I would like to apologize for the lack of updates, I’m having some issues with my current hosting company and things are made worst with the lack of internet at my new place, hopefully things would go back to normal in another two weeks time.
Just in case you’re wondering, this is my final year (hopefully) and my thesis topic is ‘Architecture and Democracy’, if you come across any useful information regarding parliaments and the idea of buildings that meets the people, please email it to me. Thanks.
You could look into the U.S. government buildings. I always thought it was interesting that Thomas Jefferson patterned the first ones after Roman architecture because of it´s symbolism, scale, etc.
Great topic, How about the style of U.S. government buildings as chosen by Thomas Jefferson or the distinct styles of diferent eras in other countries. The fascist design of the Mussolini era really stuck out for me when I was in Milan as compared to the style of cathedrals or some of the other architecture there. Soviet era buildings could also be interesting.
http://images.google.com.mx/imgres?imgurl=http://architecture.nd.edu/news_and_events/images/greenberg.jpg&imgrefurl=http://architecture.nd.edu/news_and_events/lecture_allan_greenberg.shtml&h=178&w=150&sz=6&hl=en&start=2&sig2=gK0TWjxR15BOfW_jniowqg&um=1&tbnid=_qYPmIRyZpsS1M:&tbnh=101&tbnw=85&ei=PcveR7jzAomigQOrm4i_Cw&prev=/images%3Fq%3DArchitecture%2Band%2BDemocracy%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:es-ES:official%26sa%3DG
hey! just out of curiosity, that pic… did you draw/write that when you were small?
Hail Brother!
If you are looking at the U.S. for architecture of democracy then u are lookin in the wrong place. All of our government buildings, monuments and memorials are neoclassical with a doric emphasis. The values portrayed are Masculinity, Strength, Brotherhood, and are better associated with Capitalism than with Democracy. I would suggest comparing whatever you think democratic architecture to be, to architecture that is profoundly undemocratic i.e. the works of Albert Spear, or Soviet era design. I think then u will notice there are more similarities than differences between them. Another good theme would be to analyze freedom of expression in architecture.
hope i helped some, and good luck!
Sorry I am so late in commenting, but the newly devolved parliaments of the Scottish (EMBT & RMJM in Edinburgh) and the Welsh (Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) in the UK, or the Reichstag (Foster + Partners) in Berlin would merit study.
All of these buildings were supposed attempts to create better connections between those making decisions of government and the peoples who elected them.