Background
The refurbishment and reopening of the River Terrace at Somerset House marks a very significant success for the building as a whole in the new millennium. However, the structure traces its roots in the 16th Century, whereby its first programme of erection was executed in 1552. The Duke of Somerset was the one who brought about the origin of the name, as it was adopted from the south side of the Strand in conjunction with his steward, Sir John Thynne. The original palace stood ground until the eighteenth century, when it was slowly demolished and remade. Sir William Chambers was the lead architect for the project, which sought to cement the neoclassical model of designs that was at the time (Cast, 1998, p. 107).
The building still stands to the present day, regardless of the changes in formats that have been made over the years after the death of William. From the outside, the house can be seen as quite huge, but inside, the structure does not equate to the vast appearance from the outside. Its grand impression at the time was also present in the outward appearance, something that was not mimicked inside. The Strand façade is a rather modest nine bays in width with half columns above an arched basement that resembles a sixteenth-century Italian palace. While the tenants were distinguished guests from the royal family and government, Somerset was built for the learned societies and departments of state, such as the Navy Board, among others (Cast, 1998).
The interior of the building features a series of rooms that are conjoined by creative corridors and staircases. When Williams constructed it, the river was not at all embanked, and the Thames was on the south wing. As a result, the boats could easily penetrate to the landing places that were found at the edges of the building. A pictorial depiction of the Somerset House by Thomas Hosmer showed how the Thames was passing directly past the building. At the time, Williams had already passed on in 1796 and had done most of the construction, after which James Wyatt succeeded him. In his original plan, Chambers had intended for the building to have numerous wings that could be able to accentuate his architectural focus as well as make the building iconic. However, after his work was taken over by Wyatt, some of the designs he had in mind were done away with, such as the construction of the east and west wings to the quadrangle format that was the initial outlay. The Massachusetts State House is the closest in nature to the Somerset and was rebuilt by Chapman Sturgis and Bryant Andrews from 1914 to 1917.
The addition of the dancing fountains in the 1990s precisely brings its artistic importance because it was a home of arts and learning. The architectural instincts of Williams are still present today because the design,gn as he had planned, has been maintained. Some of the features, such as the long side and end elevations with their central projections, resemble the ones present at Le Petit Trianon in Versailles, France, by A.J. Gabriel (Fletcher, 1987). The social importance of the building is quite clear because it houses different artistic environments. For example, the Exhibition room at the building that was created by Thomas Rowlandson and Augustus Charles still stands today, but was merged with others at the Courtauld Gallery. This section showcases the different historical images that show life in ancient times, as well as the evolution of the architectural eye from the classical to the modern age.
Presently, the building is occupied by diverse groups of individuals, most of whom are creatives. They range from the likes of freelancers, artists, makers, and thinkers who come from all parts of the country. The most notable occupant is King’s College London, which occupies the East Wing of the building. This specific wing was refurbished on 29th February 2012 and occupied by the college that was marking a 180-year desire to be part of the building (Building Design Partnership, 2012). The East Wing is also home to conference halls and exhibition spaces. It is accessed from the Edmond J Safra Fountain Court, which is somewhat enclosed to offer space for private events. The North wing is one that houses the Courtauld and was designed by Williams, but was converted in 1989 by Green Lloyd and Adams. The West Wing, on the other hand, is home to conference facilities and offices on the top floors and art centers at the lower levels. It is four levels high and is inspired by the designs of William Chambers. The stair on the wing is significant because it is designed in a way that ensures clear visibility of the threads and landings that are present in the internal structure of the building. The frameless balustrade also allows the visitors to admire the traits of the original architectural details of the construction as a whole. The South Wing is accessed via the Seaman’s Hall and has space for conferences and exhibitions, as does the East Wing. A new wing was added in 1856 that was destined to house the Admiralty’s family. It was an additional section of the facade of the estate that provides office spaces for residents of the town.
Technical aspects of Classical buildings, including the Somerset
When looking at the designs of neoclassical-inspired buildings such as the Somerset House, there are certain conspicuous elements present. According to analytics, neoclassical designs stemmed from the fact that architects saw the monotony in the use of the already existing Rococo style that characterized the classical buildings (Blunt, 1988, p. 14). So it was marked by the simplistic geometric forms, substantive use of columns, and the affinity to use blank walls. The uncluttered appearance seen on the walls of the Somerset is a critical aspect in the field of architecture as it sort to bring back authenticity to design. In its ideal form, neoclassical architecture took the form of a temple that was huge with numerous free-standing columns (Bires & Kardamitse-Adame, 2004, p. 101). The roof of the building is flat and horizontal and can be seen from the ground. Domes and towers, as was the case with the classical form, were done away with and, in turn, replaced with the high-end pillars that are characteristic of the style. The building facades, on the other hand, are expected to be flat and long, showcasing a screen of free-standing columns in the whole building design. When one looks at the Somerset, these pillars are quite visible and mostly are the ones that provide the exterior trait of architectural genius. Classical perfection was the objective of these sorts of designs, to begin with, so the Williams wanted to showcase this by ensuring that the exterior outlook was exquisitely portraying the classical excellence (Baker, 2008, p. 21). Therefore, the decorations on the outside were kept to a minimum to give room for design display rather than ornamental display. The gardens were also incorporated in these forms of designs, but only restricted to tiny areas that were given excellent geometric provisions.
Artistic importance of the Somerset House.
