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Courtauld Institute of Art

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121-532: The Courtauld Institute of Art ( / ˈ k ɔːr t ə ʊ l d / ), commonly referred to as The Courtauld , is a self-governing college of the University of London specialising in the study of the history of art and conservation . It is among the most prestigious specialist colleges for the study of the history of art in the world and is known for the disproportionate number of directors of major museums drawn from its small body of alumni. The art collection

242-457: A craft , and architecture became the term used to describe the highly formalized and respected aspects of the craft. It is widely assumed that architectural success was achieved through trial and error, with progressively less trial and more replication as results became satisfactory over time. Vernacular architecture continues to be produced in many parts of the world. Early human settlements were mostly rural . Expanding economies resulted in

363-561: A "decorated shed" (an ordinary building which is functionally designed inside and embellished on the outside) and upheld it against modernist and brutalist "ducks" (buildings with unnecessarily expressive tectonic forms). Since the 1980s, as the complexity of buildings began to increase (in terms of structural systems, services, energy and technologies), the field of architecture became multi-disciplinary with specializations for each project type, technological expertise or project delivery methods. Moreover, there has been an increased separation of

484-608: A "teaching university" for London. UCL and KCL considered separating from the university to form a separate university, variously known as the Albert University, Gresham University and Westminster University. Following two royal commissions the University of London Act 1898 ( 61 & 62 Vict. c. 62) was passed, reforming the university and giving it a federal structure with responsibility for monitoring course content and academic standards within its institutions. This

605-518: A character as a University." This unusual remit may have been inspired by the fact that William Beveridge , having just become director of LSE, upon asking a taxi driver to take him to the University of London was met with the response "Oh, you mean the place near the Royal School of Needlework ". Holden responded by designing Senate House , the current headquarters of the university, and at

726-737: A completely new style appropriate for a new post-war social and economic order, focused on meeting the needs of the middle and working classes. They rejected the architectural practice of the academic refinement of historical styles which served the rapidly declining aristocratic order. The approach of the Modernist architects was to reduce buildings to pure forms, removing historical references and ornament in favor of functional details. Buildings displayed their functional and structural elements, exposing steel beams and concrete surfaces instead of hiding them behind decorative forms. Architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright developed organic architecture , in which

847-635: A considerable central London estate of 12 hectares of freehold land in Bloomsbury , near Russell Square tube station . Some of the university's colleges have their main buildings on the estate. The Bloomsbury Campus also contains eight Halls of Residence and Senate House , which houses Senate House Library , the chancellor's official residence and previously housed the School of Slavonic and East European Studies , now part of University College London (UCL) and housed in its own new building. Almost all of

968-421: A criterion for the middle class as ornamented products, once within the province of expensive craftsmanship, became cheaper under machine production. Vernacular architecture became increasingly ornamental. Housebuilders could use current architectural design in their work by combining features found in pattern books and architectural journals. Around the beginning of the 20th century, general dissatisfaction with

1089-528: A general degree awarding body for the schools was discussed in the medical press and in evidence taken by the Select Committee on Medical Education. However, the blocking of a bill to open up Oxford and Cambridge degrees to dissenters led to renewed pressure on the Government to grant degree awarding powers to an institution that would not apply religious tests, particularly as the degrees of

1210-430: A mainstream issue, with a profound effect on the architectural profession. Many developers, those who support the financing of buildings, have become educated to encourage the facilitation of environmentally sustainable design, rather than solutions based primarily on immediate cost. Major examples of this can be found in passive solar building design , greener roof designs , biodegradable materials, and more attention to

1331-436: A mere instrumentality". Among the philosophies that have influenced modern architects and their approach to building design are Rationalism , Empiricism , Structuralism , Poststructuralism , Deconstruction and Phenomenology . In the late 20th century a new concept was added to those included in the compass of both structure and function, the consideration of sustainability , hence sustainable architecture . To satisfy

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1452-623: A merger, raising the question of the future of the University of London and the smaller colleges within it. Subsequently, considerable opposition from academic staff of both UCL and Imperial led to a rejection of the merger. Despite this failure, the trend of decentralising power continued. A significant development in this process was the closing down of the Convocation of all the university's alumni in October 2003; this recognised that individual college alumni associations were now increasingly

1573-507: A new charter opened up the examinations to everyone, effectively abolishing the weak link between the university and the colleges. This led the Earl of Kimberley , a member of the university's senate, to tell the House of Lords in 1888 "that there were no Colleges affiliated to the University of London, though there were some many years ago". The reforms of 1858 also incorporated the graduates of

1694-428: A new contemporary architecture aimed at expanding human experience using historical buildings as models and precedents. Postmodernism produced a style that combined contemporary building technology and cheap materials, with the aesthetics of older pre-modern and non-modern styles, from high classical architecture to popular or vernacular regional building styles. Robert Venturi famously defined postmodern architecture as

1815-506: A number of residential and catering units further afield and the premises of the University of London Institute in Paris , which offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in French and historical studies. The university's board of trustees, the governing and executive body of the university, comprises eleven appointed independent persons – all of whom are non-executive; the vice-chancellor,

