English

English Gothic Architecture This style was predominant in England. One can recognize English Gothic architecture from the pointed arches, the very large windows, and the conical structures on top of the buildings known as spires

also called "Lancet" and "First Pointed" style ~ Covers the period 1180-1275 ~ pointed arches ~ quadripartite ribbed vaults ~ lancet windows ~ clustered shafts of tall, narrow piers

If one can generalise about a style which spanned almost a century, we can characterise Early English by saying that it emphasized simple, almost austere lines, prefering fine proportion to elaborate decoration. Early English emphasizes height, as if the builders were reaching for the sky. In a sense, they were, as church building was a symbolic expression of religious aspiration. Church architecture in particular had to symbolise Christian thought to a largely illiterate population. Thus even decorative touches such as carvings and statues of saints had to tell a story to people who could not read.

The major distinction between the Early English and the Norman, or Romanesque period, which preceeded it, is the Early English church elevations. Note the flying butresses on the right use of the pointed arch. The pointed arch allowed a whole range of new building expression to take place; arches could span greater distances, allowing vaults to be taller and wider. The arch could support greater weight, allowing walls to be thinner and pierced by wider window openings. This in turn encouraged the use of stained glass. The simple butresses of the Norman period gave way to flying butresses, which distributed the weight and thrust of roofs and walls right down to the ground. These flying butresses may be visible over the aisles, but just as often were concealed in the aisle roof. Another variation on the Early English butress is the "Oxford butress", set diagonally at corners (see illustration). Towers were topped with steeply pitched roofs, often surmounted with very slender towers emerging from a broach, or pyramidal base. The massive columns of the Romanesque period were replaced with thin clusters of shafts, often built of dark Purbeck marble. The capitals of shafts were often richly carved, with highly styalized foliage designs being popular. The richness of Early English pier these carvings was due in part to the introduction of the chisel in stone carving. Previously, carving had been done with axes, necessitating low relief and fairly "Oxford" butress

simple designs.

The introduction of the chisel allowed a great deal more artistic control and we see undercutting become extremely popular. Carvings stand out from the underlying stone and are much more three-dimensional than in the Norman Romanesque period. Early in the 13th century windows were primarily of a simple, untraceried (lancet) design, either single or grouped together. Later designs favoured two or three lights grouped under a single dripstone. Early English Where the hood moulding (dripstone) followed a pointed foliage carving design, echoing the lines of the windows, the architects put small ornamental holes in the space between the moulding and the lancets. This Window showing twin lancets with plate tracery approach is called Plate Tracery (see drawing). As plate tracery developed, the small holes became more elaborate, evolving into ornate trefoil and quadrifoil designs. Major Early English buildings to visit in England: The most complete example of Early English is without a doubt to be seen at Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury is unique in that it was built within a short time span (c1200-1275), thus its architectural style, with the exception of the 14th century tower and spire, is fairly uncluttered by later additions and alterations. Other Early English buildings to visit include Wells Cathedral (interior), St. Bartholomew's (London), Lincoln Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey nave (1245-1270).

Victorian Architecture1830-1910

Victorian architecture refers to many types of architectural styles that belong to this category. This includes the following - Gothic Revival, Jacobethan, Queen Anne, Renaissance Revival, Romanesque etc. Victorian architecture refers to the styles that were seen in the Victorian Era

This style of architecture is one that prevailed in the era of Queen Victoria of England. Inspired by the style and characteristics of Gothic architecture, the Victorian style gave birth to numerous variations of this style, including the Queen Anne and the Italianate styles. The main element of the Victorian style was beauty rather than practicality. The key features of the Victorian architectural style are as follows. Victorian houses often sported either a wooden or a stone exterior, spanning two to three stories. This exterior was further enhanced with decorative metal or wooden trim. Victorian style houses were built on asymmetrical lines, meaning they had huge bays, different wings, and round or octagonal towers with steep roofs (another important feature of this style). A one-story porch was an essential in a Victorian home, embellished with ornamental spindles and brackets. The Victorian architectural style brought with it a variety in terms of color. While pre-Victorian homes were usually painted in light colors, brightness and vibrancy was added with the use of colors such as mustard yellow for a house.

African Architecture General characteristics African architecture reflects the interaction of environmental factorssuch as natural resources, climate, and vegetationwith the economies and population densities of the continents various regions. As stone is the most durable of building materials, some ancient stone structures survive, while other materials have succumbed to rain, rot, or termites. Stone-walled kraals from early Sotho and Tswana settlements (South Africa and Botswana) and stone-lined pit circles with sunken kraals for pygmy cattle (Zimbabwe) have been the subject of

archaeological study. Stone-corbeled shelters and circular huts with thatched roofs were also recorded in the 20th century among the southern Sotho. Rectangular and circular stone farmhouses, unusual in being two stories, have been built by the Tigre of Eritrea and Sudan for centuries, while in Niger some Tuareg build square houses in stone.

Such exceptions apart, the overwhelming majority of Africas thousands of peoples in rural areas build in grasses, wood, and clay. Because of the impermanence of many of these materials, existing buildings, though based on forms many centuries old, are of relatively recent date. Where vegetation is largely confined to thin grazing cover, peoples are often nomadic, using tents of animal skins and woven hair for shelter. In the veld and less-forested areas, grasses are used as building material as well, being employed widely for thatch and mat roof coverings. Hardwoods in forest regions are used for building, as are bamboo and raffia palm. Earth and clay are also major building resources. Characteristic soils of Africa include semidesert chestnut earths and laterites (reddish residuals of rock decay), which are often low

in fertility but easily compacted. Earth-sheltered houses are made by the Iraqw of Tanzania, and a number of peoples in Mali and Burkina Faso have partly sunken dwellings. Ecological and demographic factors play an important part in building design. Soil erosion and overgrazing, as well as pressure on land as a result of population growth, have also contributed to migratory movements. The growth of urban centres led to wide-scale migration in the 20th and 21st centuries, and these migrations have had a profound effect on the dispersal of house types.