INT231 Blog Nicol Valeria Torres Villamil

INT221-History of interiors Blog  By: Nicol Valeria Torres Villamil Week 5-  Islamic and Romanesque Design This week we were learning about Islamic and Romanesque styles-two styles existed in two different different regions but maintain a strong connection with religion, spirituality, and cultural identity.  Islamic design came up after the rise of Islam in the 7th century. It appears more in religious architecture, the mosque being the best example of it. The main characteristics are horseshoe-shaped arches, domes, courtyards, detailed mosaics, and arabesques. Calligraphy and ornamentation replaced figurative representation, signifying divine beautythrough abstraction. Some of the famous examples are the Great Mosque of Córdoba, the Alhambra in Spain, and the Taj Mahal in India. Romanesque style emerged in Medieval Europe during the 10th to 12th centuries and was extremely tied with Christianity and monasticism. The architecture comprises thick stone walls, small windows...

INT221-History of Interiors Blog   By: Nicol Valeria Torres Villamil Week 4-  Early Christian and Byzantine This week marks the study of the transition from the Late Antiquity period into the Early Christian and Byzantine time periods. After the legalization of Christianity by Constantine with the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D, the Churches started emerging as places of worship in preference to house churches and catacombs. Early Christian architecture borrowed various Roman building forms, such as the basilica with a nave, aisles, and an apse, and later carried over to include the transepts. Christian spaces opposed worship with pagan temples emphasizing the interior; they were plain on the exterior, whereas the interiors were symbolic and decorated. Starting with Emperor Justinian, there was the adaptation of architecture into more refined versions. The Hagia Sophia (532–537 CE) in Constantinople remains foremost among its examples, with its soaring dome, the pendentives, a...

    INT221-History of Interiors Blog  By: Nicol Valeria Torres Villamil  Week 3-  Classical Civilizations: Greece and Rome This week we learned about the architecture, interiors, and furnishing of the Classical Civilizations of Greece and Rome.  Greek design for architecture, interiors, and furnishing was also marked by the Classical Orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthianeach distinguished by unique ratios and details. The Parthenon in Athens represents one of the finest examples of Greek design, with balanced proportions, coffered ceilings, and incredible sculptural embellishment.  Greek interiors usually contained central courtyards with living space arranged around, often with painted walls and/or a colorful blue and floral patterned mosaic. The furniture, which while quite simplistic, was beautifully designed particularly the klismos chair with its elegantly shaped rail and legs, and the multipurpose couches called kline. Greek design ideals were pro...