Events
Hierogliphics
3300 BCScarab Beetle
2000 BCTrabeation (Post and Lintel)
2600 BCEgyptian Chair
1400 BCEgyptian Column Style
2600 BCColumns: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian
601 BCKlismos Chair
500 BCEgg and Dart (Oval Molding)
501 BCAcanthus Leaf Border
430 BCFret Boarder
466 BCEgg and Dart (Roman Adaptation)
100 CERoman Arch
200 BCComposite Column
81 BCRoman Stool (Curule Seat)
500 BCAnthemion Motif
500 BCIktinos & KallikratesMarcus Vitruvius PollioBaths of CaracallaMosaic
c.313 CE
Used to create a sacred
atmosphere and to teach
biblical stories.Basilica Plan
c. 320
They provide large interior
spaces suitable for worshipRadial Symmetry
c. 350 CE
It was used in centralized plans
to emphasize focus on a central
element, like an altar or tomb.Bilateral Symmetry
386 CE
Symbolically reinforced the
orientation towards the Holy Land.Clerestory Windows
422
Provide natural light to illuminate
the nave, enhancing the spiritual
atmosphere.Thrones and Chairs
c. 545 CE
Designed elevated seats
with rich materials--ivory,
marble, and gold.Chests
600 CE
Highly decorative.
Used for storage
and seatingStools
600 CE
Served as secondary
seating for attendants,
courtiers, or clergy.Hagia Sophia (Istanbul, Turkey)
(532-537 CE)
Massive central comeFootstools
Symbolized elevated authorityGroin Vault Detail Ceilings
960 CE
It allowed for more open interior
spaces and was structurally
stronger than barrel vaults.Chevron Detail
1018 CE
Chevron patterns were used as
decoration on both interior and
exterior surfacesTrussle Table
1100 CE
Symbol of flexibility in
medieval secular life.Cruciform
c. 1100
It is a shape used to represent
the Christian cross.Odo von Metz, Palentine Chapel, Aachen, Germany
798 CE
The building is a centralized,
octagonal plan topped by a
domed vault.Christianity legalized
by Constantine. Shift from
private to public worship.Relocation of the
imperial capital to
Byzantium
330 CEOld St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome
c. 320 CEDebate on the role of
imagery in worship and
concerns for idolatry.Anthemius of Tralles and
Isidore of Miletus. Designed
and built Hagia SophiaChristians could now build
public churches.
Construction was sponsored by ConstantineGargoyle (1150)
First appeared in early Gothic
cathedrals as functional water
spouts, most famously on
Notre-Dame de ParisGothic Ribbed Vault (1135)
Intersecting barrel vaults reinforced
with ribs.Pointed Arch Ceilings (1130)
Allowed greater height and
flexibility in vault span. Pointed arches
symbolized heaven and aspiration
toward the divine.Rose Windows (1235)
Large stained-glass windows flooded
interiors with colored light — symbolic
of divine illumination. Rose windows
structured with radiating tracery
to represent eternity and cosmic order.Tracery Windows (1430)
Stone supports dividing window
glass into decorative patterns. Two
evolutions: Plate Tracery and Bar TraceryPierre de Montreuil
(1267)The Friday Mosque, Esfahan
8th century- 11th Century
Originally built in the 8th century
and expanded in th eSeljuk era.Great Mosque of Samarra
850 CE
Built under the abbasid Csliph
Al-Mutawakkil in Iraq.Minaret
8th-10th centuries onward
Tower structure attached to mosques, used
to call prayer.Taj Mahal
1631-1648 CE
Built in Agra, India, under Mughal emperor
Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz
Mahal.Arabesque
1100 and onward
Decorative style featuring repeating
geometric and floral patterns. Used in architecture,
textiles, and manuscripts.Buddhist Temples-Pagoda
1st and 4th centuries CE
Evolved from Indian Stupas into teired
tower structure in China, Korea, and Japan.Grottoes
4th -9th centuries
Rock-cut caves, filled with sculptures
of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
tower structure in China, Korea, and Japan. (copy)Wood Structures
1400 BCE
East asian preferred timber over stone in architecture.
