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[[Image:Milwaukee Art Museum exterior.jpg|thumb|75px|left|[[Milwaukee Art Museum]], opened May 4, 2001, featuring the wing-like <i>[[brise soleil]]</i>.]]
'''[[Santiago Calatrava Valls]]''' (born July 28, 1951) is a [[Spain|Spanish]] [[architect]] whose work has become increasingly popular worldwide.

Calatrava was born in [[Valencia (city in Spain)|Valencia]], [[Spain]], where he pursued undergraduate studies at the Architecture School and Arts and Crafts School. Following graduation in 1975, he enrolled in the [[ETH Zurich|Swiss Federal Institute of Technology]] (ETH) in [[Zürich|Zürich, Switzerland]] for graduate work in [[civil engineering]]. Calatrava was influenced by the French/Swiss architect [[Le Corbusier]], whose [[Notre Dame du Haut]] chapel caused Calatrava to examine how complex form could be understood and generated in architecture. In 1981 after completing his doctoral [[thesis]], "On the Foldability of [[space frame|Space Frames]]", he started his architecture and engineering practice.

Calatrava's unique, creative, and highly influential style combines a striking visual architectural style that interacts harmoniously with the rigid principles of engineering. His work often draws on form and structure found in the natural world, and can be described as [[anthropomorphic]]. His works have elevated the design of some civil engineering projects such as [[bridge]]s to new heights. He has designed numerous [[train station]]s, heralded for their bright, open, and easily-traveled spaces.

While he is primarily known as an architect, Calatrava is also a prolific [[sculpture|sculptor]] and [[Painting|painter]], claiming that the practice of architecture combines all the arts into one. [[Santiago Calatrava|(more…)]]
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[[Image:Goethe University Frankfurt Poelzig Building Panorama.jpg|thumb|left|75px|Panorama of the Poelzig building from the south, demonstrating how the curved shape of the building's façade reduces the impact of its scale]]

The '''IG Farben Building''' or the '''Poelzig Building''' was built from 1928 to 1930 as the corporate headquarters of the [[IG Farben]] conglomerate in [[Frankfurt|Frankfurt am Main]], [[Germany]]. It is also known as the Poelzig Ensemble or Poelzig Complex, and previously as the IG Farben Complex, and the General Creighton W. Abrams Building. A competition to design the building was won by the architect [[Hans Poelzig]]. On its completion, the complex was the [[List of largest buildings in the world|largest office building]] in Europe and remained so until the 1950s.

The building was the headquarters for research projects relating to the development of [[Nazi Germany|Nazi]] [[World War II|wartime]] [[synthetic oil]] and [[synthetic rubber|rubber]], and the production administration of [[magnesium]], lubricating oil, explosives, [[methanol]], and [[Zyklon B]], the lethal gas used in [[concentration camp]]s. After WWII, the IG Farben Building served as the headquarters for the [[Supreme Allied Commander|Supreme Allied Command]] and became the principal location for implementing the [[Marshall Plan]], which largely financed the post-war reconstruction of Europe. The state apparatus of the [[West Germany|Federal German Government]] was devised there. The IG Farben Building served as the headquarters for the [[U.S. V Corps|US Army's V Corps]] and the Northern Area Command (NACOM) until 1995. The US Army renamed the building the General [[Creighton W. Abrams]] Building in 1975. [[IG Farben Building|(more…)]]
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[[Image:bphouse01.jpg|left|75px]]
'''Baden-Powell House''', colloquially known as '''B-P House''', is a [[Scouting]] hostel and conference centre in [[South Kensington]], [[London]], which was built as a tribute to [[Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell|Lord Baden-Powell]], the founder of Scouting. The house, owned by [[The Scout Association]], hosts a collection of Baden-Powell memorabilia, including the original Baden-Powell painting by [[David Jagger]], Baden-Powell's ''[[wikisource:Last message to scouts|Last Message to Scouts]]'', and a granite statue by [[Don Potter]].

The building committee, chaired by [[Harold Gillett|Sir Harold Gillett]], [[Lord Mayor of London]], purchased the site in 1956, and assigned [[Ralph Tubbs]] to design the house in the [[modern architecture|modern architectural]] style. The Foundation Stone was laid in 1959 by World Chief Guide [[Olave Baden-Powell|Olave, Lady Baden-Powell]], and it was opened in 1961 by [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]]. The largest part of the £400,000 cost was provided by the Scout Movement itself. Over the years, the house has been refurbished several times, so that it now provides modern and affordable lodging for [[Scouting|Scouts]], [[Girl Guides|Guides]], and their family, staying in London. [[Baden-Powell House|(more…)]]

[[Image:Theseus_Minotaur_Mosaic.jpg|left|75px|A Roman [[mosaic]] showing Theseus and the [[Minotaur]]. From [[Rhaetia]], Switzerland]]
In [[Greek mythology]], the '''Labyrinth''' was an elaborate structure constructed for King [[Minos]] of [[Crete]] and designed by the legendary artificer [[Daedalus]] to hold the [[Minotaur]], a creature that was half man and half [[bull (mythology)|bull]] and which was eventually killed by the Athenian [[hero]] [[Theseus]]. Theseus was aided by [[Ariadne]], who provided him with a fateful thread to wind his way back again, a clue to the single path of the labyrinth.  