The Somerset House plays a unique part in the London cultural scene because of its historic importance, as well as being a platform for showcasing different artistic happenings. Stemming from its 18th-century background, the house has been a center of debate and interactions because it was set out to be an intellectual hub where academics would converge to display their talents. The house was also at a point used to house the different governing agencies, and through that, it marked its spot in the high-end places in the country as a whole. Today, Somerset is a cultural destination in the country’s capital that boasts both history and culture. As tourists visit the building, the different architectural designs that are inspired by the neoclassical age of the 18th Century can still be felt. Even though the house has been refurbished over the years, the models that were set out by Chambers still stand. The new wings that have been added to it still possess the artistic components of the neoclassical age. The environment of the house is quite relaxing and welcoming for visitors from all over the world, making it a center of integration. As more people converge from all parts of the world at Somerset year in year out, the cultural showcase continues to grow with more artists and performers taking up the challenge to entertain.
The Somerset House governing agency put up the distinctive outdoor public programme that includes the skate park, which is mostly used by young people. Additionally, the open-air film season is a platform that houses different sorts of artistic performances from classical performers to contemporary ones. One of the biggest community creative is found at the venue of the House. The Courtauld, which is probably the most visited gallery in London, is rich in showing the historical path of the country as a whole (Jones, 2009 ). Pictures of the founding fathers of the state can be found on the site that was once home to dignitaries of the monarchy.
The neoclassical movement was an aesthetic movement that ensured that all aspects of visual art would change to provide symbolic significance to the generations that would come in later (Niell, 2014, p. 253). Most of the critics that spearheaded the creation of the neoclassical form of architecture called for the rejection of the baroque style of design that had crept into society ever since the 17th Century. The baroque architecture examples are found in Europe and the Latin American context, with buildings such as the Church of Saint Yves at La Sapienza a Rome. St Peter’s Basilica in Rome is also a notable baroque-inspired form of construction that denoted the irregularity in design that mainly characterized the style (Letarouilly, 2009, p. 83). Therefore, as the architects designed the different buildings, such as Williams on Somerset, it became a public statement to show the leaps covered by society in the form of creating art from an independent point of view. Such a form of art also tried to remove the elements of luxury and decorative self-indulgence, as was the case in the Baroque and Rococo kind of design (Bires & Kardamitse-Adame, 2004). As is the case with Somerset, most of the architects who borrowed this type of design sought to showcase academic pedagogy in their pieces. The Chateau de Rastignac is one such building in Bordeaux, France, by Mathurin Salat that had this aspect clearly detailed. Since the building was so iconic, some analysts suggest that the South Portico of the White House borrowed some of its designs from the Rastignac (Johnson, 2006, p. 25). While this might be subject to debate, the influential aspect of this specific model is felt to date because of the exquisiteness it possesses.
Buildings similar to the Somerset in the rest of the world
Even though the foundational traits of the school of design in Somerset were in the European context, it is evident that other regions all over the world adopted it. One notable building is the White House, which I had earlier suggested that its resemblance to the Chateau de Rastignac is undeniable (Johnson, 2006). Thomas Jefferson spearheaded the adoption of this style of architecture because, by profession, he was an architect. His home, Monticello, was the very first attempt at a neoclassical design that he oversaw in 1769 (Anon., 2004). This new field saw many architects adopt i,t with the likes of William Thornton, who was given the responsibility of designing the US Capitol (Bordewich, 2008). The Australian Museum is one other notable mention that employed this form of design. The architect James Barnet sought to bring out the freedom in design that was accompanied by the adoption of the neoclassical revolution. The building was constructed from the year 1846 to 1857 (Cheng, 2015). In its portrayal, the building had the objective of displaying artifacts that helped show that the nation was a republic and one that embraced democracy in all aspects of life.
In conclusion, William Chambers was part of the neoclassical revolution that was sweeping across the whole European continent, hence his design of the Somerset House. He wanted a building that would showcase freedom and, at the same time, power and educational pedagogy. The neoclassical architectural field was new at the time, but was founded upon the rejection of well-established modes of design known as the Rococo and Baroque that had their origins in the Roman and Greek culture. These designs were elegant in all aspects, and analytics suggest that they envisioned the societal happenings at the time. The Dark Age was an inspiration to the models that resulted in classical buildings. However, neoclassical designers and artists sought to break the confinement and focus on things that showed freedom and democracy. Republics all over the world adopted the form of architecture symbolically to show the new age in society. This type of design is still in use today, but is referred to as the contemporary neoclassical architecture.
References
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Baker, W. T., 2008. Architectural Excellence. Melbourne: Images Publishing.
Bires, M. G. & Kardamitse-Adame, M., 2004. Neoclassical Architecture in Greece. New York: Getty Publications.
Blunt, A., 1988. Baroque and Rococo: Architecture and Decoration. London: Portland House.
Bordewich, F., 2008. A CapitolVision from SSelf-TaughtArchitect.
Cast, D., 1998. Review of Sir William Chambers: Architect to George III, edited by John Harris and Michael Saodin. Catalogue of Architectural Drawings in the Victoria and Albert Museums: Sir William Chambers, edited by Michael Snodin. Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Volume 57, pp. 106-108.
Chastel, A., 1965. Renaissance News. The Architecture of the Italian Renaissance, 18(2), pp. 130-131.
Cheng, L., 2015. Facelift of Australia's oldest museum.
Fletcher, B., 1987. A History of Architecture. London: Butterworths.
Hanser, D. A., 2006. Architecture in France. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Johnson, M., 2006. A chateau fit for a president.
Letarouilly, P., 2009. The Vatican and Saint Peter's Basilica of Rome. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
Niell, P., 2014. Neoclassical Architecture in Spanish Colonial America. Historical Compass, 12(3), pp. 252-262.
