Modelle und Architektur Les Maquettes d ... - Aktuell - TUM

Zusammenfassungen - Résumés - Abstracts
Model versus perspective – the rivalry between three-dimensional
representation types in France in the 19 th century
At the beginning of the 19 th century, in correlation with the foundation of the school for
fine arts, perspective was implemented as key means in planning and representing
architecture. This pictorial dimension, increasing from the middle of the 18 th century,
becomes obvious in publications by Percier and Fontaine and equally the scholars of
Charles Percier. In the opinion of David van Zanten, perspectives accord to a practice
within the project in order to construct a spatial declaration of intention to aim at a
certain impression regarding the observer´s point of view. The elevation drawing
affirms the plan.
At the same time, the development of architecture editions intended for greater public
in form of printed books caused an inflation to the culture of “the architect” and an
unprecedented increase of objective models as well as the visual repertoire of architects.
Having formerly been restricted to copper engravings, representation techniques
manifold for images by enabling a better account of values, details and colours.
Photography, though grown common, enabling a playful handling of model
representation, hardly finds some place in publications.
Models are being neglected, as means for design in the academic context, preferring
drawings as representation method as in their property as well as in terms of presentation
and communication, being two dimensions of architecture, which largely have
been taken over by printing. Nonetheless, models do not disappear entirely from the
field of architecture and building. They are still used for public exhibitions of projects,
for teaching in architectural history, to show guidelines of constructions or the building
progress, and, else, carry an alternative vision of an architectural organism, anticipating
the advancement and account in due course of the 20 th century.
Modelle und Architektur - Les maquettes et l´architecture - Models and Architecture 45