Parthenon as a Paradigm for Current Practice In Australia - Thesis Example

Parthenon as a paradigm for current practice in Australia Parthenon as a paradigm for current practice in Australia Drawings of houses by children consist of a rectangle with a triangle atop it; the said structure is not just a mere coincidence. The concept for this structure emerged in ancient Greece. The Parthenon, the temple in Athens, has a strong resemblance to this structure and has continued to influence other cultures as well. The architecture of buildings is reflective of the people who built them. More specifically, imbued in their aesthetics and architectural designs, are the culture and values of these people. The Parthenon was built between 447 to 438 BC. The great holy structure rests on the southeast Peninsula in Greece and in an epitome of the power and wealth of the Classical Greeks. The construction began under Pericles and derives its name from the Athena Parthenos- a cult statue. Resting on what the Greeks considered the holy city, or Acropolis, the Parthenon was built and designed by Ictinus, Callicrates and Phidias. This paper explores the architectural and cultural traits that characterize the temple, and compares how they can influence current practice in Australia. The Parthenon was dedicated to a Goddess, Athena, as a sign of gratitude for the success the Greeks had. Moreover, it was built to show the superiority of the Greeks over the rest of the world. The architectural designs that it used are exemplary. Studied by people all over the world, the ceremonial complex is styled as an Ancient Greek Doric. The Doric style of architecture is the most basic of all the forms of architecture used, and is thought to have been used by the Spartans. The building was mostly made from marble and limestone. Although the structure is Doric, there are some Ionic architectural influences in it. The temple is the one of the finest buildings to be made in ancient Classical Greece and remains one of the best remembered structures to date. It has unique design features, and has been crafted in great detail, with decorations and other details going on for another five years after the building had been constructed. Used by the Greece initially, the building has been used by different civilizations for different purposes. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the 6th century and later converted to a mosque by the Turks, the structure is undergoing renovation to restore it to its former state (Malam, 2006). 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000090ifornia (): I.,08teh nvolved. ted with people from all over the world, no matter what their cast, color adn rshly, often 00The Greek temple is the achievement of its time, and the post and lintel construction of the Parthenon is representative of the practicability of the structure. It has been used as a civic centre, bank and a museum, and remains as an example of modern buildings to be constructed upon. These buildings-museums, banks and civic centers-are commonly used in the world today. The structures of the temple are an evidence of artistic evidence and human history- both modern and ancient (Jenkins & Jenkins, 2007). Thus, the temple, therefore, can serve as a paradigm for current practice. The question arises that why would Australia want to be involved in the promotion of renovation of the building, and why would the structure have such a deep impact on the Australians, such that it can serve as a paradigm for current practice. A large majority of the people living in Australia are Greek in origin. As a result, there is strong support and reverence to the cultural and political aspects of Greece amongst the majority of the population. The country has a lot of Parthenon structures as well. The return of these Parthenon structures is an issue that has had bipartisan support from political leaders from all parties, who demonstrate a wish to send the statues back to Athens. The Parthenon and its sculptures are one of the most important structures that have been handed down to us by ancient civilizations. Therefore it is our legacy, and one of the most important heritages that Greek pride in. The restoration of the temple, and thus the statues, is of concern to all humanity (DotNetNuke Corporation, 2009). The Parthenon also portrays a design paradigm in its architecture. The Greek were able to understand the mathematics embedded in nature, and used it in constructing the grand structure. The ancient Greeks had knowledge of a rectangle whose sides were in the golden proportion, i.e. 1 : 1.618. This ratio is commonly present in the Five Platonic solids as well. The golden rectangle is rampant in the designs of many Greek buildings. The Greek were very innovative in their architectural designs, and designed the Parthenon on both the golden rectangles and root-5 rectangles. The design paradigm is, in essence, an acknowledgement by the Greeks of what the nature had granted them and their gratification for the Gods. In current Australian practice, the use of such architectural designs can not only be creative, but also reveal the spiritual values of the people for not taking things for granted. Moreover, current architectural practice is focused more on the notion of form-follows-function. According to this notion, buildings must be designed such that they serve the function that they have been made for. The Parthenon and Greek architecture has had a seminal impact on modern architectural practice. Modern buildings have a short life-span. The remains of the Parthenon still stand today and so many modern buildings have utilized the materials that have been used in Parthenon. Modern architecture embodies simplicity of shape and ornamentation from the theme or purpose the building is being built for. Modern buildings have also made use of Doric designs and columns. They are also ornamented with friezes like that of Parthenon. The Parthenon has helped introduce harmonious relationships into modern architecture. It is the perfect example of how to control a design and to bring together the different components of the design (Iffriq, 2008). Where architecture these days