1936-631: A school in its own right and a later development of expressionist architecture . Beginning in the late 1950s and 1960s, architectural phenomenology emerged as an important movement in the early reaction against modernism, with architects like Charles Moore in the United States, Christian Norberg-Schulz in Norway, and Ernesto Nathan Rogers and Vittorio Gregotti , Michele Valori , Bruno Zevi in Italy, who collectively popularized an interest in

2057-638: A structure's energy usage. This major shift in architecture has also changed architecture schools to focus more on the environment. There has been an acceleration in the number of buildings that seek to meet green building sustainable design principles. Sustainable practices that were at the core of vernacular architecture increasingly provide inspiration for environmentally and socially sustainable contemporary techniques. The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system has been instrumental in this. Concurrently,

2178-575: A teaching university in London had resulted in the university's reconstitution as a federal institution, went even further than becoming schools of the university and were actually merged into it. UCL's merger, under the University College London (Transfer) Act 1905 ( 5 Edw. 7 . c. xci), happened in 1907. The charter of 1836 was surrendered and all of UCL's property became the University of London's. King's College followed in 1910 under

2299-467: Is a federal public research university located in London , England , United Kingdom . The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree-awarding examination board for students holding certificates from University College London , King's College London and "other such institutions, corporate or unincorporated, as shall be established for the purpose of Education, whether within

2420-501: Is construction. Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly you touch my heart, you do me good. I am happy and I say: This is beautiful. That is Architecture". Le Corbusier's contemporary Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is said to have stated in a 1959 interview that "architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks together. There it begins." The notable 19th-century architect of skyscrapers , Louis Sullivan , promoted an overriding precept to architectural design: " Form follows function ". While

2541-663: Is known particularly for its French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings and is housed in the Courtauld Gallery . The Courtauld is based in Somerset House , in the Strand in London . In 2019, the Courtauld's teaching and research activities temporarily relocated to Vernon Square , London, while its Somerset House site underwent a major regeneration project. The Courtauld was founded in 1932 through

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2662-426: Is often part of sustainable architecture practices, conserving resources through "recycling" a structure by adaptive redesign. Generally referred to as the spatial art of environmental design, form and practice, interior architecture is the process through which the interiors of buildings are designed, concerned with all aspects of the human uses of structural spaces. Urban design is the process of designing and shaping

2783-615: Is the Hindu temple architecture , which developed from around the 5th century CE, is in theory governed by concepts laid down in the Shastras , and is concerned with expressing the macrocosm and the microcosm. In many Asian countries, pantheistic religion led to architectural forms that were designed specifically to enhance the natural landscape . Also, the grandest houses were relatively lightweight structures mainly using wood until recent times, and there are few survivals of great age. Buddhism

2904-524: Is the 1st century AD treatise De architectura by the Roman architect Vitruvius , according to whom a good building embodies firmitas, utilitas , and venustas (durability, utility, and beauty). Centuries later, Leon Battista Alberti developed his ideas further, seeing beauty as an objective quality of buildings to be found in their proportions. In the 19th century, Louis Sullivan declared that " form follows function ". "Function" began to replace

3025-509: Is the design of commercial buildings that serves the needs of businesses, the government and religious institutions. Industrial architecture is the design of specialized industrial buildings, whose primary focus is designing buildings that can fulfil their function while ensuring the safe movement of labor and goods in the facility. Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor public areas, landmarks, and structures to achieve environmental, social-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves

3146-594: The King's College London (Transfer) Act 1908 ( 8 Edw. 7 . c. xxxix). This was a slightly more complicated case, as the theological department of the college (founded in 1846) did not merge into the university but maintained a separate legal existence under King's College's 1829 charter. The expansion of the university's role meant that the Burlington Garden premises were insufficient, and in March 1900 it moved to

3267-497: The London School of Economics . Regent's Park College , which had affiliated in 1841, became an official divinity school of the university in 1901 (the new statutes having given London the right to award degrees in theology) and Richmond (Theological) College followed as a divinity school of the university in 1902; Goldsmiths College joined in 1904; Imperial College was founded in 1907; Queen Mary College joined in 1915;

3388-485: The Medieval period, guilds were formed by craftsmen to organize their trades and written contracts have survived, particularly in relation to ecclesiastical buildings. The role of architect was usually one with that of master mason, or Magister lathomorum as they are sometimes described in contemporary documents. The major architectural undertakings were the buildings of abbeys and cathedrals . From about 900 onward,

3509-879: The National Portrait Gallery , London; the British Museum , London; the Tate , London ; the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco , San Francisco; the National Gallery of Art , Washington; and the Museo del Prado , Madrid. The number of notable alumni in the fine arts has earned graduates the "Courtauld Mafia" nickname. The directors of the Courtauld have been: University of London The University of London ( UoL ; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals )

3630-520: The Royal Albert Hall were replaced by individual ceremonies at the colleges. One of the largest shifts in power of this period came in 1993, when HEFCE (now the Office for Students, OfS ) switched from funding the University of London, which then allocated money to the colleges, to funding the colleges directly and them paying a contribution to the university. There was also a tendency in

3751-607: The School of Advanced Study is housed in Senate House and neighbouring Stewart House. The university also owns many of the squares that formed part of the Bedford Estate, including Gordon Square , Tavistock Square , Torrington Square and Woburn Square , as well as several properties outside Bloomsbury, with many of the university's colleges and institutes occupying their own estates across London: The university also has several properties outside London, including