The term ''labyrinth'' is often used interchangeably with ''[[maze]]'', but modern scholars of the subject use a stricter definition. For them, a maze is a tour [[puzzle]] in the form of a complex branching passage, with choices of path and direction, while a single-path (''"unicursal"'') labyrinth has only a single, [[Eulerian path]] to the centre. A labyrinth has an unambiguous through-route to the centre and back and is not designed to be difficult to navigate. [[Labyrinth|(more…)]]

[[Image:Maze01-01.png|75px|left]] A '''maze''' is a [[tour puzzle]] in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route.   This is different from a [[labyrinth]], which (strictly speaking) has an unambiguous through-route and is not designed to be difficult to navigate (despite the common uses of the word to indicate various complex, confusing structures). The pathways and walls in a maze or labyrinth are fixed (pre-determined). Maze-type puzzles where the given walls and paths may change during the game are covered under the main puzzle category of [[tour puzzle]]s.

Mazes have been built with walls and rooms, with [[Hedge (gardening)|hedge]]s, [[turf maze|turf]], or with paving stones of contrasting colors or designs, or in fields of crops such as [[cereal|corn]] or, indeed, [[maize]]. Maize mazes can be very large; they are usually only kept for one growing season, so they can be different every year, and are promoted as seasonal [[tourist attractions]]. One type of maze consists of a set of rooms linked by doors (so a passageway is just another room in this definition). Players enter at one spot, and exit at another, or the idea may be to reach a certain spot in the maze. Mazes can also be printed or drawn on [[paper]] to be followed by a [[pencil]] or fingertip. One of the short stories of [[Jorge Luis Borges]] featured a book that was a literary maze. Various [[maze generation algorithm]]s exist for building mazes, either by hand or by [[computer]]. [[Maze|(more…)]]
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[[Image:PalaceOfWestminsterAtNight.jpg|thumb|75px|left|The Palace of Westminster lies on the bank of the [[River Thames]] in the heart of [[London]]]]

The '''Palace of Westminster''', also known as the '''Houses of Parliament''' or '''Westminster Palace''', in [[London]], [[England]] is where the two Houses of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] (the [[House of Lords]] and the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]]) meet to conduct their business. The Palace lies on the north bank of the [[River Thames]] in the [[London]] [[London borough|borough]] of the [[City of Westminster]], close by other government buildings in [[Whitehall]]. Coordinates: {{coord|51|29|58|N|0|07|29|W|}}

The oldest part of the Palace still in existence, Westminster Hall, dates from 1097. The [[palace]] originally served as a royal residence but no monarch has lived in it since the 16th century. Most of the present structure dates from the 19th century, when the Palace was rebuilt after it was almost entirely destroyed by a fire in 1834. The architect responsible for rebuilding the Palace was [[Charles Barry|Sir Charles Barry]] with [[Augustus Pugin|Augustus Welby Pugin]]. The building is an example of [[Gothic revival]]. One of the Palace's most famous features is the [[Clock Tower, Palace of Westminster|clock tower]], a tourist attraction that houses the famous bell Big Ben. The latter name is often used, erroneously, for the clock itself, which is actually part of St Stephen's Tower.

The Palace contains over 1,000 rooms, the most important of which are the Chambers of the House of Lords and of the House of Commons. The Palace also includes committee rooms, libraries, lobbies, dining-rooms, bars and gymnasiums. It is the site of important state ceremonies, most notably the [[State Opening of Parliament]]. The Palace is very closely associated with the two Houses, as shown by the use of the word "Westminster" to refer to "Parliament". Parliamentary offices overspill into nearby buildings such as [[Portcullis House]], and Norman Shaw Buildings. [[Palace of Westminster|(more…)]]

[[Image:ViewOfMagdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|75px|View of Magdeburg with the cathedral on the right]]
The '''Cathedral of Magdeburg''', officially called the '''Cathedral of Saints Catherine and Maurice''' (known as '''Magdeburger Dom''' in [[German language|German]]) was the first [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] [[cathedral]] in [[Germany]] and with a height of 99,25 and 100.98 &nbsp;m, it is the tallest cathedral in the former East Germany. The cathedral is in [[Magdeburg]], the capital city of the ''[[States of Germany|Bundesland]]'' of [[Saxony-Anhalt]], [[Germany]], and is also home to the grave of [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto I the Great]].

