Architectural History Of Buckingham Palace - Term Paper Example

Architectural History Of Buckingham Palace The Buckingham Palace is one of the most prized landmarks in modern England. It functions as the royal family’s residence and holding venue for state visits and affairs. The palace is considered as a symbol of national monarchy and pride. With the magnificence that is forever attached to the Buckingham Palace is the ingenuity contained within the persona of one of its architects. John Nash, a British architect, was the one responsible for the remodeling of the Buckingham House which ultimately resulted to the grandeur that the 19th century palace has. This paper will discuss the significant role of John Nash to the architectural splendor of the Buckingham Palace. It will first tackle a brief history of the Buckingham House before the intervention of John Nash. The paper will then dissect the architectural features that John Nash had created for the Buckingham House thus transforming it into the palace that it is today. The Buckingham House before John Nash The history of the Buckingham Palace began with the death of the Duke of Buckingham in 1721. The Buckingham House, as it was called then, remained to be the residence of the duke’s widow until her death in 1742.1 The form of the house was already a rough image of what the palace would become in the future. The entire structure was filled with neo-classical themes such as columns and balustrades which had transcended up to the re-modeling of John Nash. The original image of the Buckingham House had been retained until the purchase of the structure by King George III for the price of 28,000 pounds. The initial purpose of the purchase was to provide a separate residence for the Queen. However, the house eventually became the royalty’s official residence where they brought up their large family.2 Minor additions to the Buckingham House began in 1761 where a musical entertainment to the royal gardens was included in the entire residence. This construction was intended for the king’s birthday celebration in 1763.3 The architectural innovations within the royal grounds were formalized with the rivalry of two architects who had been chosen for the musical entertainment’s completion. These architects were Robert Adam and William Chambers. Although there were particular fusions to the designs of Adam and Chambers, flaunting of architectural skills made the latter as the emergent and superior architect of the royal garden’s musical entertainment.4 Generally, the most important feature of the Buckingham House that pleased King George III and his family was its simplicity and its domestic atmosphere. The royal family wanted to escape the formal and strict lifestyle supervised by the royal court. Hence, the ambiance that the Buckingham House provided was sufficient for the royalty’s desires. The very structure of the house was favorable as King George III had been known to be an enthusiastic amateur architect. He considered it fit for his family - the entire second floor provided elegant rooms for the Queen while the ground floor functioned as the king’s residence and academic domain, embodied through the presence of the West or Great Library, the East, the South Library and the Octagon Library (see Figure 1).5 The architectural history of the Buckingham House and the royalty began to be intertwined with King George III’s efforts to enhance and give reverence to the whole structure’s unique design. From House to Palace under John Nash’s Designs The death of King George III and the ascension of King George IV to the English throne allowed the John Nash to partake in the evolution of the Buckingham House into a palatial palace.6 One of the most notable masterpieces of Nash was the creation of the Throne Room (see Figure 2). A regal coloration of royal red and gold ornate the entire room thus, making the area fit for state and court affairs. To add to this, a classic feature of the room can be seen upon its balustrades. Sculptural frescoes adorn the ceiling – a reminder of Greek influence. The throne chairs, provided by Bernasconi, were designed after the entire structure’s neo-classical pattern, based on Imperial Roman architecture.7 Symbolism also thrives within the throne chairs which depict England’s Wars of the Roses.8 This neo-classical theme on the designs of the Buckingham Palace was created through the fusion of classical Greek and Roman architecture. Going back through centuries of architectural history, the Greek foundations provided the simple and plain tone of the Athenian and Hellenic structures of the Age of Pericles.9 The Roman flavor came into being by the re-emergence of the Greek architectural design with the pomp and grandeur of Roman culture – this was known as the Greco-Roman architecture.10 The Greco-Roman legacy evolved into the neo-classical sense due to the revival of both the Greek and the Roman architectural styles which emerged in the latter movements of structural aesthetics of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.11 Neo-classicism can be further evidenced through the