"INTEGRITY TO WITHSTAND TIME"- Reading Response 5

Hagia Sophia (532-37 C.E) is located in Constantinople and is considered one of the "greatest buildings in the western world."  Part of the reason it is one of the greatest buildings not only in the western world, but primarily in the Christian world, is because of the buildings outstanding integrity to withstand time, as well as it's ingenious structure.

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Although it seems as though the structure must be complex, it is actually relatively simple.  There is a 30- meter square in the center of the building.  From the corners rises piers that support four arches, which all have pendentives between them used to hold a dome.  The lofty structure is still mostly in tact today, and has stood the test of time which shows that the 'commodity' level is definitely high.

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The dome church with the square base shows the revolutionized plan of the churches structure.  As we learned in class, there were two competing types of temple structures as the Christian faith grew, and had to be relocated above ground.  One idea was the basilica, a rectangular structure with high ceilings and a frontward stand that allowed sound to reverberate through the space.  The second structure was the dome, because several people thought the structure of the church (rather than the people in it) was more important because the dome would point to and honor their god.  Procopius said about the Hagia Sophia that, "The dome must surely seem not to rest upon solid masonry but to cover the space beneath with its golden dome suspended from heaven."  For a while architects could not quite figure out how to combine the two and there were several designs that had a dome at one end, and the basilica as the separate but combined structure.  Finally, as exemplified with the Hagia Sophia, architects figured out how to truly have a basilica but still include the dome structure on top of the rectangular-like structure.  By including the basilica within the Hagia Sophia's structure, the 'commodity' level is obtained because the people are able to use the space in an able manner.

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In addition to the spatial composition of the structure, the remarkable design on the inside is perhaps the most compelling part of all.  Here the 'delight' level is represented.  The architects wanted to make sure that the structural system looked effortless, and therefore they implemented several distractions.  There is a sense of drama created by the spacious corridors, and light that streams directly into the nave.  The floor has been described as 'a wavy sea', and the windows are tinted blue, green red, brown, yellow, and purple.  The entire space has been said to give a feeling of being at the 'bottom of a vast canyon.'  Also, the pavement marble changes from dark-gray to green with white veins, to dark-blue with yellow veins.  It has reddish columns, and there are numerous silver and gold mosaics.  "The eye moves from surface to surface as if structure simply did not exist."  We recently discussed how architecture is like frozen music.  The Hagia Sophia definitely represents frozen music to me because it causes ones eyes to dance.  With all of the colors, windows, mosaics, and high ceilings it creates a busy but beautiful effect, similar to a busy and beautiful song.

Hagia Sophia's Mosaic
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Hagia Sophia's windows
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Hagia Sophia's marble floor
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