Gothic

History:

The Gothic style of design emerged from the city of Paris during the climax of the Black Plague and series of other world events in Europe. Churches began to become the center of daily life and therefore the competitions among the construction between cathedrals increased tremendously. Knighthood, chivalry, and artisans guilds also became increasingly popular.

With the fear of the Black Plague taking over Europe, the importance of the church and religion became ever more evident. The praise of the pope increased due to the promise of God's influence so wealth and authority was highly evident in the church. Worshipers flocked in order to seek protection from the horror's of the world. With the influx of new followers the size of churches also began to expand. Relics of saints were commonly replaced with adoration of the Virgin Mary. The heart motifs was strongly relevant throughout Gothic design styles.

Gothic designs were the production of the previously dominant Romanesque styles and the bridge to the creation of Renaissance. Some of the most important features that were taken away from the Gothic era were the pointed arch, ribbed vault, and flying buttress.

Most of the Romanesque's floor plans and structural components were evident in Gothic Cathedral designs, like the Latin cross path. There were chapels radiating from the apse and large stained glass windows upon the multiple tall walls. The heavily used vertical lines gave off the impression of modern day skyscrapers. High vaults commonly found in these cathedrals created new demands and therefore the ribbed vault was created. Arches were now pointed unlike the previous rounded style found in the Romanesque. One of the most defining features of the era was the flying buttress. All of this was meant to transcend a earthly experience.

Styles of the Gothic cathedral did vary from region to region. The French were the first to introduce the flying buttress with Notre Dame at Cartes. England's churches were lower and longer which was apparent in the Wells Cathedral. Germany was also similar to the French but with larger towers. Spain had wider and more complex cathedrals and Italy was well known for its use of polychromic decoration.

Current Applications:

Peer Reviews:
Mackenzie: I really like how with each of her design characteristics that she mentioned, she incorporated a very supporting image to provide visual support. I also thought the additional link about the Gothic style home was a very unique way of showing how the style is still prevalent.
Emma: I like how she focused more on comparing and contrasting the Gothic style in several countries like France, England, Germany, and Spain.

Additional Links!
This a documentary about some of the greatest cathedrals in history ever built.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH3lymFaTwU