Flexible and resilient to earthquakesFeng Shui
3rd century
Philisophical system for harmonizing built
environements with cosmic forces. Dictates placement of
palaces, temples, cities.Forbidden City, Beijing
1406- 1420 CE
Imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynastiesMohammad’s trip from Mecca to MedinaDeath of Prophet MohanmmadIndus civilization was wiped outIslamic rule established in India at DelhiMosque added to the Tahj Mahal palace complexPierre Le Pautre
.Reign of Louis
XV in FranceMichaelangelo's Dome on St.
Peter's Basilca (1546) (Vatican)
Michealangelo was appointed
chief architect for St. Peter's
Basilica in 1546. Began
redesigning the dome in 1547Palladio's Neoclassical Colonnades (1566-1590)
One of the most famous villas by PalladioUffizi (1581) One of the earliest examples
of a public art museum.Palazzo Vacchio (Florence)
Constructed (1298-1314) under
Arnolfo di Cambio.Cradenza Furniture (1314)
used in the act of food/drink
testing, to test for poison.Savanarola Chair (1498)
Practical for travel, campaign,
outdoor etc. Bridges suctional
Furniture with statusMurano Glass (1498)
Murano became the center
of glassmaking excellence for Venice.Baccarat red crystal & chandeliers (1764)
Baccarat became the standard of European
high-crystal — supplying royal courts and
great houses. Its chandeliers and tableware
symbolized industrial mastery of glassmakingLouis-XVI chairs and tables (1774–1793)
adopted straight, tapered (often fluted or
reeded) legs reflecting a renewed interest
in classical Greek and Roman forms.Country-French thatch-roof homes (16 c.)
Thatched roofs were retained in many French
rural areas well into the 17th–19th centuries
because local reed/long straw was cheap,
insulating and repairable.Savonnerie rugs (Manufacture de la Savonnerie) (1615)
Savonnerie carpets were originally woven in a
converted soap factory on the Quai de Chaillot
near Paris and, until 1768, their production
remained effectively the property of the
French CrownTête-à-tête (conversation seat) (1800)
widely used in courting rituals when chaperones were present.Fall of Constantinople (1453)Salon culture 1600s– rise of intimate,
intellectual gatherings hosted by
aristocratic women(1607) English establish their first permanent settle ment at Jamestown, VirginiaThe union of England and Scottish
crowns under King James (1603)Thomas Hope: His neoclassical
furniture designs influences English
RegencyEnglish Interiors and furniture are
influenced by classical motifs (Greece,
Rome, Egypt)Influx of European settlers brought
European artistic, craft and furniture
traditions to North America. (1705)Saltbox-house type (1620-onward)
The saltbox vernacular form evolved
organically in colonial New EnglandCape Cod House (1680-onward)
The first “cape Cod” style homes
were built by settlers in the late
1600s.Historic Williamsburg taverns (1717)
Taverns served as important social
hubs--lodging, meals, meeting places,
public affairs. Had large assembly rooms,
fireplaces, and sometimes upstairs lodging.Windsor chair
The chair marks a shift towards more
comfortable and everyday seating in
colonial homes.Bow‑back chair (1790)
The “bow-back” has a gently curved
steam-bent crest rail forming a
shallow arch rather than a straight
or comb-backMonticello by Thomas Jefferson (1771)
Incorporates Neoclassical and Palladian
architectural ideas filtered through
Jefferson’s Knowledge of Europe and
classical antiquity.Duncan Phyfe sofa (1790)
This design by Phyfe demonstrates
how American furniture makers
adopted and adapted Neoclassical motifs
in the early republicDamask 1735
First introduced in China around
~300 BCE. Used as upholstery,
drapery, and furniture covering.Eagle motif on clocks and furniture
(1789-1820)
Eagle motif reflects the political
and cultural identity of the new nation, I
ntegrating national symbolism into
everyday decor and architecture.George Hepplewhite chairs 1780s-1790s
Variant of the sheild back. It reflects the
transition away from heavier rococo to
neoclassical restraint and elegance.Tudor/elizabethan Furniture (1558-1603)
Furniture in the Tudor/Elizabethan era was
heavy, robust, often in oak, deeply carved,
with turned legs, strap hinges, and
architectural motifsQueen Anne chair with cabriole leg (1720-1714)
This style was developed before
and after the queens reign. Features
curving cabriole legs pad or slipper
feet and often a vase-shaped or
pierced splat.Adam interiors (1760)
This style heavily influenced Federal
American Interior and furniture as well.
