ARCHITECTURAL | History | 18 Questions (EASY)

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

(18 Questions, Difficulty Level: EASY)

by Raison John J. Bassig

Q#1: How many Ionic columns does the facade of the Parthenon have?
a. 8
b. 6
c. 12
d. None

Although the Parthenon DOES have eight (8) columns along its facade, all of its columns are of the DORIC Order and NOT Ionic.

(The Parthenon in Acropolis, Greece. Photo from Public Domain.)

(Columns and capitals of the 3 Major Greek Orders. Image courtesy of kirasam72 via Blogspot.)

Therefore, the correct answer is d. None (there are NO Ionic columns -- only Doric columns).

Q#2: The Bauhaus, a school in Germany operating from 1919 to 1933, that was founded with the idea of creating a "total" work of art in which all arts, including architecture, graphic design, interior design, pottery, industrial design, typography, among others, would be brought togeter. Who among the following architects did not serve as its director?

(Photographed by mhobl)

a. Mies van der Rohe
b. Marcel Breuer
c. Hannes Meyer
d. Walter Gropius

Tip: Be aware of "stinger words" such as EXCEPT and NOT. This will turn your "perceived correct answer" wrong. Read every question VERY CAREFULLY - even if it is long. One word can change the entire paragraph differently. In my question, we are looking for the person who is NOT a director of Bauhaus.

There were 3 Bauhaus Directors (Walter Gropius in 1919 at Weimer, followed by Hannes Meyer in 1929 at Dessau, and lastly, Mies van der Rohe in 1930 at Berlin).

Marcel Breuer was only an instructor and had NEVER served as a DIRECTOR of Bauhaus.

Therefore, the correct answer is b. Marcel Breuer.

Q#3: A construction device permitting the placing of a circular dome over a square room. These are triangular segments of a sphere, taper to the points at the bottom and spread at the top to establish the continuous circular base needed for the dome.
a. Corbel
b. Pendentive
c. Squinch
d. Tholobate

A Corbel is simply a type of bracket, made of stone, wood or metal, usually projecting from the face of a wall for the purpose of supporting an imposed weight.

A Tholobate (or Drum) is a vertical portion of a structure where a dome is raised, acting as a cylindical pedestal for a dome.

Pendentives and Squinches are both used for supporting a circular dome over a square base, but with certain differences as to the shape of its segments. Here's an illustration comparing the Pendentive and the Squinch (notice the triangular segments of the sphere for the pendentive compared to the arc segments for the squinch):

(Image courtesy of Yishi Liu / ResearchGate)

Therefore, the correct answer is b. Pendentive.

Q#4: A semi-circular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, and hence the direction that Muslims should face while praying.
a. Minbar
b. Qibla
c. Minaret
d. Mihrab

My given choices are as follows:

Minbar is a raised PLATFORM (similar to a pulpit) where the Imam (prayer leader) delivers his sermon.

Qibla is the DIRECTION of the Kaaba in Mecca.

Minaret is the TOWER or SPIRE from which people are called to prayer.

Mihrab is the WALL (with a semi-circular niches) inside a Mosque that tells where the Qibla is. Mihrab is sometimes referred as the "Qibla Wall".

Here is a photo of a Mihrab (seen also at the right is the Minbar):

(Sultan Hassan Mosque in Egypt. Photographed by Mariam mohamed Kamal)

Therefore, the correct answer is d. Mihrab.

Q#5: Which of the following is a type of Ancient Roman building/structure?
a. Propylea
b. Palaestra
c. Domus
d. Bouleuterion

All other choices (a, b, and d) are examples of Ancient Greek structures:

Propylea - Greek monumental gateway
Palaestra - Greek wrestling school
Bouleuterion - Greek council/assembly/senate house

While, Domus is an Ancient Roman house for the upper class.

Therefore, the correct answer is c. Domus.

Q#6: This cathedral, which was built between 1194 and 1250, features heavy flying buttresses on its exterior and two contrasting spires on the west facade. It is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.

(Photographed by Atlant)

a. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris
b. Amiens Cathedral
c. Reims Cathedral
d. Chartres Cathedral

The Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral was built between 1160 to 1260 in Paris, France featuring rib vaulting, flying buttresses and rose windows. The two towers on the west facade are symmetrical.

The Amiens Cathedral (Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Amiens) was built between 1220 to c.1270 in Amiens, France. The two towers on its facade are assymetrical. The spire is located at the middle of the cathedral above the central crossing, but was only added in the 1530's.

The Reims Cathedral (Our Lady of Reims) was a replacement to an old cathedral built in 401 but destroyed by fire in 1210. The new cathedral was built from 1211 to 1275 in Reims, France. The two tower on the facade are symmetrical.