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3872-490: The School of Oriental and African Studies was founded in 1916; and Birkbeck College , which was founded in 1823, joined in 1920. The previous provision for colleges outside London was not abandoned on federation, instead London offered two routes to degrees: "internal" degrees offered by schools of the university and "external" degrees offered at other colleges (now the University of London flexible and distance learning programmes ). UCL and King's College, whose campaign for

3993-649: The Second World War , the colleges of the university (with the exception of Birkbeck) and their students left London for safer parts of the UK, while Senate House was used by the Ministry of Information , with its roof becoming an observation point for the Royal Observer Corps . Though the building was hit by bombs several times, it emerged from the war largely unscathed; rumour at the time had it that

4114-413: The University of London Press . All universities are different, but some are more different than others. The University of London is the most different of them all. University College London (UCL) was founded under the name "London University" (but without recognition by the state) in 1826 as a secular alternative to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge , which limited their degrees to members of

4235-437: The established Church of England . As a result of the controversy surrounding UCL's establishment, King's College London was founded as an Anglican college by royal charter in 1829. In 1830, UCL applied for a royal charter as a university which would allow it to confer degrees. This was rejected, but renewed in 1834. In response to this, opposition to "exclusive" rights grew among the London medical schools. The idea of

4356-478: The largest university by number of students in the United Kingdom. For most practical purposes, ranging from admissions to funding, the member institutions operate on an independent basis, with many awarding their own degrees whilst remaining in the federal university. Under the 2018 act, member institutions ceased to be termed colleges and gained the right to seek university status without having to leave

4477-412: The 'design' architect from the 'project' architect who ensures that the project meets the required standards and deals with matters of liability. The preparatory processes for the design of any large building have become increasingly complicated, and require preliminary studies of such matters as durability, sustainability, quality, money, and compliance with local laws. A large structure can no longer be

4598-687: The 7th century, incorporating architectural forms from the ancient Middle East and Byzantium , but also developing features to suit the religious and social needs of the society. Examples can be found throughout the Middle East, Turkey, North Africa, the Indian Sub-continent and in parts of Europe, such as Spain, Albania, and the Balkan States, as the result of the expansion of the Ottoman Empire . In Europe during

4719-754: The Collegiate Council and board of trustees, responsible for matters of academic policy. The Collegiate Council is made up of the heads of member institutions of the university. The 12 institutes, or Listed Bodies , within the University of London offer courses leading to degrees that are both examined and awarded by the University of London. Additionally, twelve universities in England, several in Canada and many in other Commonwealth countries (notably in East Africa) began life as associate colleges of

4840-597: The Courtauld Gallery, and over 35,000 photographs of architecture and sculpture from the Conway Library. Two other websites sell high-resolution digital files to scholars, publishers and broadcasters, and photographic prints to a wide public audience. The Courtauld uses a virtual learning environment to deliver course material to its students. Since 2004, the Courtauld has published an annual research journal, Immediations , edited by current members of

4961-658: The Imperial Institute in South Kensington . However, its continued rapid expansion meant that it had outgrown its new premises by the 1920s, requiring yet another move. A large parcel of land in Bloomsbury near the British Museum was acquired from the Duke of Bedford and Charles Holden was appointed architect with the instruction to create a building "not to suggest a passing fashion inappropriate to buildings which will house an institution of so permanent

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5082-550: The London University College, or at any similar institution which his Majesty might please hereafter to name". Following the issuing of its charter on 28 November 1836, the new University of London started drawing up regulations for degrees in March 1837. The death of William IV in June, however, resulted in a problem – the charter had been granted "during our Royal will and pleasure", meaning it

5203-639: The Metropolis or elsewhere within our United Kingdom". It is one of three institutions to have advertised themselves as the third-oldest university in England . It moved to a federal structure with constituent colleges in 1900. It is now incorporated by its fourth (1863) royal charter and governed by the University of London Act 2018 (c. iii). The university consists of 17 member institutions and three central academic bodies. The university has around 48,000 distance learning external students and around 219,410 campus-based internal students , making it

5324-693: The Second World War. As of 2004 the London University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC), drawn from 52 universities and colleges in the London area (not just the University of London), was the largest UOTC in the country, with about 400 officer cadets. It has been based at Yeomanry House in Handel Street, London since 1992. In 2011, Canterbury Company was founded to recruit officer cadets from universities in Kent. During

5445-701: The Strand block of Somerset House, which was the first home of the Royal Academy , founded in 1768. In April 2013 the Head of the Courtauld Gallery was Ernst Vegelin . The Courtauld is well known for its many graduates who have become directors of art museums around the world. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art , New York; the Museum of Modern Art , New York; the National Gallery , London;

5566-830: The UCL School of Pharmacy within the Faculty of Life Sciences. This was followed on 2 December 2014 by the Institute of Education also merging with UCL, becoming the UCL Institute of Education. Since 2010, the university has been outsourcing support services such as cleaning and portering. This has prompted industrial action by the largely Latin American workforce under the "3Cosas" campaign (the 3Cosas – 3 things – being sick pay , holiday pay , and pensions for outsourced workers on parity with staff employed directly by

