Name Omar fida

Maison Carree Building

Maison carree is one of the most fantastic and beautiful temples of Roman, build in 18

BC during the reign of Caesar in Nimes. It was later reconstructed by Marcus Agrippa who is

believed to be the original patron of the Pantheon in Rome. It was one of the Roman

urbanization buildings done under Augustus’s rule. Though it is not clearly known who designed

the building, it was Augustus’s son-in-law who commissioned the building. However, it is

believed that Alvar Aalto was the core designer of the entire building. Its design was greatly

influenced by Greek architecture. At that time, the Roman architects were on the raise and also

contributed to its raise. On close look at the Maison, their style can be in the raised platforms and

wide front steps which evolved from the Etruscan style of architecture (Giordano, 79).

The construction of the temple was also inspired by temples to Mar and Apollo. In other

words, it was modeled after the temples of these gods among other likewise temples and

buildings of that time. At the look of it, the temple was a merging of Etruscan temple style and

Greek style, with a greater influence from the Greeks especially towards the domes and the

curves. Its name was derived from archaic French carre long which means ‘long square’ it is

regular in shape. In architecture, a squire or a rectangular support is known as a pier. The

principle materials used for its construction were stone and concrete, though its concrete walls

were coated in facings of brick (Hansen, 176).

The Maison was constructed in accordance with the Roman state and culture. At the

beginning, the Roman territory was limited to Italy, but later expanded across Mediterranean

lands during the Late Republic. During the time, the Roman power was at its peak during the

Surname 2

time of Pax Romania, but later declined in the Late Empire. The architectural activity was at the

rise and most people engaged in construction activities. In fact, it was during this period; the

Empire period, that most extraordinary specimens of each type were constructed. It was during

this period when the Pantheon, the most celebrated of all Roman buildings, was designed and

constructed. It is perhaps the most famous vaulted Roman temple of all time. It is the world

largest, until the Renaissance, construction with a pierced circular skylight (Anderson, 189).

The temple was primarily dedicated to Rome, Augustus, and his two adopted sons;

Lucius and Gaius Caesar. Contrary to the functions of other temples, the temple was constructed

for the celebration of the Emperor and his son rather than for a deity as most temples were. It is

the most well preserved Roman temples. The Maison carree has been used as a Christian church

even in the 4 th

century achieves, as a Conon house, as a private residence as well as a town hall

for Nimes after the fall of the Roman Empire. It has become a museum, a tourist site and an art

place where art and roman artifacts are housed (Giordano, 129).

The Maison Carree was a great combination of roman art. It involved different forms of

architectures which followed the Roman cultures and norms. The early Christian architecture is

also evident in the building. During that period, the late Empire was at its final age while the

Roman art and architecture was talking a new form, the Christian art and architecture.

Consequently, the period was named Early Christian age as a result of the Christian art and

architecture. This explains the front interior display of the current Roman Catholic Basilica

building (Anderson, 125).

Maison carree is one of the most beautiful and harmonium building in France. It was a

major influence during the classical Revival, an inspiring Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia state

Surname 3

capital in 1788 among many other monumental buildings. Maison carree is a total work from the

landscape, beginning from the house, to the design of the furniture and the lamps. It is one of the

greatest works by Alvar Aalto, the architecture. His sketches are intuitive, though not academic,

and reflect the traditional art. Though it is an old building, it is maintained to accommodate the

modern comfort and felling. The curve of the ceiling, though old, gives a real sense of movement

together with its wooden slats. These provides a balanced synergy rather than pure symmetrical

which are made in accordance with Palladian rules of architecture (Hansen, 155).

Talking of design, Maison was designed by Alvar Aalto and the design was totally a

family affair. Maison carree is actually the only remaining building in France, and reflects a total

work of architecture, considering the interior and the landscape of the building. It is interesting to

think of he got the idea. At an extensive analysis of the building, the ceiling is an arch shaped

known as a vault. Vaults are different, or take different forms, the simplest being the tunnel

vault. A tunnel vault, also known as barrel vault, can be described as a continuous arch. Its

hallow shape demands thick supportive walls with limited gap for great and strong support. This

explains why the building has survived so many years. Moreover, the height of a tunnel vault

must increase along its width and this demands a well accurately calculated practical limit on its

size (Giordano, 109).

Even though the arch-shaped ceiling was a challenge, the Roman architects overcame this

limitation in two ways. First, they used the dome shape which can cover a large circular area, and

the groin shaped vault concentrates the weight at four points. This allowed the supportive walls

to be reduced in to four posts to provide more support. A grid of groin vault was used to enclose

an unlimited area with a minimum of vertical support for the Maison building, a concept that

should be emulated by the current architects in construction. For this reason, Alvar Aalto

Surname 4

together with the Roman architects who were involved in the Maison construction are, even

today, worldly celebrated for their great work. The building has undergone extensive

maintenance since then, and has formed part of a larger complex of adjoining buildings today.

Bibliography

Anderson, James C. Roman Architecture in Provence.

The article highlights some of the Roman architecture and brings into limelight some of the

fundamentals ways Maison was constructed. The article emphasizes that Maison carree is a total

work from the landscape, beginning from the house, to the design of the furniture and the lamps.

It is one of the greatest works by Alvar Aalto, the architecture.

Surname 5

Giordano, Ralph G. The Architectural Ideology of Thomas Jefferson; Jefferson, N.C: McFarland

& Co., Publishers, 2012. Internet resource.

The article explains how the Maison carree was a different temple who’s primarily function was

dedicated to Rome, Augustus, and his two adopted sons; Lucius and Gaius Caesar. Contrary to

the functions of other temples, the temple was constructed for the celebration of the Emperor and

his son rather than for a deity as most temples were. It is the most well preserved Roman

temples.

Hansen, David A. Architecture of France: Reference Guides to National Architecture. Westport,

Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2006. Print.

The article highlights some of the similarities and difference that are contained on the Maison

and some of the French architecture. It also focuses on the buildings function and stipulates that

It was utilized as a Christian church even in the 4 th

century achieves, as a Conon house, as a

private residence as well as a town hall for Nimes after the fall of the Roman Empire.

Work cited

Anderson, James C. Roman Architecture in Provence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,

2012. Print.

Giordano, Ralph G. The Architectural Ideology of Thomas Jefferson; Jefferson, N.C: McFarland

& Co., Publishers, 2012. Internet resource.

Surname 6

Hansen, David A. Architecture of France: Reference Guides to National Architecture. Westport,

Conn: Greenwood Press, 2006. Print.