Eclectic style in architecture: characteristics, architects, examples

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Approximately from the middle of the 19th century, the eclectic style appeared in Russia. In architecture, he expressed himself most contrastingly. This direction comes to replace classicism. But if the past style gave cities a regular layout, laid the foundation for centers, then eclecticism filled the rigid structure of quarters and completed urban ensembles.

How the direction was born

At the dawn of the 19th century, the rapid development of capitalism began throughout the country, it was accompanied by the active construction of railways, the appearance of which revived small towns. This is exactly what happened, for example, with Chelyabinsk and Kurgan, and as for their near region of Yekaterinburg, by the end of the 19th century it had become a major railway junction. The same thing happened in other parts of the country.

Of course, all this has created the prerequisites for the further development of cities, new residential and commercial buildings are beginning to appear. More and more shops were being built. Houses that originallywere created in order to rent them out, began to lease to private entrepreneurs for shops. It should be noted that this situation was only with the lower floors. As for the upper apartments, they were still intended for housing or for some small offices.

Eclectic architectural style, characteristic features

Due to the fact that the number of buildings was constantly growing, they tried to decorate them with as many varieties as possible in order to attract attention. They did it, of course, for advertising purposes.

Eclectic architecture differs from its predecessors in the abundance and variety of decorative elements. This gave the creators greater freedom of action and breadth of creative thought. Eclecticism allowed the simultaneous use of elements of various styles: Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance, Byzantine, Finnish, pseudo-Russian and so on.

Sevastyanov's Estate

One of the brightest representatives of the eclectic style in architecture is located in Yekaterinburg. And also this house is also one of the very first buildings in this direction in the Urals. The building belonged to the proud official Sevastyanov, who built it in 1860-1863

The basis of the house was a corner building with a round rotunda. It was made in a classic style. An interesting fact is that the images of the original image of the Sevastyanov house have survived to this day, only with some changes. Later, the architect rebuilt the building, changing it very much, and decoratedbuilding in all possible styles.

Urban legend says that Sevastyanov was asked in what era he prefers a house. He pointed to several styles and said he liked them all.

Of course, it was not possible to combine everything at once, but in a modern house everyone can see signs of various eras. That is, a person sees everything - from the classics: the remaining columns and a round rotunda with a small dome; from baroque: elite pediments above the windows of the second floor, and part only from the side of the avenue; to Gothic style, reminiscent of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

Building feature

Despite the fact that the whole building was made in different eras, the architect decided to diversify the structure a little more. All the windows of the estate are different, for example, on the first floor, one size and one shape are used. On the second floor, everything is presented in a different style. And the windows of the third level are decorated differently, they are almost square.

Here is such a variety of details you can see. All this is a mixture of eras, in which you can see both baroque features and classical details. And gothic motifs give freedom to play with different styles.

Uvarovs' apartment building

The era of eclecticism is when it becomes possible to build whatever you want and design buildings as you want. And at the end of the 19th century, this trend began to flourish in Russia.

But the cost of creating eclectic architecture is too great, so the most beautiful houses were only public buildings, churches and buildings of the richest residents.

Looking at the house of the Uvarovs, city officials, which was built in the first third of the 19th century in the classicism style, one can understand what changes have taken place in the appearance of cities. In the transition between styles, the cosmetics of the house, initially, was extremely simple. The houses were decorated simply and concisely. Before the advent of eclecticism, classicism was clearly regulated.

Buildings were supposed to look laconic, no liberties were allowed in the facades of houses, as well as in decorating buildings. Therefore, the houses of ordinary citizens had mostly strict facades, with little or no architectural decoration.

When the period of eclecticism woke up in architecture, each house owner could decorate the building the way he wanted. Now you can make a building of such a form as the owner wants, of the number of storeys that he wants to use himself. Any decor items he likes, in general, you can do anything.

Cities flourish and take on the identity of individual buildings. This happens because they are built unlike one another. It is these changes that happen to the Uvarovs' estate.

