Source Material.

To gain a base foundation of architectural structures to use for constructing Calvino’s Invisible Cities; I began by looking into the progression of
architecture movements right from the Ancient Greeks up to Post-Modern structures.

Classicism: Ancient Greeks used advanced

mathematics, geometries and optical illusions to build
structures that appeared perfectly harmonious to the
human eye. The Greeks also invented the classical
orders: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. These orders,
most commonly identifiable by the type of column
used,

Gothicism: Gothic Architecture (c1200 to c1500)

sought to take structural design beyond function by
emphasizing verticality and light. It found its home in
the cathedrals of Europe, some of which took more
than one century to build. Architects of the Gothic
period were forced to innovate new building
techniques. These included flying buttresses, pointed
arches and vaulted ceilings, each of which required an
unprecedented level of delicacy in its design.

The Renaissance: Architects sought to re-establish the ideal proportions of a

building based on the human form. They believed the universe was perfect based
on certain mathematical ratios, these ratios were used in columns, pilasters,
pediments, entablatures, arches and domes — each a central characteristic of
renaissance architecture.
Misshapen Pearls - ‘Baroque’: A misshapen pearl is beautiful, yet abnormal — splendour paired with the drama of the grotesque. It began in the late 16th Century in Italy,
then in France during the 17th Century. Architects where influenced by the Roman Catholic Church, who decided that ‘the arts’ should communicate religious themes at
all times.

Modern Architecture, Early 1930: Geometric shapes, open floor plans, flat roofs, willful asymmetry, and a prevalent use of steel and glass became hallmarks of a
movement that looked shockingly different to anything that had come before it. Modernism, as it eventually became known with architects like Le Corbusier in France
and Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe.
Brutalism 1950s: Brutalism doesn’t refer to a particular brand of severe looks, but an entire architectural approach. This movement advocated a more honest, unwavering
aesthetic based on socially progressive purposes of co-habitation and shared space. It was put forward, especially by Le Corbusier (one of the most influential architects of
the 20th Century), as the primary option for forward-moving urban housing.

“Post-Modernist” / “Deconstructivism.”: Postmodern architecture was a reaction to the notion of absolutes in design during the late 1970s. It challenged traditional
conventions of design and instead found inspiration in Cubism, Dadaism and the Russian avant-garde architecture of the 1920s — all movements that also broke
traditions of their own. Architects include Frank Gehry, Daniel Libeskind and Zaha Hadid