It represents a bridge between British
Regency and American Neoclassicism.Chinese Chippendale commodes. (1745-1770)
They show how fashionable
furniture makers such as Chippendale
responded to the “Chinese vogue”
(interest in China, Chinese lacquer,
porcelain, chinoiserie interiors) in
Europe.Jacobean furniture (1603)
Primarily built of oak for many pieces.
Occasional use of cherry, lime, even
imported woods in smaller quantity.James Abbott McNeill Whistler – though
more a painter than an architect, his
aesthetic ideals influenced interiors and
design (e.g., the “Peacock Room”)Richard Norman Shaw in Britain
incorporated Aesthetic Movement
influences.William Watts Sherman House - (Newport,
Rhode Island, 1874-76) is one early
example of Aesthetic Movement architecture.The Arts & Crafts movement arose
in Britain around the mid-19th century
(c. 1860) and extended into the early
20th century (~1920s) in Britain and the U.S.The Garden City movement: Under the
influence of Morris’s writings (e.g., his
lecture “Town & Country, 1894”) the idea
of planning towns for health, beauty,
community emergedQueen Anne Style Homes (1870)
it’s a Victorian-era revival style
characterized by asymmetrical
facades, towers or turrets, wraparound
porches, ornate spindlework, and
mixed materials (brick, wood shingles,
terra cotta).Stick Style / Eastlake Style
(Painted Ladies) 1860–1890
The Stick Style emphasized wooden
structural “sticks” or decorative trusses
applied to exterior walls, mimicking the
frame beneath.Mackinac Island Architecture (1870)
Characterized by wraparound porches,
turrets, shingled siding, and pastel
color palettes.Ottoman Influence (Victorian Orientalism)
1830s–1890s
Reflects Britain’s imperial reach and the
era’s interest in exotic culturesNesting Tables (Victorian Furniture Innovation)
(1890)
sets of progressively smaller tables
that slide beneath each otherChâteau-sur-Mer — Newport, Rhode Island (1852)
Originally an Italianate-style mansion,
later remodeled into a High Victorian
and Aesthetic Movement masterpiece.Emlen Physick Estate — Cape May, New Jersey (1879)
Completed in 1879, designed by
architect Frank Furness.Eustis Estate — Milton, Massachusetts (1878)
Completed in 1878, designed by William
Ralph Emerson, a leading figure of the
Shingle Style.Glessner House — Chicago, Illinois (1887)
Completed in 1887, designed by Henry Hobson Richardson.The Green Dining Room — Victoria and
Albert Museum, London (1866–1868)
Marks a turning point in interior design —
from historical imitation to artistic
collaboration between architect, artist,
and craftsman.Tiffany – Lighting & Stained Glass
Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933) began
experimenting with stained glass in the
1870s, officially founding Tiffany Studios
in 1885 in New York.Gustav Stickley (1858–1942)
Stickley founded The Craftsman
Workshops in 1901 in Eastwood,
New York, and published The
Craftsman magazine from 1901–1916.Frank Lloyd Wright
developed his Prairie School style between 1893–1910.Mission San Francisco de la Espada (1690)
The oldest of the San Antonio missions,
Espada exemplifies early Spanish Colonial
mission architecture, using limestone and
stucco with modest ornamentation.Mission Concepción - 1716
One of the best-preserved Spanish
Colonial churches in the United States.
