Assignment 1b: Architecture Analysis Report

Wong Jia Xuan
20WVD03665
ATBR2313 History of Western Architecture
Diploma in Architecture Year 1 Semester 3

Table of Content Page
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Content
Introduction 4-7
Basilica of Maxentius 8 - 11
Sultan Abdul Samad Building
Comparison 1: Building Material 12
Comparison 2: Space Planning 13
Comparison 3: Ambiance 14
Comparison 4: Scale 15
Comparison 5: Proportion 16
Comparison 6: Structure 17
Conclusion 18
Reference 19

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Introduction

• To understand the identity significant architectural ideas from historical buildings
and neo-classical building.

• To examine and differentiate significant architectural ideas from historical
buildings for architectural design.

• To compare and identify between two buildings on building materials, space
planning, ambiance, scale, proportion and structure.

3

Information
• Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine known as the Basilica Nova which means “new basilica” or Basilica of Maxentius.
• It was constructed in 312 AD.
• It was located at Roman Forum, Italy
• The architect of this building is Maxentius and Constantine I.
Description
• The architectural style shown is Roman Architecture.
• The basilica is a building type which is a multi-purpose hall often used for law courts, council chamber, meeting hall and

government offices.
• Before the building was destroyed by the earthquake, the color of the building is white color.

4

Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine

Floor Plan Section

Front Elevation 3D View 5

Photo Source

Figure 1: Exterior of the Basilica of Figure 2: The reconstruction of colossal Figure 3: The interior of the Basilica of
Maxentius and Constantine
(Hendrix D., 2016) statue of Constantine (Hendrix D., 2016) Maxentius and Constantine (Hendrix D., 2016)

Figure 4: The ceiling of Basilica Maxentius Figure 5: The details of coffered vaults of Figure 6: The column from the interior of
the basilica (Wikiwand, 2021) 6
and Constantine (Hendrix D., 2016) concrete (Wikiwand, 2021)

Photo Source

Figure 7: The colossus of Constantine Figure 8: The reconstruction of
(Wikiwand, 2021) basilica (Wikiwand, 2021)

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Information
• It was built in 3rd of September 1894.
• It was located along Jalan Raja in Kuala Lumpur
• The architects are A.C. Norman and R.A.J. Bidwell.
Description
• The architectural style is Mughal architecture, Indo-Saracenic architecture, Moorish Revival architecture
• The purpose of the building was used as government office.

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Sultan Abdul Samad Building

Floor Plan Section

Front Elevation 3D View

9

Photo Source

Figure 9: Daytime view of the building Figure 10: The tower of the building Figure 11: The staircase of the building

Figure 12: Night view of the building Figure 13: Internal Courtyard Figure 14: Long corridor in the building

10

Photo Source

Figure 15: The view from entrance Figure 16: Clock tower

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Comparison 1: Building Material

Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine Sultan Abdul Samad Building

• The carved ceiling are cover with purple marble. • The horseshoe arches are laid alternately with bricks and

• The wall of the building was made of concrete. stone while the external walls also used colored bricks and

• The floor was carved by different types of colorful white painted plastered strips.

marble. • The flooring was made of the Indian patent stone with

Islamic geometrical pattern.

The wall was laid in brick faced concrete. Bricks Indian patent stone with
Islamic geometrical pattern

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Comparison 2: Space Planning

Basilica of Maxentius ad Constantine Sultan Abdul Samad Building

• The basilica is in rectangular shape with a larger central • The floor plan of the building shows the building is in F-

open space with often a raised apse at the far to end from shaped design.

the entrance of the building. • There are 4 different types of centered arches available in

• It consisted of a central nave flanked by side aisles the building which is key hole arches, ogee arches,

divided into three sections that communicating with the pointed arches and many horse-shoe arches.

revetment and stucco decoration.