5687-450: The University of London Act 2018 (c. iii), a member institution is defined as "an educational, academic or research institution which is a constituent member of the University and has for the time being―(a) the status of a college under the statutes; or (b) the status of a university". As of February 2019, 12 of the colleges of the university have said they are seeking university status. This does not affect their status as member institution of

5808-666: The University of London since 2002. The Courtauld has featured several times on the BBC's arts programme Fake or Fortune . In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic , the Institute offered digital "mini festivals" called "Open Courtauld Hour". The Courtauld Institute of Art is the major centre for the study of the history and conservation of art and architecture in the United Kingdom. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate teaching to around 400 students each year. Degrees are awarded by

5929-466: The University of London. The Courtauld was ranked first in the United Kingdom for History and History of Art in The Guardian ' s 2011 University Guide and was confirmed in this rank for research quality in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework. The Independent has called it "probably the most prestigious specialist college for the study of the history of art in the world". The Courtauld

6050-533: The aesthetic was of overriding significance. His work goes on to state that a building is not truly a work of architecture unless it is in some way "adorned". For Ruskin, a well-constructed, well-proportioned, functional building needed string courses or rustication , at the very least. On the difference between the ideals of architecture and mere construction , the renowned 20th-century architect Le Corbusier wrote: "You employ stone, wood, and concrete, and with these materials you build houses and palaces: that

6171-577: The architect should strive to fulfill each of these three attributes as well as possible. Leon Battista Alberti , who elaborates on the ideas of Vitruvius in his treatise, De re aedificatoria , saw beauty primarily as a matter of proportion, although ornament also played a part. For Alberti, the rules of proportion were those that governed the idealized human figure, the Golden mean . The most important aspect of beauty was, therefore, an inherent part of an object, rather than something applied superficially, and

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6292-411: The architectural bounds prior set throughout history, viewing the creation of a building as the ultimate synthesis – the apex – of art, craft, and technology. When modern architecture was first practiced, it was an avant-garde movement with moral, philosophical, and aesthetic underpinnings. Immediately after World War I , pioneering modernist architects sought to develop

6413-472: The authority to grant degrees in theology, considered the senior faculty in the other three English universities. In medicine, the university was given the right to determine which medical schools provided sufficient medical training. In arts and law, by contrast, it would examine students from UCL, King's College, or any other institution granted a royal warrant, effectively giving the government control of which institutions could submit students for examination by

6534-401: The central authorities in Senate House to the individual colleges. In the same period, UCL and King's College regained their legal independence via acts of parliament and the issuing of new royal charters. UCL was reincorporated in 1977, while King's College's new charter in 1980 reunited the main body of the college with the corporation formed in 1829. In 1992 centralised graduation ceremonies at

6655-472: The centre of focus for alumni. However, the university continued to grow even as it moved to a looser federation, and, in 2005, admitted the Central School of Speech and Drama . On 9 December 2005, Imperial College became the second constituent body (after Regent's Park College) to make a formal decision to leave the university. Its council announced that it was beginning negotiations to withdraw from

6776-441: The classical "utility" and was understood to include not only practical but also aesthetic, psychological, and cultural dimensions. The idea of sustainable architecture was introduced in the late 20th century. Architecture began as rural, oral vernacular architecture that developed from trial and error to successful replication. Ancient urban architecture was preoccupied with building religious structures and buildings symbolizing

6897-450: The collection, and in 2017 a mass digitisation project which will make both Witt and Conway items available online commenced as part of Courtauld Connects. The book library is one of the UK's largest holdings of art history books, periodicals and exhibition catalogues. There is a slide library which also covers films, and an IT suite. An online image collection provides access to more than 40,000 images, including paintings and drawings from

7018-508: The constant engagement with the divine and the supernatural , and many ancient cultures resorted to monumentality in their architecture to symbolically represent the political power of the ruler or the state itself. The architecture and urbanism of classical civilizations such as the Greek and Roman civilizations evolved from civic ideals rather than religious or empirical ones. New building types emerged and architectural style developed in

7139-647: The contemporary ethos a building should be constructed in a manner which is environmentally friendly in terms of the production of its materials, its impact upon the natural and built environment of its surrounding area and the demands that it makes upon the natural environment for heating, ventilation and cooling , water use , waste products and lighting . Building first evolved out of the dynamics between needs (e.g. shelter, security, and worship) and means (available building materials and attendant skills). As human cultures developed and knowledge began to be formalized through oral traditions and practices, building became

7260-815: The creation of proto-cities or urban areas , which in some cases grew and evolved very rapidly, such as Çatalhöyük in modern-day Turkey and Mohenjo-daro in modern-day Pakistan . Neolithic archaeological sites include Göbekli Tepe and Çatalhöyük in Turkey, Jericho in the Levant, Mehrgarh in Pakistan, Skara Brae in Orkney , and Cucuteni-Trypillian culture settlements in Romania , Moldova and Ukraine . In many ancient civilizations, such as those of Egypt and Mesopotamia , architecture and urbanism reflected

