Enlighten the enlightenment

When curiosity was questioned and truth was discovered, the enlightenment era had begun. History of architecture, as well, had been revealed due to people's discovery dated back since Egyptian empire. Seeking to understand a big whole picture in this field, history needs to be researched in order to create an analytical link among different architectures. Finding reasons for every legitimate source, many ancient buildings were found and created a strong influence to enlightenment period especially the grand tour in England. The idea of enlightenment philosophy was carried out through Europe, and eventually arrived in England. Showing their knowledges and understandings about Europe, English brought many of European architectures back to their home town. Not only just the idea they tried to stimulate, they recreated everything in similar manner from ornamentations, constructions, and forms

Bringing a little bit from each previous architectural periods, enlightenment architectures are hardly defined what periods they are due to their those combinations, therefore, the new terminology is used to describe them as a neo-classicism era. St. Paul's Cathedral in London is one of the examples showing how European architecture had emerged in England. Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, Greek cross plan type was selected with some of Baroque curved quadrants. The front facade of the structure is purely Greek influence, however, behind the portico lies a Roman dome.

Going deeper into finding a real truth about architecture, nature was pointed out which later was known as the purest architecture of all.

In the background of this photo, a structure was built completely by woods showing a post and beam structural element. With that vision, the structure then turned to be the oldest and purest structure forms in architecture. Not only in terms of design where nature believed as the greatest, however, it applied to every aspect of life. Proving this method by Humphrey Repton, he created a 'red book' illustrated pure nature through drawings, paintings, and photographs. Within his book, Repton tried to make it as pure as possible which in this case, no human or any other man-made structures were involved.

Finding the truth through rational and scientific concerns, the period was no longer called the enlightenment but Romanticism. Having the idea to create 'sublime' structure, this philosophy focuses on how elements are being expressed as well as people's reaction towards architectures.

Claude-Nicolas Ledoux, interested in this concept, designed a water tunnel with a sublime idea. The function of the tunnel is to transport water from one point to another, therefore, extreme tunnel was the form of this structure. The tunnel was incredibly hugh emphasizing its function as being a waterway which can carry lots of water each time.

Two periods had already emerged just only because of human's curiosity and discovery; there might be some more to come!