Discussion: Influences of Ancient Architecture

Martin, F. D., & Jacobus, L. A. (2018). The humanities through the arts. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.Test book-
Martin,
F. D., & Jacobus, L. A. (2018). The humanities through the arts. New York:
McGraw-Hill Education.

The
endurance of classical architecture from Greek and Rome is on display in most
cities across the U.S. and admired almost universally. But is there ever
anything wrong with looking to the past, or this past in particular, for
architectural design?
Louis
Sullivan (1856-1924) (Links to an external site.), mentor to
the pioneering Frank Lloyd Wright featured in our text, thought so. Sullivan, a
Chicago architect working to herald a uniquely American and modern
architectural style, was invited to design a single building to be
constructed at the otherwise classically-dominated Chicago World’s Fair in
1893. His “Transportation Building,” pictured below in colorful brick
with nature-inspired detailing, was one of few fair buildings not constructed
of the white plaster meant to mimic the marble of Ancient Greece and Rome.

In fact, so
much of the World’s Fair architecture succeeded in recreating the classical
style, the fairgrounds earned the nickname “The White City.”
Sullivan was
dismayed and famously said the majority of the architectural choices were
inspired by a desire on the part of Chicago architects, so insecure in
themselves and new to the world stage that their main wish was to be perceived
by the world as highly cultured. He was devastated, too, that the more than 25
million visitors to the massive fair seemed to embrace the “White
City” for its beauty and splendor.
In his
book, The Autobiography
of An Idea, Sullivan wrote: “The damage wrought by the World’s
Fair will last for half a century from its date, if not longer. It has
penetrated deep into the constitution of the American mind, effecting there
lesions significant of dementia” (qtd. in Moser 2014.)
Reflect on
Sullivan’s opinion as you reply to this week’s post, “Influences of
Ancient Architecture.”
Do you
think he has a point? What experience does he seem to think fairgoers lost out
on, with the exception perhaps of his Transportation Building? In what way can
architecture affect our understanding of ourselves in the context of
history?

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