Gothic arches, prairie-style homes, and Brunelleschi's dome are some things that may come to mind when you think architecture. The Internet is a great resource, a virtual museum if you will, to learn about the art of building. You can visit the Empire State Building or the Eiffel Tower, all without setting foot on an airplane. Sure, there's no beating a visit to the real deal, but a visit to the right Web sites might be the next best thing.
Architecture Through the Ages, a ThinkQuest site, offers information about the architecture of a variety of cultures, including Mayan, Chinese and Aztec. The section of the Web site devoted to Cathedrals is especially helpful in explaining how the architectural style originated. Did you know creating a stained glass window can take about one month or that a gargoyle's primary job is to take rainwater and "spit" it away from the structure?
Archiseek.com has an appealing search feature for architecture researchers. For example, type "Wright" into the search engine at Archiseek.com, and visitors are presented with a list of links to Web sites about or dedicated to architect Frank Lloyd Wright. One such site is the All-Wright Site - Frank Lloyd Wright Building Guide, where all of his built work is represented.
Architect.org is a site with real estate news, booklists and more information designed to attract today's working architect. Death By Architecture has a wide array of upcoming design and architecture competitions.
If you are looking for 3D images of your favorite architectural works, check out GreatBuildings.com, where you can view what the site calls its most visited buildings, including Villa Savoye and Fallingwater. It also has a designated daily building and a building of the week. Click on a building name and you will be taken to a mini-biography of that building that describes the materials used and the architect who built it.
Castles of the World has a Web page devoted to architectural design of stairways, windows and more. Learn how architects sought to make castles a fortress against invaders.
If you have more specific architectural styles in mind, there are sites across the Web that cater to nearly every culture.
The Islamic Architecture site uses color photos posted in its gallery to illustrate the many decorations typical of this architectural style, including the ribbed dome and the arabesque. If you are looking for a basic overview of Roman architecture, check out historyforkids. Roman contributions to architecture include the arch, concrete and the baked brick. Learn the difference between the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian architectural systems at AncientGreece.com.
Some universities have Web sites devoted to specific cultural architectural advancements, such as A Digital Archive of American Architecture hosted by Boston College. For more information about American Architecture, see the Library of Congress' Architecture and Interior Design for 20th Century America site.
--- T. Beecham
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