7381-500: The decorative richness of historical styles. As the first generation of modernists began to die after World War II , the second generation of architects including Paul Rudolph , Marcel Breuer , and Eero Saarinen tried to expand the aesthetics of modernism with Brutalism , buildings with expressive sculpture façades made of unfinished concrete. But an even younger postwar generation critiqued modernism and Brutalism for being too austere, standardized, monotone, and not taking into account

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7502-475: The deputy vice chancellor and four heads of member institutions, appointed by the Collegiate Council. The board of trustees is supported by the Collegiate Council, which comprises the heads of the member institutions of the university, the deputy vice-chancellor, the dean and chief executive of the School of Advanced Study, the chief executive of the University of London Worldwide and the Collegiate Council's chair,

7623-514: The design of one person but must be the work of many. Modernism and Postmodernism have been criticized by some members of the architectural profession who feel that successful architecture is not a personal, philosophical, or aesthetic pursuit by individualists; rather it has to consider everyday needs of people and use technology to create livable environments, with the design process being informed by studies of behavioral, environmental, and social sciences. Environmental sustainability has become

7744-604: The emphasis on revivalist architecture and elaborate decoration gave rise to many new lines of thought that served as precursors to Modern architecture. Notable among these is the Deutscher Werkbund , formed in 1907 to produce better quality machine-made objects. The rise of the profession of industrial design is usually placed here. Following this lead, the Bauhaus school, founded in Weimar , Germany in 1919, redefined

7865-537: The federal University of London as they had done previously, from the start of the academic year starting in Autumn 2007. Although this plan to award their own degrees did not amount to a decision to leave the University of London, the THES suggested that this "rais[ed] new doubts about the future of the federal University of London". The School of Pharmacy, University of London , merged with UCL on 1 January 2012, becoming

7986-436: The federal university: Birkbeck, City, Goldsmiths, King's College London, London School of Economics and Political Science, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Queen Mary, Royal Holloway, Royal Veterinary College, School of Oriental and African Studies, St George's, and University College London have all indicated that they intend to do so. As of 2015, there are around 2 million University of London alumni across

8107-416: The first handbook that emphasized the practical rather than the theoretical aspects of architecture, and it was the first to catalog the five orders. In the early 19th century, Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin wrote Contrasts (1836) that, as the title suggested, contrasted the modern, industrial world, which he disparaged, with an idealized image of neo-medieval world. Gothic architecture , Pugin believed,

8228-470: The first major British higher education institution to close since the medieval University of Northampton in 1265. Its library of more than 250,000 volumes was moved to Senate House Library . In 2019, the University of London Press , founded in 1910, was relaunched as a fully open-access publisher specializing in "distinctive scholarship at the forefront of the Humanities ". The university owns

8349-401: The first university in the UK to admit women to degrees, via the grant of a supplemental charter. Four female students obtained Bachelor of Arts degrees in 1880 and two obtained Bachelor of Science degrees in 1881, again the first in the country. In the late 19th century, the university came under criticism for merely serving as a centre for the administration of tests, and there were calls for

8470-412: The form of the classical orders . Roman architecture was influenced by Greek architecture as they incorporated many Greek elements into their building practices. Texts on architecture have been written since ancient times—these texts provided both general advice and specific formal prescriptions or canons. Some examples of canons are found in the writings of Vitruvius in the 1st century BC. Some of

8591-462: The form was defined by its environment and purpose, with an aim to promote harmony between human habitation and the natural world with prime examples being Robie House and Fallingwater . Architects such as Mies van der Rohe , Philip Johnson and Marcel Breuer worked to create beauty based on the inherent qualities of building materials and modern construction techniques, trading traditional historic forms for simplified geometric forms, celebrating

8712-450: The functional aspects that it has in common with other human sciences. Through its own particular way of expressing values , architecture can stimulate and influence social life without presuming that, in and of itself, it will promote social development.... To restrict the meaning of (architectural) formalism to art for art's sake is not only reactionary; it can also be a purposeless quest for perfection or originality which degrades form into

8833-415: The hallmark of the ultra modern urban life in many countries surfaced even in developing countries like Nigeria where international styles had been represented since the mid 20th Century mostly because of the leanings of foreign-trained architects. Residential architecture is the design of functional fits the user's lifestyle while adhering to the building codes and zoning laws. Commercial architecture

8954-462: The history of Buddhist art , and the conservation of wall paintings are taught alongside diploma courses in the conservation of easel paintings and the history of art. Students in the history of art master's programme have to choose a specialisation ranging from antiquity to early modern to global contemporary artwork. Special options are taught in small class sizes of 5–10 students. The Courtauld has two photographic libraries which originated as

9075-400: The institute's founder, Samuel Courtauld , who presented an extensive collection of mainly Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings in 1932. It was enhanced by further gifts in the 1930s and a bequest in 1948, and has since received many significant donations and bequests. The gallery contains some 530 paintings and over 26,000 drawings and prints. Since 1989 the gallery been housed in

9196-415: The late 20th century for smaller colleges to be amalgamated into larger "super-colleges". Some of the larger colleges (most notably UCL, King's College, LSE and Imperial) periodically put forward the possibility of their departure from the university, although no steps were taken to actually putting this into action until the early 21st century. In 2002, Imperial College and UCL mooted the possibility of

