GOTHIC V/S MODERN: THE EVOLUTION OF THE CATHEDRALS

Emerging in the 12th century France, the gothic era was a period of intricate paintings, sculptures, art and architecture. Advancing from Romanesque architecture, which comprised of round roman arches and small windows, the Gothic architecture, brought with it the concept of pointed arches and beautiful stained glass windows. The cathedrals of this era exhibit grandeur, elaborate ornamentation and light and airy interiors. The characteristics of Gothic architecture can be seen in various structures of the modern times as well. With that being said, the cathedrals of modern architecture showcase contrasting features like simplicity, asymmetric composition and no ornamentation.

One of the stellar examples of French Gothic era was the Notre-dame de Paris, which recently celebrated its 850th anniversary in 2013. In comparison to this, a modern day cathedral designed by Le Corbusier known as the Notre Dame du Haut or Ronchamp Chapel, changed the image of a typical church and broadened perspectives.

The primary feature that one observes looking at the Notre-dame de Paris is the massive height of the structure.

The height goes up to 43 metre to the base of the towers and 63 metre at the top of the towers, which can be credited to the vaulted ceilings. It was one of the pioneer buildings to introduce new and astounding features like the gargoyles, which were designed to maintain the water run-off, flying buttresses to support the exterior walls and pointed arches, which embarked a distinct style of architecture. Ornamentation was given importance that includes stained glass windows, which illuminate the space inside and create an amazing visual experience. The famous rose windows show an immaculate detailed artwork portraying images of kings and queens and of Mother Mary holding Jesus Christ.

The vertical and horizontal aspects balance each other which produce a powerful western façade of the cathedral. The façade has been called a “Pure creation of spirit” by Le Corbusier and is also decorated with individually crafted stone sculptures or statues, with amazing detailing. Varying from the bold exterior, the interior of this structure is light and airy and has a huge area of approx 6300 sq. metres which can accommodate a large sum of people.

As the times have changed, trends, art and architecture have evolved as well. Talking about cathedrals, a drastic change in the architecture, including form, aesthetics and materials can be observed.

The Ronchamp Chapel, situated near Paris is unquestionably one of the finest churches in the modern era, built in the 1950s. It sits on the top of a hill, secluded from the rest of the spaces around. Corbusier envisioned it to be a space where people could meditate and sound, light and materials paid a key role.

While the Notre-dame consists of several sculptures put together, this structure appears to be a sculpture in itself. The walls, which have a gentle curving and support the curvilinear roof, are responsible for bringing out its sculptural nature. Comparatively, the structure is small and has thick walls made of mostly concrete, creating an entirely different appearance from all different sides.

The south wall is a creative masterpiece. It consists of a wall which starts from the east expands towards west, and curves through south. This façade consists of a number of small and irregular windows glazed with clear and coloured glass. These openings are slanting at varying degrees and thus scatter light differently, which creates an interesting play of light and shadow inside.

Although the exterior appears to be quite complex with plain white walls, the interior is quite simple with certain walls of colours like red and violet. On the wall behind the altar in the chapel, the light is dispersed in such a way that it creates an image of a starry night, creating a powerful religious and spiritual experience for the people. Though the structure appears to be complex and has an asymmetric composition, it is programmatically is quite simple with a main altar, two entrances and three chapels.

The differences between the structures of these two eras are quite stark.

While the Notre-dame de Paris is the epitome of magnificence, the Ronchamp Chapel is a brilliant illustration of simplicity. Although the structures are visually contrasting, they serve the same purpose - to allow the congregation of a large number of people where they can worship and find peace - in a spiritually enriched ambience.. Complex exterior elevations with simple interior planning is a factor common to the both the cathedrals.

Easy access, large interior spaces for a large audience and an effort to keep the interiors peaceful and pure was a major highlight observed in the structures of both the eras. The paramount points of difference are the height, level of ornamentation and complexity.