fails to achieve the exact ideals that the theory or the drawings are meant to embody, the Parthenon, with the architects who designed it, serves as a paradigm for modern architects, whose role has diminished overtime. Modern architectural practice also gives more precedence to Modernism; however, the Classical form of architecture is still in use by many architects. The Parthenon frieze is used as a tool of civic ideology (Art and Visual Culture, n.d.). The frieze forms a continuous border outside the building. The Panathenaea was a Classical Greek festival and was carved on to the frieze. This is depictive of the value that the Greek placed on it. The festival expressed Athenian civic ideology, and its incorporation on to the frieze gives out the message to the world and can impact civic practices. The civic practices that are exhibited on to the frieze reveal the element of unfaltering loyalty to religious rites. It also is representative of the important citizenship had for the Greek. In Australia, this can serve as a paradigm since all citizens are obligated to perform their duty competently. Citizens are also expected to contribute to the progress and development of the country. The Parthenon and the Greek practices that it embodies are an example for Australians to attend to their civil responsibilities. The Greeks were proud citizens, who contributed greatly to the democratic experiment of the community. They respected the foreigners, and many of their ideals set them many levels above their Barbarian counterparts. The Greek prided in shouldering the responsibility that had been mandated on them by the country. It follows so that the Parthenon can instill the same feelings of patriotism and citizenship in the Australians. As discussed above, Australia is sanctuary to millions of people with a Greek origin. Therefore, they could relate more to the philosophies and ideals of the ancient Greek. They would also feel a sense of belonging if they follow the Athenian civic ideology that their ancestors used to follow. However, the civic philosophy, as followed by the ancient Greeks, can not be incorporated completely into the Australian modern practice of citizenship. This is because of the historical and cultural differences that have arisen between the two different frames of time. The ancient Greeks used to regard the Athenians highly. The culture was accommodating for the Metz, and other foreigners. They were not allowed to vote, or to take an active part in the religious festivals of the Athenians. The Greeks made a distinction between the people who did not belong from Athens and those who were born and bred in Athens. The foreigners were not granted equal rights as that of their Athenian counterparts and were also tortured to bear witness in the judiciary. The foreigners were also not allowed to pass though the Propylaea gates (Rez, 2007). The Athenians used to march through the gates all alone. This also represents that the Athenians considered themselves superior than the foreigners. The implication of such a practice might not represent a high standard of moral excellence. Therefore, this should not be applied in modern practice. Like all other practices, one should be able to distinguish between the pros and cons, and be able to apply the pros into practice effectively. The attitude of the Greeks towards the foreigners was not one of brutal tyranny. In event of a felony committed by a foreigner, he or she was only exiled as a punishment, whereas the same felony committed by an Athenian could result in him being punished harshly, often sentenced to death. Besides the foreigners, the Parthenon is demonstrative of the respect that they gave to their navy. On the frieze, there is a sculpture that shows how the Peplos was carried on ships. This represents the success of the Greek navy, and the pride that the Greeks had in it. This also entails citizenship, since patriotic citizens would be able to appreciate the success of their nature. Subsequently, Australians can derive inspiration from the ideology. The Royal Australian Navy has developed from decades of sacrifice and victory. Taking the Parthenon as an example, the Australians can take pride in their navy and contribute towards its progress. The Parthenon is an epitome of what the Greek considered to be the height of their spiritual and cultural values. It is has symbolizes the art and culture of the Greek (Lewis & Lewis, 2008). It has served as a civic center, museum and mosque for civilizations of the past and so is representative of the values of different cultures that have inhabited it. It connects people of various cultures from all over the world. The Parthenon is a symbol of unity and harmony. It reflects the ideologies and ideals of the Greek way of life. The ideals were centered on the Greek’s reverence for the Gods and so represent the purity of their feelings for them. The Parthenon serves as a model in the search for pure forms and archaic simplicity and is feeds on the spiritual desires of people who believe in the Divine (Neils, 205). For Australians, this message is of great importance. They should know that they are connected with people from all over the world, no matter what their cast, color and creed is, and should reflect the ideals of humanity in their conduct. Reference List DotNetNuke Corporation, 2009. Why Australians are involved. [Online] Available from: http://www.parthenonaustralia.com/WhyAustraliansAreInvolved.aspx [Accessed 23 June 2010]. Iffriq, A, 2008. From Parthenon to Modern Movement. [Online] (Updated 14 August 2008) Available from: http://architecture.suite101.com/article.cfm/from_parthenon_to_modern_movement [Accessed 23 June 2010]. Jenkins, I. & Jenkins, I. D., 2007. The Parthenon sculptures. Harvard University Press. Lewis, R & Lewis, S. I., 2008. The Power of Art. 2nd ed. California (CA): Cengage Learning. Malam, J., 2006. An Ancient Greek Temple. Brighton: Salariya Publishers. Neils, J., 2005. The Parthenon: from antiquity to the present. Cambridge University Press. Rez, 2007. The Panathenaea. [Online] Available from: http://www.students.sbc.edu/lollis04/ArtandVisualCulture9.htm [Accessed 23 June 2010]. Read More