9317-605: The many country houses of Great Britain that were created in the Neo Gothic or Scottish baronial styles. Formal architectural training in the 19th century, for example at École des Beaux-Arts in France, gave much emphasis to the production of beautiful drawings and little to context and feasibility. Meanwhile, the Industrial Revolution laid open the door for mass production and consumption. Aesthetics became

9438-521: The material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural symbols and as works of art . Historical civilisations are often identified with their surviving architectural achievements. The practice, which began in the prehistoric era , has been used as a way of expressing culture by civilizations on all seven continents . For this reason, architecture is considered to be a form of art . Texts on architecture have been written since ancient times. The earliest surviving text on architectural theories

9559-611: The most important early examples of canonic architecture are religious. Asian architecture developed differently compared to Europe, and the Buddhist , Hindu and Sikh architectural styles have different characteristics. Unlike Indian and Chinese architecture , which had great influence on the surrounding regions, Japanese architecture did not. Some Asian architecture showed great regional diversity, in particular Buddhist architecture . Moreover, other architectural achievements in Asia

9680-563: The movements of both clerics and tradesmen carried architectural knowledge across Europe, resulting in the pan-European styles Romanesque and Gothic. Also, a significant part of the Middle Ages architectural heritage is numerous fortifications across the continent. From the Balkans to Spain, and from Malta to Estonia, these buildings represent an important part of European heritage. In Renaissance Europe, from about 1400 onwards, there

9801-516: The nature of architecture and whether or not architecture is distinguished from building. The earliest surviving written work on the subject of architecture is De architectura by the Roman architect Vitruvius in the early 1st century AD. According to Vitruvius, a good building should satisfy the three principles of firmitas, utilitas, venustas , commonly known by the original translation – firmness, commodity and delight . An equivalent in modern English would be: According to Vitruvius,

9922-405: The new University of Durham were also to be closed to non-Anglicans. In 1835, the government announced the response to UCL's petition for a charter. Two charters would be issued, one to UCL incorporating it as a college rather than a university, without degree awarding powers, and a second "establishing a Metropolitan University, with power to grant academical degrees to those who should study at

10043-655: The new means and methods made possible by the Industrial Revolution , including steel-frame construction, which gave birth to high-rise superstructures. Fazlur Rahman Khan 's development of the tube structure was a technological break-through in building ever higher. By mid-century, Modernism had morphed into the International Style , an aesthetic epitomized in many ways by the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center designed by Minoru Yamasaki . Many architects resisted modernism , finding it devoid of

10164-497: The notion that structural and aesthetic considerations should be entirely subject to functionality was met with both popularity and skepticism, it had the effect of introducing the concept of "function" in place of Vitruvius' "utility". "Function" came to be seen as encompassing all criteria of the use, perception and enjoyment of a building, not only practical but also aesthetic, psychological and cultural. Nunzia Rondanini stated, "Through its aesthetic dimension architecture goes beyond

10285-595: The philanthropic efforts of the industrialist and art collector Samuel Courtauld , the diplomat and collector Lord Lee of Fareham , and the art historian Sir Robert Witt . Originally the Courtauld was based in Home House , a townhouse designed by Robert Adam in Portman Square , Marylebone. The Strand block of Somerset House, designed by William Chambers from 1775 to 1780, has housed the Courtauld since 1989. The Courtauld has been an independent college of

10406-583: The physical features of cities, towns, and villages. In contrast to architecture, which focuses on the design of individual buildings, urban design deals with the larger scale of groups of buildings, streets and public spaces, whole neighborhoods and districts, and entire cities, with the goal of making urban areas functional, attractive, and sustainable. Urban design is an interdisciplinary field that uses elements of many built environment professions, including landscape architecture , urban planning , architecture, civil engineering and municipal engineering . It

10527-556: The political power of rulers until Greek and Roman architecture shifted focus to civic virtues. Indian and Chinese architecture influenced forms all over Asia and Buddhist architecture in particular took diverse local flavors. During the Middle Ages , pan-European styles of Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals and abbeys emerged while the Renaissance favored Classical forms implemented by architects known by name. Later,

10648-536: The possibility of joining the University of London. It was subsequently announced in July 2015 that City would join the University of London in August 2016. It will cease to be an independent university and become a college as "City, University of London". In 2016 reforms were proposed that would see the colleges become member institutions and be allowed to legally become universities in their own right. A bill to amend

10769-515: The private collections of two benefactors: the Conway Library, covering architecture , architectural drawings, sculpture and illuminated manuscripts , named after Lord Conway of Allington , and the Witt Library, after Sir Robert Witt , covering paintings, drawings and engravings , and containing over two million reproductions of works by over 70,000 artists. In 2009, it was decided that the Witt Library would not continue to add new material to

10890-421: The profession of landscape architecture is called a landscape architect . Interior architecture is the design of a space which has been created by structural boundaries and the human interaction within these boundaries. It can also be the initial design and plan for use, then later redesigned to accommodate a changed purpose, or a significantly revised design for adaptive reuse of the building shell. The latter

11011-529: The reason the building had fared so well was that Adolf Hitler had planned to use it as his headquarters in London. The latter half of the last century was less eventful. In 1948, Athlone Press was founded as the publishing house for the university, and sold to the Bemrose Corporation in 1979, subsequent to which it was acquired by Continuum publishing . However, the post-WWII period was mostly characterised by expansion and consolidation within