Comparison of the facade of all the cathedrals in my given choices:

(Credits: Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral from Peter Haas. Amiens Cathedral from Jean-Pol GRANDMONT. Reims Cathedral from Johan Bakker. Chartres Cathedral from Tony Hisgett.)

Therefore, the correct answer is d. Chartres Cathedral.

Q#7: The Glass House built in 1949 in New Canaan, Connecticut is an influential project for modern architecture on the use of industrial materials such as glass and steel in home design. Who was the architect-owner of this house?

(Photographed by Thomas Nemeskeri via Flickr)

a. Mies van der Rohe
b. Philip Johnson
c. Luis Barragan
d. Tadao Ando

It may look similar to the one designed by Mies Van Der Rohe - so be careful not to interchage those two 'similar' houses.

The Glass House in my question was designed (and also owned) by Philip Johnson in 1949. It was inspired by (some say "copied") a similarly-designed house by Mies Van Der Rohe in 1945 -- the Farnsworth House (see photo below).

(Farnsworth House by Mies Van Der Rohe. Photographed by Marc Buehler via Flickr)

Therefore, the correct answer is b. Philip Johnson.

Q#8: Who is the architect of this church located in Quezon Avenue in Quezon City?

(Photographed by Joannerfabregas via Wikipedia)

a. Fernando Ocampo
b. Jose Maria Zaragoza
c. Genaro Palacio
d. Juan Nakpil

The photo is the Sto. Domingo Church along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City

Therefore, the correct answer is b. Jose Maria Zaragoza.

Q#9: Identify this building, located in New York and completed in 1958. It was designed by the German architect Mies van der Rohe and stands as one of the finest examples of the functionalist aesthetic and a masterpiece of corporate modernism.

(Photographed by Tom Ravenscrodt via Flickr)

a. Bank of America Tower
b. 860-880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments
c. IBM Plaza
d. Seagram Building

Among the choices, only two of the buildings involved the architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Years prior to designing the Seagram building, Mies van der Rohe designed the 860-880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments located in Chicago, Illinois. The buildings were of minimalistic design but features non-curtain wall design (windows attached to the structure) with decorative mullions

(The 860-880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments by Mies van der Rohe. Photographed by JeremyA via Wikipedia)

The Seagram Building, to be built on an unlimited budget from the owner Phyllis Lambert, commissioned architect Mies van der Rohe (along with architect Philip Johnson for the interiors) designed the structure with a style intended to highlight and make visible the functional utility of a building's structural elements, and deprive any form of ornamental decorations.

(Johnson, van der Rohe, and Lambert during the design of the Seagram Building. Image by Architectural Review)

Therefore, the correct answer is d. Seagram Building.

Q#10: This building was once a cathedral, then a mosque, and now a museum.
a. Taj Mahal
b. Hagia Sophia
c. Dome of the Rock
d. St. Basil Cathedral

The Hagia Sophia is located in Istanbul, Turkey. From 537 AD to 1453 AD it was a cathedral. From 1453 to 1931 it was a mosque. Since 1935, it has become a museum.

(Photographed by Nserrano via Wikipedia)

Therefore, the correct answer is b. Hagia Sophia.

Q#11: Who was the architect of this structure built around the 1500's which is located at Montorio, Rome in Italy?

(Photographed by Bruno via Flickr)

a. Giorgio Vasari
b. Leon Battista Alberti
c. Andrea Palladio
d. Donato Bramante

The structure shown in the photo is the Tempietto ("small temple"), a tomb built by Donato Bramante in the courtyard of San Pietro in Montorio and is considered to be one of the highlights in High Renaissance Italian architecture.

Therefore, the correct answer is d. Donato Bramante.

Q#12: An example of unsymmetrical balance is the Philippine Heart Center located along East Avenue in Quezon City built during the Marcos era. Who is the architect of this building?

(Photographed by eliyutero via Wikimapia)

a. Jose Ma. Zaragoza
b. Felipe M. Mendoza
c. Jorge Y. Ramos
d. Leandro V. Locsin

Other notable works of the same architect are the GSIS Building in Pasay, and the Golden Mosque in Quiapo, Manila.

Therefore, the correct answer is c. Jorge Y. Ramos.

Q#13: A manifesto of the "five points of new architecture", this building is representative of the bases of modern architecture and is one of the most early recognizable and renowned examples of the International Style. What is this building?
a. Villa Savoye
b. Dymaxion House
c. Fallingwater
d. Vanna Venturi House

The Five Points of a New Architecture (Cinq Points de L'architecture Moderne) was developed by the architect Le Corbusier in his book Towards a New Architect (Vers une Architecture) during his early career. His project Villa Savoye (1929-1931) featured all of his five points:

1. Pilotis (replacing supporting walls of a grid of reinforced concrete columns that bears structural load)

2. The Free Designing of the Ground Plan (absence of supporting walls means the house is unrestrained in its internal use)

3. The Free Design of the Façade (separates exterior of building from its structural function and sets façade free from structural constraints)
4. Ribbon Window

5. Roof Gardens on a Flat Roof (serves as a domestic purpose while providing essential protection to the concrete roof)

(Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier in Poissy, France. Photographed by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra via Flickr)

Therefore, the correct answer is a. Villa Savoye.

