art history vocab 4

minaret

tall towers, Traditionally used for the call to pray

mihrab

a niche in the wall indicating the direction of Mecca for prayer

Critical Regionalism

an architectural approach with a focus on local materials, naturally integrated heating and cooling based on geographical location, and resistance to standardization.

Postmodernism

a reaction against the strict, unadorned, and uniform ideals of modernism. bold colors and playful

deconstructivism

a postmodern architectural movement characterized by fragmentation, non-rectilinear shapes, and the distortion of structure

blobitecture

architectural movement characterized by fluid, organic, and amoeba-shaped buildings that reject traditional straight lines and sharp edges

eco/organic

a design philosophy that harmonizes human habitation with the natural world, treating buildings as living organisms that grow from their sites rather than being imposed on them

starchitecture

high-profile, iconic buildings designed by celebrity architects whose fame and avant-garde designs elevate a structure to a cultural spectacle.