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ARCHITECTURE.
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 AntiquityA classical order is one of the major types of classical architecture that existed in antiquity. Distinguished by its proportions and characteristic profiles and details, it is most known for its emphasis on columns, and their details. This theory was the first to introduce the three fundamental laws that architecture must obey: firmness, commodity, and delight. Or in other words, structural adequacy, functional adequacy, and beauty. |  Middle AgesArchitectural theories in the Middle Ages were mostly theological, and very few were penned. Romanesque architecture emerged, and is a term used to describe the building styles built with precisely cut stone, and most importantly, that employed the Roman arch. Gothic, or Perpendicular architecture emerged near the end, and is the term used to describe building styles that were constructed with wider windows, more towers, and primarily with decorative structures such as gargoyles. |  RenaissanceArchitectural theories from the Renaissance period put a lot of emphasis on perspective, and geometry, secured with advance mathematical and optical research. Developed first in Florence, the architecture from this time period took a more modern, and mathematical approach to medieval architecture. Gone were the irregular profiles of medieval structures, replaced with orderly arrangements of columns, plasters, arches, and niches. Symmetry, proportion, and geometry were key elements. |
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 EnlightenmentNeoclassism played a major role in defining the architectural theory during the Enlightenment theory. Inspiration was thus found through the architecture of Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome, and through the belief that architecture's base is primarily scientific. The structures built thus took the on pure forms, such as cylinders, spheres and squares, as well as brought back specific aspects from the Ancient regimes, such as the great attention to detailing in the structure's design. |  19th CenturyIt was during this time period that architectural theories first rejected the imitation of the old types of structures, and outlined the importance of functionalism, rather than merely design. Functionalism, the principle that buildings should be designed based on their intended purpose, is less evident than it appears, and lead to the emergence of modern architecture near the end of this century. Gone were the ostentatious structures, and in came more utilitarian technology-based ones. |  20th CenturyTheories from this time period have had monumental impacts on the structures built. The most important aspect is now not the aesthetic of the building, but the quality of the urban spaces that buildings enclose; the whole being more than the sum of its parts. Functionalism is the only route for building, and has thus coined the saying "form follows function". The architectural design is moving towards abstraction based on colour, lines, and textures. The conservation of space is key. |
Architectural Theory:
Architectural theory is all the thinking, discussing, and writing about architecture that has taken place since the very begining of its existence. It's a framework that studies architectural phenomena using scientific logic and methods of experimentation. Theory provides a model that explains investigations and observations about form and structure, which allows architects to further develop and improve on design. Some forms these theories take are in lecture or dialogue, and treatise or book. As publishing became more and more common throughout history, the styles and movements present in the more modern theories formed and dissolved much quicker than the earlier theories.
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