In keeping with this week's discussion of circles, groves, and stacks, the Erechtheion at the Acropolis in Athens struck me as a an example of the fourth category, "people." Additionally, I find the plan intriguing in its irregularities for a culture that so highly valued a more symmetrical plan for its temples.
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| http://content.lib.washington.edu/cgi-bin/showfile.exe?CISOROOT=/buildings&CISOPTR=1343 |
The Erechtheion is a small temple built on the Acropolis (found at the top of the image) that is notable for its irregular architecture. Compared to the Parthenon and its symmetry along the center axis, the Erechtheion mimics some architectural features of the Parthenon but also has more fluidity.
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| http://www.lanecc.edu/arts/ArtHistoryProgram/images3/5-51Plan.jpg | | |
The irregular building plan has been contributed to the need of the Athenians to have a sacred space that incorporates many different narratives vital to their identity as a culture. The Erechtheion housed the cult statue, has a hole in the ceiling where Zeus threw a thunderbolt and struck the rock foundation producing water, shelters Athena's olive tree, and reaches into the corner of the original Erechtheion site.
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| http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/diary/athens/athens_erechtheion_1.jpg | |
In keeping with the analysis of this past week's early architecture design foundation, the Erechtheion clearly shows both the concept of groves (the columns) and stacks (by not only housing their cultural knowledge, but by also sitting atop a mountain).
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| http://brianabbott.net/media/photos/travels/greece-by-land/DSC02759-1024.jpg | | |
Additionally, the Erechtheion speaks to the fourth design concept of people. The caryatids are stone columns that appear as sculpted females. An interesting inclusion as a design element for such a sacred space, my inclination is that they are there to remind those in the city of the Erechtheion's role of housing the culture of the people.
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