Maison Carree Building
Maison carree is one of the most fantastic and beautiful temples of Roman, build in 18
BC during the reign of Caesar in Nimes. It was later reconstructed by Marcus Agrippa who is
believed to be the original patron of the Pantheon in Rome. It was one of the Roman
urbanization buildings done under Augustus’s rule. Though it is not clearly known who designed
the building, it was Augustus’s son-in-law who commissioned the building. However, it is
believed that Alvar Aalto was the core designer of the entire building. Its design was greatly
influenced by Greek architecture. At that time, the Roman architects were on the raise and also
contributed to its raise. On close look at the Maison, their style can be in the raised platforms and
wide front steps which evolved from the Etruscan style of architecture (Giordano, 79).
The construction of the temple was also inspired by temples to Mar and Apollo. In other
words, it was modeled after the temples of these gods among other likewise temples and
buildings of that time. At the look of it, the temple was a merging of Etruscan temple style and
Greek style, with a greater influence from the Greeks especially towards the domes and the
curves. Its name was derived from archaic French carre long which means ‘long square’ it is
regular in shape. In architecture, a squire or a rectangular support is known as a pier. The
principle materials used for its construction were stone and concrete, though its concrete walls
were coated in facings of brick (Hansen, 176).
The Maison was constructed in accordance with the Roman state and culture. At the
beginning, the Roman territory was limited to Italy, but later expanded across Mediterranean
lands during the Late Republic. During the time, the Roman power was at its peak during the
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time of Pax Romania, but later declined in the Late Empire. The architectural activity was at the
rise and most people engaged in construction activities. In fact, it was during this period; the
Empire period, that most extraordinary specimens of each type were constructed. It was during
this period when the Pantheon, the most celebrated of all Roman buildings, was designed and
constructed. It is perhaps the most famous vaulted Roman temple of all time. It is the world
largest, until the Renaissance, construction with a pierced circular skylight (Anderson, 189).
The temple was primarily dedicated to Rome, Augustus, and his two adopted sons;
Lucius and Gaius Caesar. Contrary to the functions of other temples, the temple was constructed
for the celebration of the Emperor and his son rather than for a deity as most temples were. It is
the most well preserved Roman temples. The Maison carree has been used as a Christian church
even in the 4 th
century achieves, as a Conon house, as a private residence as well as a town hall
for Nimes after the fall of the Roman Empire. It has become a museum, a tourist site and an art
place where art and roman artifacts are housed (Giordano, 129).
The Maison Carree was a great combination of roman art. It involved different forms of
architectures which followed the Roman cultures and norms. The early Christian architecture is
also evident in the building. During that period, the late Empire was at its final age while the
Roman art and architecture was talking a new form, the Christian art and architecture.
Consequently, the period was named Early Christian age as a result of the Christian art and
architecture. This explains the front interior display of the current Roman Catholic Basilica
building (Anderson, 125).
Maison carree is one of the most beautiful and harmonium building in France. It was a
major influence during the classical Revival, an inspiring Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia state
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capital in 1788 among many other monumental buildings. Maison carree is a total work from the
landscape, beginning from the house, to the design of the furniture and the lamps. It is one of the
greatest works by Alvar Aalto, the architecture. His sketches are intuitive, though not academic,
and reflect the traditional art. Though it is an old building, it is maintained to accommodate the
modern comfort and felling. The curve of the ceiling, though old, gives a real sense of movement
together with its wooden slats. These provides a balanced synergy rather than pure symmetrical
which are made in accordance with Palladian rules of architecture (Hansen, 155).
Talking of design, Maison was designed by Alvar Aalto and the design was totally a
family affair. Maison carree is actually the only remaining building in France, and reflects a total
work of architecture, considering the interior and the landscape of the building. It is interesting to
think of he got the idea. At an extensive analysis of the building, the ceiling is an arch shaped
known as a vault. Vaults are different, or take different forms, the simplest being the tunnel
vault. A tunnel vault, also known as barrel vault, can be described as a continuous arch. Its
hallow shape demands thick supportive walls with limited gap for great and strong support. This
explains why the building has survived so many years. Moreover, the height of a tunnel vault
must increase along its width and this demands a well accurately calculated practical limit on its
size (Giordano, 109).
Even though the arch-shaped ceiling was a challenge, the Roman architects overcame this
limitation in two ways. First, they used the dome shape which can cover a large circular area, and
the groin shaped vault concentrates the weight at four points. This allowed the supportive walls
to be reduced in to four posts to provide more support. A grid of groin vault was used to enclose
an unlimited area with a minimum of vertical support for the Maison building, a concept that
should be emulated by the current architects in construction. For this reason, Alvar Aalto
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together with the Roman architects who were involved in the Maison construction are, even
today, worldly celebrated for their great work. The building has undergone extensive
maintenance since then, and has formed part of a larger complex of adjoining buildings today.
Bibliography
Anderson, James C. Roman Architecture in Provence.
The article highlights some of the Roman architecture and brings into limelight some of the
fundamentals ways Maison was constructed. The article emphasizes that Maison carree is a total
work from the landscape, beginning from the house, to the design of the furniture and the lamps.
It is one of the greatest works by Alvar Aalto, the architecture.
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Giordano, Ralph G. The Architectural Ideology of Thomas Jefferson; Jefferson, N.C: McFarland
& Co., Publishers, 2012. Internet resource.
The article explains how the Maison carree was a different temple who’s primarily function was
dedicated to Rome, Augustus, and his two adopted sons; Lucius and Gaius Caesar. Contrary to
the functions of other temples, the temple was constructed for the celebration of the Emperor and
his son rather than for a deity as most temples were. It is the most well preserved Roman
temples.
Hansen, David A. Architecture of France: Reference Guides to National Architecture. Westport,
Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2006. Print.
The article highlights some of the similarities and difference that are contained on the Maison
and some of the French architecture. It also focuses on the buildings function and stipulates that
It was utilized as a Christian church even in the 4 th
century achieves, as a Conon house, as a
private residence as well as a town hall for Nimes after the fall of the Roman Empire.
Work cited
Anderson, James C. Roman Architecture in Provence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
2012. Print.
Giordano, Ralph G. The Architectural Ideology of Thomas Jefferson; Jefferson, N.C: McFarland
& Co., Publishers, 2012. Internet resource.
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Hansen, David A. Architecture of France: Reference Guides to National Architecture. Westport,
Conn: Greenwood Press, 2006. Print.