The first church built in 937 at the location of the current cathedral was an abbey called St. Maurice, dedicated to [[Saint Maurice]]. The current cathedral was constructed over the period of 300 years starting from 1209, and the completion of the steeples took place only in 1520. Despite being repeatedly looted, the Cathedral of Magdeburg is rich in art, ranging from antiques to [[modern art]].[[Cathedral of Magdeburg|(more…)]]
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[[Image:Belton House 2006.jpg|thumb|left|75px|Belton House, [[Lincolnshire]], The South [[facade]].]]
'''[[Belton House]]''' is a [[English country house|country house]] near [[Grantham]], [[Lincolnshire]], [[England]]. The [[mansion]] is surrounded by [[landscape garden|formal gardens]] and a series of avenues leading to [[folly|follies]] within a greater wooded [[park]]. Belton has been described as a compilation of all that is finest of [[Restoration style|Carolean]] architecture, the only truly [[Vernacular architecture|vernacular]] style of architecture that England had produced since the time of the [[Tudor period|Tudors]]. The house has also been described as the most complete example of a typical English country house; the claim has even been made that Belton's principal facade was the inspiration for the modern [[Road signs in the United Kingdom|British motorway signs]] ([[Image:HH icon.png]]) which give directions to [[stately home]]. Only [[Brympton d'Evercy]] has been similarly lauded as the perfect English country house.

For three hundred years, Belton House was the seat of the [[Earl Brownlow|Brownlow and Cust]] family, who had first acquired land in the area in the late 16th century. Between 1685 and 1688 the young Sir John Brownlow and his wife had the present mansion built. Despite great wealth they chose to build a modest country house rather than a grand contemporary [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] palace. The contemporary, if provincial, Carolean style was the selected choice of design. However, the new house was fitted with the latest [[innovation]]s such as sash windows for the principal rooms, and more importantly completely separate areas for the staff. As the Brownlows rose from [[baronet]]s to [[baron]]s upward to [[earl]]s and then once again became barons, successive generations made changes to the interior of the house which reflected their changing social position and tastes, yet the fabric and design of the house changed little.[[Belton House|(more…)]]

[[Image:BayouStJohnHeartMarkTires.jpg|75px|left|thumb|A modest shotgun house in [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]]' [[Bayou St. John]] neighborhood shortly after [[Hurricane Katrina]]. Shotgun houses are defined by their narrow, rectangular structure.]]

The '''shotgun house''' is a narrow rectangular domestic residence, usually no more than 12&nbsp;feet (3.5&nbsp;m) wide, with doors at each end. It was the most popular style of [[house]] in the [[Southern United States]] from the end of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] (1861–65), through to the 1920s.  Alternate names include '''shotgun shack''', '''shotgun hut''', '''shotgun cottage''', and '''[[railroad apartment]]s'''. The style was developed in [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]], but the houses can be found as far away as [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], [[California]] or [[Key West]], [[Florida]]. Shotgun houses are still the most prevalent housing style in many southern cities and towns. Though initially as popular with the middle class as with the poor, the shotgun house became a symbol of poverty in the mid-20th century. Opinion is now mixed: some houses are bulldozed due to [[urban renewal]], while others are beneficiaries of [[historic preservation]] and [[gentrification]].

Shotgun houses consist of three to five rooms in a row with no hallways. The term "shotgun house," which was in use by 1903 but became more common after about 1940, is often said to come from the saying that one could fire a [[shotgun]] through the front door and the [[lead shot|pellet]]s would fly cleanly through the house and out the back door.  However, the name's origin may actually reflect an [[Africa]]n architectural heritage, perhaps being a corruption of a term such as ''to-gun'', which means, "place of assembly" in the Southern Dohomey Fon area.