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Comparison 3: Ambiance

Basilica of Maxentius ad Constantine Sultan Abdul Samad Building

• The opening of the window in the Basilica of Maxentius • The long corridor were divided up for offices which

and Constantine penetrate the light into the interior required artificial lighting the whole day because the

building and reflects to the wall. corridors were too wide and long.

• This design able the light to illuminate the whole building. • In daytime, the opening of the window are able to

penetrate some lights into the interior therefore it would

not have to open too much of artificial light.

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Comparison 4: Scale

Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine Sultan Abdul Samad Building

• This shows the human scale compare with the building • This shows the human scale compares with the building

scale. scale.

• The height of this building is 100-by-65 meters high with • The height of this building is 41 meters high which is

coffered vault around 25 meters high which is almost 35 almost 24 times of human scale.

times of human scale. Therefore, this building is much

bigger than Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

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Comparison 5: Proportion

Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine Sultan Abdul Samad Building

• The opening of the building is proportional. • The floor plan of Sultan Abdul Samad Building is which

• The larger arch is same radian with the smaller arch so it shows symmetrical. In addition, both of the towers are

shows proportional symmetrical because they are in same height which is 17.2

• The floor plan is also similar with the floor plan of Sultan meters.

Abdul Samad Building which shows symmetrical form.

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Comparison 6: Structure

Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine Sultan Abdul Samad Building

• The walls was lavishly decorated with marble revetments • The three domes which is made of timber and bricks and

while the floor was paved with different geometric pattern painted black now are replaced with copper cladded

of colored marble. domes and they are painted in gold color to symbolic the

• The vault that was constructed in this building is cross riches country.

vault and barrel vault. • The external walls are mainly made of coloured bricks

• Constantine which is the architect made a new entrance while the interior wall’s brick were rendered.

with a monumental staircase and 4 red porphyry columns. • The whole building were used throughout the arcade

The original entrance is in the plan of Maxentius had an extensively which made of bricks and white painted

apse on the west, he added another apse on the north to plastered blocks. The type of arches that apply in the

show the symmetrical of the building. Then, the colossal building is pointed horseshoe with varying span.

statue of Constantine was placed in the original apse in the

west which is the original entrance.

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Conclusion

• Both of building are two different civilization which existed in different country and different
period.

• Both of the buildings shows different architectural styles which is Basilica of Maxentius and
Constantine is Roman architecture while Sultan Abdul Samad is Neo-classical architecture.

• Both building developed well on their style which the architectural elements are the reason that are
vary in building materials, space planning, ambiance, scale, proportion and structures.

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Reference

• Architecture Library archlib, 2017, Paladio-1570, viewed by 18 March 2021,
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/0BzK9Z1xol3sET1lwOTBmUmNLTzA

• Ashby. T, 1929, Basilica Constantine, viewed by 20 March 2021,
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/_Texts/PLATOP*/Basilica_Constantini. html

• Little Mama, 2012, Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad, viewed by 20 March 2021,
https://myrepositori.pnm.gov.my/bitstream/123456789/1034/5/Bangunan%20Sultan%20Abdul%20Samad%20%28Sumber%20Internet%29.
pdf

• Sydtlkdr, 2018, Sultan Abdul Samad Building, viewed by 20 March 2021,
https://www.slideshare.net/sydtlkdr/sultan-abdul-samad-building

• Ismail S., Utaberta N., Mohd. Y., 2015, Application of Islamic Architecture at Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Kuala Lumpur, viewed by 20
March 2021,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274712067_Application_of_Islamic_Architecture_at_Sultan_Abdul_Samad_Building_Kuala_Lum
pur

• Hendrix D., 2016, Basilica Maxentius and Constantine, viewed by 22 March 2021,
https://www.thebyzantinelegacy.com/basilica-maxentius

• Wikiwand, 2021, Basilica of Maxentius, viewed by 22 March 2021,
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Basilica_of_Maxentius

• Ramous K., 2013, The Basilica of Maxentius, viewed by 22 March 2021,
https://brewminate.com/the-basilica-of-maxentius/

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