Buckingham Palace’s state rooms. A perfect example is the State Dining Room, the formerly Music Room designed by Nash (see Figure 3). The neo-classical style was taken to its limit by incorporating Italian Renaissance themes into the room.12 A predominant image of gold and red can be observed. This is a reminder of the royal atmosphere intended by the architect. The long table at the center and the magnificent chandeliers and candelabras exhibit the exact 17th century rebirth of the arts. The Renaissance movement was an important factor to the State Dining Room because it was the epitome of the Renaissance gentleman.13 The room displays the virtue of ingenuity in the arts and the sciences - a combination of Greco-Roman legacy and the perfection of architectural styles meet. The entire area is spacious and filled with adequate lighting provided by the abundant candles and the high ceiling which allowed the installation of high doors. As what can be noticed, the geometrical form of the corners and the balustrades, together with the installation of the Corinthian pillars, makes a perfect mix of the independent architectural styles. What is a very Nash feature of the State Dining Room is the incorporation of the domed ceiling amidst the square or rectangular room. This can be evidenced in other structures designed by the architect such as the Library at Caledon in Ireland. Another feature which is very unique about the State Dining Room is the use of architectural sculptures in plaster. This was a prevalent trait of contemporary British art exhibited in marble monuments such as those in St. Paul’s Cathedral.14 Another state room which bears the neo-classical atmosphere is the Buckingham Palace’s Green Drawing Room (see Figure 4). The room is not as ornate as that of the State Dining Room. The emphasis of the domed ceiling was not given much credence in the Green Drawing Room as compared to the State Dining Room. However, an interesting design can be seen in the room’s ceiling where geometrical patterns of circle and rectangle with triangular inlays exhibit the Renaissance air. The intricate plaster sculptures which serve as accents to the balustrades and the ceiling borders all reflect the Romanesque15 and neo-classical nature of the Green Drawing Room.16 With respect to the accepted neo-classical traits of the Buckingham Palace’s interior structure and design, other critics classify the building as both modern and post modern. According to Pat Kirkham’s review about the Buckingham Palace, Nash’s adherence and preference for simplicity and restraint with the innate veneration for light and elegant designs makes the palace a modernist structure.17 Indeed, the modernist nature of the palace can be justified because the building adheres to the basic parameters of the architectural modern movement - minimalism and simplicity are two of the basic foundations which make a particular structure modernist.18 Kirkham adds that with the level of modernity the Buckingham Palace observes, the royal residence is also a post modern piece because it fuses the styles of the Italian Renaissance, the eighteenth century British architecture, with hints of Rococo and Baroque highlights. The palace is thus considered as a post modern paradise.19 Conclusion Indeed, John Nash had significant contributions to the architectural splendor of the Buckingham Palace. From the renovations and the alterations that Nash had created with the Buckingham Palace’s interior, the entire structure had been transformed into an architectural haven and a very unique piece of landmark on the face of Britain. The evolution of the Buckingham House instigated by the efforts of King George III’s architects, Adam and Chambers up to the commissioning of Nash to re-model the royal residence under King George IV, the architect had successfully converted the mere house into a palace that everyone recognizes as the premier dwelling place of the British royalties. The original and official neo-classical style derived from the Greco-Roman legacy turned the Buckingham Palace into a modern and post modern architectural structure through the presence of different styles and designs present within the different state rooms of the residence, courtesy of course from the ingenuity and skills of Nash. Bibliography Amery, Colin. “Buckingham Palace: A Tour through History”. Bennett, Judith M. and C. Warren Hollister. Medieval Europe: A Short History. California: McGraw-Hill, Inc.: 2006. Harris, John. “From Buckingham House to Palace: The Box within the Box within the Box”. Hollister, C. Warren. Roots of the Western Tradition. California: McGraw-Hill, Inc.: 1996. King, Ross. Michelangelo & the Pope’s Ceiling. New York: Walker & Company, 2003. Kirkham, Pat. “Buckingham House after Nash”. Libby, Brian. “Beijing Bird's Nest – Architecture”, Architecture Week. United States: n.p., 2008. Robinson, John Martin. “The Nash State Rooms: Opulence, Ingenuity and Originality”. Appendix Figure 1: A Floor Plan of the Buckingham House before John Nash. Figure 2: The Throne Room Figure 3: The State Dining Room Figure 4: The Green Drawing Room Read More