Several variations of shotgun houses allow for additional features and space, and many have been updated to the needs of future generations of owners.  The oldest shotgun houses were built without [[domestic water system|indoor plumbing]], and this was often added later (sometimes crudely). "Double-barrel" shotgun houses consist of two houses sharing a central wall, allowing more houses to be fitted into an area. "Camelback" shotgun houses include a second floor at the rear of the house. In some cases, the entire floor plan is changed during remodeling to create hallways. [[Shotgun house|(more…)]]
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[[Image:Stpaulandpetertemplon.png|thumb|left|75px|A reconstruction of the templon of St. Paul's and Peter's Cathedral.]]
A '''templon''' (from [[Greek language|Greek]] τέμπλον meaning "temple", plural ''templa'') is a feature of [[Byzantine architecture]] that first appeared in Christian churches around the fifth century AD and is still found in some [[Eastern Christianity|Eastern Christian]] churches. It eventually evolved into the modern [[iconostasis]], still found in Orthodox churches today. It separates the laity in the [[nave]] from the priests preparing the [[sacraments]] at the [[altar]]. It is usually composed of carved wood or marble colonnettes supporting an [[architrave]] (a beam resting on top of columns). Three doors, a large central one and two smaller flanking ones, lead into the [[sanctuary]]. The templon did not originally obscure the view of the altar, but as time passed, [[icons]] were hung from the beams, curtains were placed in between the colonnettes, and the templon became more and more opaque. It is often covered with icons <!--is this always true?-->and can be very elaborate. 

The templon most likely has an independent origin from that of [[Latin]] chancel barriers. Classical stage architecture is one possible source. At certain times during Byzantine history, [[theater]] heavily influenced painting and sculpture. Architects then, influenced by stage backdrops dating back to [[Sophocles]], consciously imitated the classical [[proscenium]] (the backdrop of a classical Greek stage), copying the multiple columns punctuated by a large door in the middle and two smaller doors to each side. The statues on top of the backdrop would thus be analogous to the icons of the saints looking down.{{ref|myref-12}} The similarities, however, are probably only visual. Although classical drama was performed in [[Constantinople]], the capital of the Byzantine Empire, during the 5th and 6th century when the first templa appear, when Christian [[liturgy]] was first being developed, the plays and their architecture had lost their importance and could not have influenced Christian ritual. [[Templon|(more…)]]

[[Image:John Vanbrugh.jpg|thumb|75px|left|Sir John Vanbrugh in [[Godfrey Kneller]]'s [[Kit-Cat Club|Kit-cat portrait]], considered one of Kneller's finest portraits.]]
'''[[Sir John Vanbrugh]]''' (pronounced "Van'-bru") (January 24, 1664?&ndash;March 26, 1726) was an [[England|English]] [[architect]] and [[dramatist]], perhaps best known as the designer of [[Blenheim Palace]]. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken [[Restoration comedy|Restoration comedies]], ''[[The Relapse]]'' (1696) and ''[[The Provoked Wife]]'' (1697), which have become enduring stage favourites but  originally occasioned much controversy.

Vanbrugh was in many senses a radical throughout his life. As a young man and a committed [[British Whig Party|Whig]], he was part of the scheme to overthrow [[James II of England|James II]], put [[William III of England|William III]] on the throne and protect English [[parliamentary democracy]], dangerous undertakings which landed him in the dreaded [[Bastille]] of [[Paris]] as a [[political prisoner]]. In his career as a [[playwright]], he offended many sections of [[English Restoration|Restoration]] and 18th-century society, not only by the sexual explicitness of his plays, but also by their messages in defence of [[feminism|women's rights]] in marriage. He was attacked on both counts, and was one of the prime targets of [[Jeremy Collier]]'s ''[[Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage]]''. In his [[architecture|architectural]] career, he created what came to be known as [[English Baroque]]. His architectural work was as bold and daring as his early political activism and marriage-themed plays, and jarred [[conservatism|conservative]] opinions on the subject [[Sir John Vanbrugh|more....]]
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'''Constructivist architecture''' was a form of [[modern architecture]] that flourished in the [[Soviet Union]] in the 1920s and early 1930s.  It combined advanced technology and engineering with an avowedly Communist social purpose. 

Constructivist architecture emerged from the wider [[constructivism (art)|constructivist art]] movement of 1914-1920 which had been initially inspired from 1914-1920 by the sculptures of [[Alexander Archipenko]] and [[Picasso]]'s reliefs. Constructivist art had attempted to apply a three-dimensional [[cubist]] vision to wholly [[abstract art|abstract]] non-objective 'constructions' with a [[Kinetic art|kinetic]] element. After the [[Russian revolution]] of 1919 it turned it's attentions to the new social demands and industrial tasks required of the new regime. Two distinct threads emerged, the first was encapsulated in [[Antoine Pevsner]]'s and [[Naum Gabo]]'s ''[[Realist manifesto]]'' which was concerned with space and rhythm, the second represented a struggle within the Education Commissariat between those who argued for ''pure art'' and the [[Productivism (art)|productivists]], a more socially-oriented group who wanted this art to be absorbed in industrial production.

A split occurred in 1922 when Pevsner and Gabo emigrated. The movement then developed along socially [[utilitarian]] lines. The productivist majority gained the support of the [[Proletkult]] and the magazine [[Lef]], later becoming the dominant influence in the architectural group O.S.A. [[Constructivist architecture|Read more....]]