11132-453: The recent movements of New Urbanism , Metaphoric architecture , Complementary architecture and New Classical architecture promote a sustainable approach towards construction that appreciates and develops smart growth , architectural tradition and classical design . This in contrast to modernist and globally uniform architecture, as well as leaning against solitary housing estates and suburban sprawl . Glass curtain walls, which were

11253-517: The related vocations, and the appellation was often one of regional preference. A revival of the Classical style in architecture was accompanied by a burgeoning of science and engineering, which affected the proportions and structure of buildings. At this stage, it was still possible for an artist to design a bridge as the level of structural calculations involved was within the scope of the generalist. The emerging knowledge in scientific fields and

11374-530: The research student body. Each cover of the journal has been commissioned by a leading contemporary artist. Additionally, together with the Warburg Institute , the institute publishes The Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes , an annual publication of about 300 pages ( ISSN   0075-4390 ). The Courtauld's art collection is housed in the Courtauld Gallery. The collection was begun by

11495-469: The richness of human experience offered in historical buildings across time and in different places and cultures. One such reaction to the cold aesthetic of modernism and Brutalism is the school of metaphoric architecture , which includes such things as bio morphism and zoomorphic architecture , both using nature as the primary source of inspiration and design. While it is considered by some to be merely an aspect of postmodernism , others consider it to be

11616-433: The rise of new materials and technology, architecture and engineering began to separate, and the architect began to concentrate on aesthetics and the humanist aspects, often at the expense of technical aspects of building design. There was also the rise of the "gentleman architect" who usually dealt with wealthy clients and concentrated predominantly on visual qualities derived usually from historical prototypes, typified by

11737-604: The roles of architects and engineers became separated. Modern architecture began after World War I as an avant-garde movement that sought to develop a completely new style appropriate for a new post-war social and economic order focused on meeting the needs of the middle and working classes. Emphasis was put on modern techniques, materials, and simplified geometric forms, paving the way for high-rise superstructures. Many architects became disillusioned with modernism which they perceived as ahistorical and anti-aesthetic, and postmodern and contemporary architecture developed. Over

11858-572: The systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and soil conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions that will produce the desired outcome. The scope of the profession includes landscape design ; site planning ; stormwater management ; environmental restoration ; parks and recreation planning; visual resource management; green infrastructure planning and provision; and private estate and residence landscape master planning and design; all at varying scales of design, planning and management. A practitioner in

11979-654: The time of completion the second largest building in London. The University of London contingent of the Officers' Training Corps (OTC) was formed in 1908 and had enrolled 950 students by autumn 1914. During the First World War, the OTC supplied 500 officers to the British Army between August 1914 and March 1915. Some 665 officers associated with the university died during the First World War and 245 officers in

12100-668: The university in time for its own centenary celebrations, and in order to be able to award its own degrees. On 5 October 2006, the University of London accepted Imperial's formal request to withdraw from it. Imperial became fully independent on 9 July 2007, as part of the celebrations of the college's centenary. The Times Higher Education Supplement announced in February 2007 that the London School of Economics, University College London and King's College London all planned to start awarding their own degrees, rather than degrees from

12221-413: The university into a convocation , similar to those of Oxford, Cambridge and Durham, and authorised the granting of degrees in science, the first BSc being awarded in 1860. The expanded role meant the university needed more space, particularly with the growing number of students at the provincial university colleges . Between 1867 and 1870 a new headquarters was built at 6 Burlington Gardens , providing

12342-541: The university offering such degrees. By the 1970s, almost all of these colleges had achieved independence from the University of London. An increasing number of overseas and UK-based academic institutes offer courses to support students registered for the University of London flexible and distance learning diplomas and degrees and the Teaching Institutions Recognition Framework enables the recognition of these institutions. Under

12463-719: The university or the degrees they award. The member institutions of the University of London (as of September 2018) are: Architecture (built environment) Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning , designing , and constructing buildings or other structures . The term comes from Latin architectura ; from Ancient Greek ἀρχιτέκτων ( arkhitéktōn )  'architect'; from ἀρχι- ( arkhi- )  'chief' and τέκτων ( téktōn )  'creator'. Architectural works, in

12584-399: The university with exam halls and offices. In 1863, via a fourth charter, the university gained the right to grant degrees in surgery. This 1863 charter remains the authority under which the university is incorporated, although all its other provisions were abolished under the University of London Act 1898 ( 61 & 62 Vict. c. 62). In 1878, the university set another first when it became

12705-416: The university's statutes was introduced into the House of Lords in late 2016. The bill was held up by procedural matters in the House of Commons, with MP Christopher Chope objecting to it receiving a second reading without debate and no time having been scheduled for such debate. Twelve of the colleges, including UCL and King's, said that they would seek university status once the bill was passed. The bill

12826-732: The university). The 3Cosas campaigners were members of the UNISON trade union. However, documents leaked in 2014 revealed that UNISON representatives tried to counter the 3Cosas campaign in meetings with university management. The 3Cosas workers subsequently transferred to the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain. Following good results in the Research Excellence Framework in December 2014, City University London said that they were exploring