Q#14: The most famous Egyptian pyramids are those found in Giza. Name the second-largest pyramid located at the middle of the Giza pyramid complex.

(Photographed by Damien Patton via Flickr)

a. Pyramid of Menkaure
b. Pyramid of Khufu / Pyramid of Cheops
c. Pyramid of Djoser / Pyramid of Zoser
d. Pyramid of Khafre / Pyramid of Chefren

Among the choices, the Pyramid of Djoser (or Zoser) does NOT belong to the group of pyramids located in Giza. Djoser's Pyramid is situated in the Saqqara necropolis, near Memphis in Egypt. It is known as the "stepped pyramid", an early prototype of Egyptian pyramids before they perfected the smooth-sided structures of the ones found in Giza.

(Pyramid of Djoser/Zoser in Saqqara. Photographed by Charles J Sharp via Wikipedia)

The three other choices (Pyramid of Menkaure, Pyramid of Khufu/Cheops, and Pyramid of Khafre/Chefren) all comprise the great pyramids in Giza, Egypt. The smallest is the Pyramid of Menkaure, while the largest is the Pyramid of Khufu/Cheops.

(Aerial view of the Giza complex from Eduard Spelterini's balloon in 1904. Image courtesy of unmuseum.org)

Therefore, the correct answer is d. Pyramid of Khafre / Pyramid of Chefren.

Q#15: Who is the architect of this structure built in Australia?

(Photographed by Enochlau via Wikipedia)

a. Jorn Utzon
b. Eero Saarinen
c. Bernard Tschumi
d. Alvar Aalto

The structure shown is the famous Sydney Opera House located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Danish architect Jorn Utzon won the design competition in 1957. Construction began in 1958 in three (3) phases (podium, roof, and interiors) and the building was formally opened in 1973.

(Jorn Utzon during the construction of the Sydney Opera House circa 1965 from Keystone/Getty Images)

Therefore, the correct answer is a. Jorn Utzon.

Q#16: A large upright standing stone, generally uneven and square in shape, and often tapering towards the top.
a. Cromlech
b. Obelisk
c. Dolmen
d. Menhir

Cromlech is a circular pattern/arrangement of monoliths (usually around a Dolmen).

Dolmen is a table-like shaped megalith comprising of two or more vertical stones supporting a large horizontal slab above.

Obelisk and Menhir are both large upright standing stones that often tapers towards the top but note their differences:

OBELISK = Square section | Tapers to Top | Even

MENHIR = 'Generally' square | Tapers to Top | 'Generally' UNEVEN

To give you an idea of how these structures look like, below are sample images of the choices I gave:

(Credits: Cromlech from euskadi.eus. Dolmen by Jon Sullivan. Obelisk via pinterest. Menhir by Dal_gCais.)

Therefore, the correct answer is d. Menhir.

Q#17: Marketplace or public square in an ancient Greek city, usually surrounded with public buildings and porticoes and commonly used as a place for popular or political activity.
a. Atrium
b. Agora
c. Forum
d. Piazza

An Atrium is a large open air or skylight covered space inside a building commonly featured in ancient Roman dwellings.

A Forum, meaning "public outdoor place", is a public square in ancient Roman cities with the primary purpose of selling goods (marketplace) and social gatherings.

A Piazza (a rough equivalent to the Spanish plaza) is a town square in Italy.

An Agora, meaning "assembly" or "gathering place", is a central public space in ancient Greek cities.

(Plan of the Agora of Atehns at the height of its development in ca. A.D. 150. Image courtesy of Agathe.gr)

Therefore, the correct answer is b. Agora.

Q#18: In a traditional Bahay na Bato, this space, paved with piedra china that leads to the patio, is where the carruajes enter and deposit the passengers by the stairs. What is this space?
a. Entresuelo
b. Azotea
c. Zaguan
d. Caida

My other given choices are equivalent to the following spaces/rooms:

Entresuelo = Mezzanine
Azotea = Terrace
Caida = Ante-sala or Ante-room

Zaguan, on the other hand, is the area where a carruaje (i.e., a horse-driven carriage) enters (this entrance is contiguous to the Central Courtyard).

(Zaguan in Casa Manila. Photo by saronic via TripAdvisor.)

Therefore, the correct answer is c. Zaguan.