Special Buildings

Another noteworthy building is Zagainov's house. He was a small official in the Mining Department, then left the service and began to trade in baked goods at the bread market. Zagainov did not rebuild his house at the behest of fashion. But the estate was nevertheless changed, and this happened in 1872 thanks to the architect Reutov. This is one of the most famous eclectic architects.

This buildingspecial. Zagainov's house is a unique kind of eclecticism, it is noticeable how much the building differs from the previous version of the estate with the naked eye.

Architect Reutov uses a variety of stucco moldings to decorate the building, each element is worked out in great detail and with high quality. Thanks to this vision, the house turns out to be very elegant.

From 1910 to 1916, the Belinsky Library, the first public public library in Yekaterinburg, was located in Zagainov's house. Belinka was founded in 1899 on the initiative of private individuals and was named after the literary critic Vissarion Belinsky in 1916. She moved from Zagainov's house to her own building, built on Voznesensky Prospekt. Despite the fact that the building was actively used, it remained in its original form.

Modern eclecticism

Mixed era interiors are easy to make. Looking around at houses that are eclectic, you can highlight certain role models.

When it comes to acceptable colors, the best example is the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, which was created by the great architect Alfred Aleksandrovich Parland. Despite the fact that the creation of the temple is based on the Russian style, art historians find many mixtures in appearance. It is the beauty of the Savior on Blood that attracts many tourists. And this is not surprising, because this building is an example of the perfect combination of colors.

One of the best combinations of manystyles can be found in the center of Moscow - this is Lopatina's mansion. The architect of this building was Alexander Kaminsky.

The architectural ensemble of the main facade of the building is represented by a belt of panels under the windows of the first floor, a series of archivolts on a wide frieze, piers between the windows and tiles preserved in their original form. Semi-circular windows are built into the Empire arcade. Columns, corners of the risalit and facade, sandriks in the form of three-part kokoshniks decorate the windows of the second floor. Keeled kokoshniks complete the row of windows on the third floor. A high pyramidal roof with an openwork elevation on a ridge emphasizes the center of the house and sets the building apart from the general ensemble of the street. A forged fence of the 19th century preserved in its original form was made in the same style as the house.

Walls made of colorful facing bricks form the key ornament of the main façade. Two-tone ceramic inserts mimic the cross-stitch pattern. Front double doors with arched tops are located on the side of Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street. The internal layout of the building is distinguished by cylindrical and sail vaults with demoulding in the basement and living room on the ground floor.

Lopatina's house is distinguished by the lack of stylistic unity between the exterior of the building and its eclectic interiors.

Eclectic style interior

Precisely matched muted color accents on material forms. Designers managed to make friends with several styles. Eclecticism is mixing. An ordinary chandelier framing a window with a modernbright kitchen. Or black lacquered stainless steel and zebrano. Or steel skin in the interior combined with faded rose walls. These are all examples of eclecticism.

A beautiful complex combination together with decorative plaster in slightly purple hues can also create an unforgettable Art Deco combination.

One of the interesting tricks that can combine different styles is a business tone in the interior. At the same time, there must be some unusualness in the addition. For example, in one well-known building, it seemed to the architect that it was not very interesting to simply put up a wall, so he created a whole cinema without using huge equipment. Emphasis was placed on the depth of equipment, light and illumination. It was all this that gave different sensations from films, and from the very appearance of a mini-cinema.

Addition to the interior

It is believed that the birth of eclecticism was facilitated, in particular, by those places where trade routes and different peoples intersected. The fusion of cultures and national traditions found expression in architecture and interior design. At first, the theme of the East was popular. It was she who was traced in the decoration of many buildings. For example, oriental motifs sounded in the interior of the bedrooms and through the mirror of the corridors leading to the living rooms. Which completed the interior in different shades, in different materials. Little things like the table, which, made in gold, will make the picture richer and even more stylish.

By building a building in eclectic style, you can be sure that the interior will be unique in its own way. But it is worth remembering that playing with contrasts is best.