
group of people whose remains are elsewhere), an approximately 500-foot sphere rooted on a round
foundation, for the English scientist Isaac Newton.
 Hôtel Alexandre in Paris,
known for its flanking
courtyard doors and
Corinthian columns, was one
of Boullée’s surviving works

Cenotaph for Newton (1784)

Like his compatriot, Ledoux was very idealistic in his architecture, always wanting to
‘build with a purpose.’
Utopians
His known architectural innovation was the ‘architectonic order,’ best exhibited through
his design on the Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans.
Royal Saltworks became a significant example of 18th century Architectural Rationalism for its
extensive
 use of geometry
 logical arrangement of shapes to facilitate the extraction and transportation processes.

Aerial View of Ledoux’ Second Design (1804)

The later renditions of neoclassicism in Britain, America, and Spain disregarded the attachment to
symmetry and geometry that Palladio himself and the French neoclassicists were very particular.
However, they did retain much of the functionality aspect. For example, neo-Palladian British
architects William Kent and Indigo Jones invented the flanking wings to give more space in the
house interior.

This concern for utilizing space was still an archetype of 18th century Rationalism.

20th Century Rationalism

Called Neo-Rationalist, Although the designs were different from 18th century rationalism, neo-
Rationalists continued to practice important principles of Rationalist Architecture.
 The simplistic form ornamentation was still retained
 the functionality aspect became known as ‘theme.’
The effects lasted and were carried over to the 20th century, where industrialization became a
fad.
Economic advancement was no longer associated with brick and wood but with new elements
like steel, iron and glass.
Modernism was the dominant rationalist movement of the 1900s
The works of early Modernists
 Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
 Walter Gropius in Germany
 Frenchman Le Corbusier were mostly products of socio-political revolutions.
Bauhaus design school which became identified as the ‘International Style,’
Famous examples of Bauhaus architecture
The UN New York Base by Le Corbusier The Gropius Residence in Lincoln
The International Style was characterized by
rational principles of minimalism
functional design and structure.
o Neoclassical pediments, columns and flanking wings were replaced by rectangular shapes
of concrete cement, steel, and other new elements.
Modernists like Frank Lloyd Wright tried to balance nature and structural designs
Later, Postmodernist movements emerged to deconstruct the universality of Bauhaus and infuse
‘local identities’ into modern architecture so it can connect with people’s sentiments.
o Aldo Rossi, Italian theorist-architect-designer-artist, was among the celebrated
Postmodernists. His valuable contribution to urban architecture was building
contemporary structures without neglecting the historical value of the city or site where it
would be built.
San Cataldo Cemetery expanded by Rossi (1971) Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht by Rossi

Rationalism Architecture

Rationalism as a movement implied the complete devotion to

o Logical
o Functional
o mathematically ordered architecture.
way to create an environment perfect for rational beings
20th century rationalism derived less from a special, unified theoretical work than from a
common belief that the most varied problems posed by the real world could be resolved by
reason.
. RATIONALISM - Neo rationalism ( late 20th century) - Early 20th century rationalism (early
20th century) - Enlightenment rationalism (17TH century)
 Concept of rational architecture first emerged with the ancient Greeks
 was defined by its function as much as its form.

Vitruvius, the first person to codify architecture into a consistent discipline, formally asserted that
architectural forms could be rationally deduced. From there, rationalism as a formal ideology
began.
 The Enlightenment was defined by the idea that nothing should be trusted that could not
be proven.
Focused on simple geometric shapes like circles, squares, and triangles
breaking complex forms into basic units.
This movement was largely a rejection of the extremely fancy and ornate Baroque
movement. All excess was stripped away, revealing the structure in terms of basic shapes,
elements, and materials.
Rationalism in the Early 20th Century
 The 19th century had seen the rise of several styles defined by high amounts of
decoration
 20th century architects began reconsidering the aesthetic of a structure without
ornamentation.
Architects such as Henri Labrouste and Auguste Perret incorporated the virtues of structural
rationalism throughout the 19th century in their buildings.

 First rationalist buildings was the Palazzo Gualino in Turin

Neo-rationalism-In the late 1960s
 inspiration from both the Enlightenment and early-20th-century rationalists. • Rossi's
great cemetery at Modena is the movement's most celebrated work (1971–85).
Krier brothers Kleihues, Reichlin and Reinhart, and Ungers
MATERIAL
industrialized materials, especially concrete.
 cheep material
 easy to adapt
 incombustible
 non-corrosive and that offers the possibility of building the skeleton, leaving the plan
free
 combined with other materials

BUILDING ELEMENTS
 The wall is not a support any longer, and it is reduced to a light skin for closing
 huge number of windows that allows light and air entering inside the building
 supports are pillars with different sections
 lintels standing on the support and forming with them the skeleton
DECORATIVE ELEMNTS
The decorative elements disappear in favor of the straight and nude form. • There is a worry
about proportion, simplicity and asymmetry
BUILDING TYPOLOGY
Representative buildings are

o social houses
o skyscrapers
o industrial buildings
o administrative constructions
o Theatres
o concert halls and stadiums.

Mies van der Rohe was linked to the Bauhaus and is one of the best representativas of Rational
architecture

After that he designed houses and in 1929 he built the German Pavilion for Barcelona’s
Universal Exhibition. In this building he demonstrated the right use of modern materials,
with clear volumes and the wall as a curtain instead of the traditional wall
Numerous skyscrapers that look to be enormous glass boxes, in which it can be seen the
devotion of the architect for the purity of the forms.
The use of new materials is essential for his work.

Seagram Building

Le Corbusier
 He learnt the use of concrete and soon he began with the series production.
 He also designed cities for a concrete number of inhabitants
 His most representative works Ville Savoye, that consists of a concrete structure of
Mediterranean inspiration
Ville Savoye of five poinys of architecture
 Use of “pilotis”, a kind of pillar to sustain the structure and separate it from the floor, not
cutting the space,
 Free façade
 Garden terrace, thanks to flat roofs
 Multiplication of windows; continuous windows with metallic sticks
Ville Savoye unite d habitation at marseile

Notre Dame du Haut at Ronchamp.