I think the White House has this feature where the window trim above alternates. What is the meaning of this?
I think the White House has this feature where the window trim above alternates. What is the meaning of this?
It's just a common feature of Palladian Architecture....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladian_architecture
One of the most famous examples [[besides the White House)... is the Banquetting House in London.... the only surviving part of the vast Palace of Whitehall that was ever built... [[much of what was built of the incomplete palace was destroyed in a great fire)...
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...rt_Project.jpg
Yes and no ... alternating arched and pointed pediments can relieve boredom across an otherwise bland facade, as in the North Front of the White House. In concept [[but not in execution) similar to the mediaeval technique of varying a cathedral ceiling's ridgeline trajectory slightly [[by a few degrees) prior to or at the crossing, to relieve the boredom of a long vista. [[Religious explanation: to indicate the imperfection of man's works...) The US National Cathedral uses this technique where its eight-bay nave connects to the five-bay chancel and its three-bay transepts via the crossing - also, some of the massive piers that support the crossing [[bell) tower are said to be out-of-plumb by more than two inches:Quote:
Originally Posted by Gistok
https://www.washingtonpost.com/enter...5f1_story.html
Whitehall Palace actually was the largest palace in Europe during the latter years of its useful life [[1530-1698), more of a warren [[approx. 1,500 rooms) of heterodox styles than a grand structure like the US Capitol Building. As Gistok notes, after two disastrous fires it was not rebuilt [[altho' there were monumental plans, e.g., by Inigo Jones and Christopher Wren) due to financial constraints. [[Overview at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Whitehall)