Discussion 6 Thinking Critically About Architecture - Essay Example

Your Full 16 February Thinking critically about architecture. In 1929, William Howard Taft (the former President) convinced Congress to find a permanent place for the Supreme Court. The idea was to allow the Supreme Court to operate as an independent branch of the Federal government while also keeping judicial proceedings and court acts as coequals. The arrangement for the building as stated by Charles Evans Hughes was to be “the national ideal of justice in the highest sphere of activity (U.S. Supreme Court 2, 2011)”.

The United States Supreme Court was designed in 1935. It is located in Washington, D.C. on 1st and East Capitol Sts., NE. The Supreme Court was created to be a government courthouse. The structure was designed by American Cass Gilbert in the neoclassical style (U.S. Supreme Court 1, 2011). The courthouse has several Greco-Roman influences. The building uses symmetry, standard Corinthian column types, roof entablature, building wells, and basilicas. The use of Greco-Roman architecture is a benefit to the functionality of the courthouse and its purpose.

The great size of the building is used to house four floors of judicial service. The ground floor is used for offices and public services. The first floor is occupied by Justices’ chambers, offices for law clerks and secretaries, the East and West Conference rooms, and several other rooms of utility for officers of the court. The second floor is mostly office space and the Justices’ library and dining rooms. The third floor is where the Supreme Court Library is located. Neoclassical architecture is defined as classical architecture of ancient Greece and Roman influence that is likely to have symmetrical shape, columns that rise to the full height of the buildings, triangular pediment, and/or a domed roof (Neoclassical Architecture, 2011).

This style is apparent in the exterior structure of the Supreme Court. There are sixteen exterior columns that rise to the top of the building and there is triangular pediment visual in the front end. The Supreme Court uses several types of columns from Greek order. The courthouse uses Corinthian columns topped with entablatures supporting the exterior of the building. These columns are present in the center entrance of the main building. There is a definite symmetry of the building as it peeks in the middle and skews to either side.

Entablatures are present on the exterior of the courthouse embodied below the pediments and above the columns. These décor are typical of Greek culture and dramatic in design. Inside the Supreme Court uses what is known as the building well. There are two marble staircases that spiral down without being harnessed in the middle. The building also uses the basilica design. This building design was utilized by the Romans to demonstrate administration. Typically the building interior is wide and spacious.

They are considered to be courthouses and known as apse (seats of magistrate for dispensing the law) (Roman Power, 2010). The appearance choices used by the Supreme Court are definitely a success on the part of the intended functions of the building. Creating a large presence was a sign of authority in Roman nature. The use of the neoclassical style has allowed the building to house the necessary offices as well as donate some space for visiting purposes. While using these elements and adopting Greco-Roman architecture the United States Supreme Court has maintained a dominant presence in the U.S.ReferencesU.

S Supreme Court 1 - U.S. Supreme Court. 2011. Retrieved from http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/U.S._Supreme_Court.html U.S. Supreme Court 2 - U.S. Supreme Court. National Park Service: U.S. Department of The Interior. 2011. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc78.htm Neoclassical Architecture. Architecture. 2011. Retrieved from http://architecture.about.com/od/periodsstyles/g/neoclassical.htm Roman Power. Roman Architecture. 2010. Retrieved from http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/arth200/politics/roman_architecture.

html The Court Building. About the Supreme Court. 2011. Retrieved from http://www.supremecourt.gov/about/courtbuilding.aspx