12947-461: The university, such as the acquisition as a constituent body of the Jesuit theological institution Heythrop College on its move from Oxfordshire in 1969. ` The University of London Act 1978 (c. ii) saw the university defined as a federation of self-governing colleges, starting the process of decentralisation that would lead to a marked transference of academic and financial power in this period from

13068-716: The university. Beyond this right to submit students for examination, there was no other connection between the colleges and the university. In 1849 the university held its first graduation ceremony at Somerset House following a petition to the senate from the graduates, who had previously received their degrees without any ceremony. About 250 students graduated at this ceremony. The London academic robes of this period were distinguished by their "rich velvet facings". The list of institutions whose students could enter University of London examinations grew rapidly by 1858, including all other British universities as well as more than 30 other schools and colleges outside of London. In that year,

13189-420: The university. Some member institutions also have the power to award their own degrees instead of those of the university; those which exercise that power include: Most decisions affecting the member institutions and institutes of the University of London are made at the level of the member institutions or institutes themselves. The University of London does retain its own decision-making structure, however, with

13310-399: The vice-chancellor. The chancellors of the University of London since its founding are as follows: For most practical purposes, ranging from admission of students to negotiating funding from the government, the 17 member institutions are treated as individual universities. Legally speaking they are known as Recognised Bodies , with the authority to examine students and award them degrees of

13431-486: The world, including at least 14 monarchs or royalty, more than 60 presidents or prime ministers in the world (including five prime ministers of the United Kingdom ), two Cabinet Secretaries of the UK , 98 Nobel laureates , five Fields Medallists , four Turing Award winners, six Grammy winners, two Oscar winners, three Olympic gold medalists and the " Father of the Nation " of several countries. The university owns

13552-497: The years, the field of architectural construction has branched out to include everything from ship design to interior decorating. Architecture can mean: The philosophy of architecture is a branch of philosophy of art , dealing with aesthetic value of architecture, its semantics and in relation with development of culture . Many philosophers and theoreticians from Plato to Michel Foucault , Gilles Deleuze , Robert Venturi and Ludwig Wittgenstein have concerned themselves with

13673-503: Was a revival of Classical learning accompanied by the development of Renaissance humanism , which placed greater emphasis on the role of the individual in society than had been the case during the Medieval period. Buildings were ascribed to specific architects – Brunelleschi, Alberti , Michelangelo , Palladio – and the cult of the individual had begun. There was still no dividing line between artist , architect and engineer , or any of

13794-414: Was annulled by the king's death. Queen Victoria issued a second charter on 5 December 1837, reincorporating the university. The university awarded its first degrees in 1839, all to students from UCL and King's College. The university established by the charters of 1836 and 1837 was essentially an examining board with the right to award degrees in arts, laws and medicine. However, the university did not have

13915-523: Was associated with a move to stone and brick religious structures, probably beginning as rock-cut architecture , which has often survived very well. Early Asian writings on architecture include the Kao Gong Ji of China from the 7th–5th centuries BC; the Shilpa Shastras of ancient India; Manjusri Vasthu Vidya Sastra of Sri Lanka and Araniko of Nepal . Islamic architecture began in

14036-651: Was based on universal, recognizable truths. The notion of style in the arts was not developed until the 16th century, with the writing of Giorgio Vasari . By the 18th century, his Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects had been translated into Italian, French, Spanish, and English. In the 16th century, Italian Mannerist architect, painter and theorist Sebastiano Serlio wrote Tutte L'Opere D'Architettura et Prospetiva ( Complete Works on Architecture and Perspective ). This treatise exerted immense influence throughout Europe, being

14157-514: Was debated and passed its second reading on 16 October 2018. It received royal assent on 20 December 2018, becoming the University of London Act 2018 (c. iii) The twelve colleges (namely, all except The Courtauld, ICR, LBS, RAM and RCSSD) subsequently applied for university status, although stating they did not intend to change their names, with notice being given in the London Gazette on 4 February 2019. In 2018, Heythrop College became

14278-706: Was implemented in 1900 with the approval of new statutes for the university. The London University should stand to the British empire as the great technological institution in Berlin, the Charlottenburg, stood to the German empire. The reforms initiated by the 1898 act came into force with the approval of the new federal statutes in 1900. Many of the colleges in London became schools of the university, including UCL, King's College, Bedford College , Royal Holloway and

14399-475: Was ranked, again, first in the United Kingdom for History and History of Art in The Guardian ' s 2017 University Guide. According to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework , the Courtauld hosts the highest proportion of the UK's world-leading and internationally excellent research among all higher education institutions with 95% of research rated in the top two categories (4*/3*), 56% of which

14520-459: Was rated in the 4* category, tied for highest in the UK with London Business School . The only undergraduate course offered by the Courtauld is a BA in the History of Art. This is a full-time course designed to introduce students to all aspects of the study of art history. Several taught courses are offered at postgraduate level: master's degrees in history of art, curating the art museum ,

14641-404: Was the only "true Christian form of architecture." The 19th-century English art critic, John Ruskin , in his Seven Lamps of Architecture , published 1849, was much narrower in his view of what constituted architecture. Architecture was the "art which so disposes and adorns the edifices raised by men ... that the sight of them" contributes "to his mental health, power, and pleasure". For Ruskin,

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