Built entirely of stone, its frescoes
and symmetrical façade became a
hallmark reference for Mission Revival
architecture.Mission San José (1720)
Nicknamed the “Queen of the Missions,”
it showcased the most elaborate and
refined Spanish Colonial Baroque detailing
of all Texas missions.Mission San Juan Capistrano (1716)
Known for its agricultural innovations
and distinctive chapel architecture,
San Juan Capistrano reflected the self-
sufficient mission complex model.Mission San José (1720)
Nicknamed the “Queen of the Missions,”
it showcased the most elaborate and
refined Spanish Colonial Baroque detailing
of all Texas missions.The Alamo Mission
The Alamo is both a symbol of
Texas independence and a model
of early mission architecture. Its thick
walls, curved gable, and stucco façade
became iconicFort Winfield Scott (1895–1903)
Built during the rise of the Mission Revival
movement, Fort Winfield Scott incorporated
red tile roofs, stucco walls, and arcaded
porches reminiscent of the Spanish missions.Fort Mason Chapel (1912)
the chapel features stucco walls,
arched openings, and exposed timber
beams. It served both spiritual and
architectural purposes—reflecting early
20th-century America’s nostalgic
fascination with Spanish colonial heritage.Hotel Tassel (1892-1893)
It is considered one of the first
buildings in the Art Nouveau style.Mackintosh exhibition room
at the 8th Secession exhibition (1900)
This exhibition marked the cross-cultural
exchange between Scottish and Viennese Art
Nouveau movements, connecting the Glasgow
Style with the Vienna SecessionistsAntonio Gaudí – Sagrada Familia (1882)
Demonstrates Gaudí’s philosophy that
nature is the truest form of divine architecture.Antonio Gaudí – Park Güell (1900-1914)
The park reflects early 20th-century urban
utopian ideals, emphasizing health, community,
and connection to nature.Louis Sullivan – Auditorium Building (1889)
the Auditorium Building was a groundbreaking
mixed-use structure housing a theater, hotel,
and office spaces.Chrystler Building (1928-1930)
In 1927, Architect William Van
Alen received a commission for an
office tower from real-estate developer
William H. Reynolds.Radio City Music Hall Auditorium (1932)
Its construction set many records at
the time, including the use of 15,000
miles (24,000 km) of copper wire and
200 miles (320 km) of brass pipeMcGraw-Hill Building (1929-30) by Raymond Hood.
The emphasis on horizontal lines and
large dramatic windows was unique
among New York skyscrapers and
captured the attention of curators
at the Museum of Modern Art.Rockefeller Center (1939)
One of the foremost architectural
projects undertaken in America in
terms of scope, urban planning and
integration of architecture, art and
landscaping.The Carlyle
Opened in 1930, the Art Deco
hotel was designed by Sylvan
Bien and Harry M. Prince, with
interiors by Dorothy Draper. It
was named after the Scottish author
Thomas Carlyle.Faena Hotel (1947)
Miami Beach by George Sax. It
epitomizes the transition between
Art Deco and the mid-century
Miami Modern aesthetic that
would sweep the Mid Beach area
of Miami Beach.Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann (1879-1933)
French Interior and Furniture Designer
known for his large input during the
Art Deco periodEliel Sarrinen (1873-1950)
Finnish and American architect,
designer, and urban planner.Paul T. Frankel (1886-1958)
Frankl began as an architect and
later switched to designing and
painting fine art and furniture.Unity Temple Church, Oak Park 1908
The temple is decorated with abstract
motifs instead of overtly religious
imagery. The facade is made of
Portland cement, which has been
washed away to expose the gravel
underneath.Ludwig Mies van der Rohe – Farnsworth House (1951)
"Less is more". A one-room weekend
retreat designed entirely as a transparent,
minimalist glass box elevated above the
ground.Villa Savoye - Le Corbusier (1931)
One of the most important houses
in the history of architecture.
Embodied Modernism’s ideal of
universal, functional design. Represented
a new standard for domestic living in
the 20th century.Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier believed homes should
function with the efficiency of machines,
designed around human needs rather
than tradition.Gerrit Rietveld – Red-Blue Chair (1917)
The Red-Blue Chair is one of the
first three-dimensional expressions
of the De Stijl movement. Rietveld
used simple, intersecting planes and
straight wooden slats to create a
chair that looks almost like a 3D
abstract painting.Barcelona Chair - 1929Chaise Longue (LC4), 1929Eero Saarinen – TWA Terminal, New York (1956–1962)
A landmark of postwar expressive
modernism, moving beyond the rigid
minimalism of early modernist architecture.Buckminster Fuller – Geodesic Dome / Dymaxion Concepts (1940s–1950s)
Represents modernism’s belief in
technology as a tool for social
betterment. The dome influenced
futurist architecture, military structures,
exhibition pavilions, and environmental
movements.Bertoia Wire Chair for Knoll (1952)
An icon of mid-century modern furniture,
demonstrating how industrial techniques
could create comfort and elegance.Louis Kahn – Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas (1972)
Exemplifies Kahn’s belief that buildings
should have a “timeless” presence rooted
in light, structure, and material.The museum
is widely recognized as one of the best-lit
buildings in the world—demonstrating how
natural light can shape interior experience.Richard Rogers & Renzo Piano –
Centre Pompidou, Paris (1971–1977)
A defining work of High-Tech architecture,
emphasizing transparency, flexibility, and
the aesthetics of infrastructure.
Represents a break from traditional
monumentality—making culture more
accessible with a public piazza and open
interior floors.Oil Crisis (1973)Cecil Hayes
Active: 1970s–1980s
One of the first Black interior designers
to gain national recognition.Arthur Elrod (Black mixed-race, often uncredited)
Active: 1950s–1970s
Known for bold modern interiors in Palm Springs.
Elrod’s legacy includes collaborations with
major mid-century architects.Dan Johnson (African American mid-century furniture designer—often overlooked)
Active: 1950s–1970s
Known for sculptural, modernist chairs and tables.
Worked both in the U.S. and Italy.Maximalist Revival (2020s):
Color, pattern, ornament return.Digital Fabrication & 3D-Printed FurnitureCovid-19
Worldwide pandemic forces
everyone to stay home. DIY
home projects and home
office design.Eco-design emerges as an industry.
Renewable energy, and the rise of green building ratings LEED designChatGPTPeriods
Ancient Roman DesignAncient Egyptian DesignAncient Greek DesignMiddle KingdomOld KingdomEarly New
KingdomEarly DynasticArchaic ArtClassical
ArtHellenistic ArtKing Tutankhamun’s rule over EgyptAlexander III (The Great)Cleopatra IJulius CaesarPharonic TheocracyCity-state (Polis) DevelopmentGeometric
design
developmentArchaic
design
developmentHigh/classic
design
developmentHellenistic
design
developmentTransition from city-state to Mediterranean EmpireRoman KingdomRoman RepublicRoman EmpireEarly Christian 325-800Byzantine (330-1450)Romanesque (800-1150)Justinian’s reign of the Byzantine EmpireNorman Conquest of England
New architecture was introduced
as castles and motesBuilding of San Vitale, Ravenna
c. 526–547 CELater Middle Ages (1150-1500)Abbot Suger (1081–1151)Saint Denis
(1135-1144)Early Gothic (c. 1140–1200)High Gothic (c. 1200–1300)Flamboyant Gothic (c. 1350–1500)Islamic Tradition (691-1631)Asian Traditions (1400 BCE-1620 CEUmayyads DynastyAbbasid DynastySeljuk TurksTimuridsSafavidsRenaissance (1300-1600)Baroque (1600-1720)Baroque (1600-1720) (copy)The Council of Constance (1414-1418)The Black Death (1347-1351)Giotto (1267-1337)
.Idealism, balance, harmony, perfect geometies.
Revival of VitruviusJules Hardouin-Mansart
(France)War of SpanishNeoclassic
(Louis XVI
1760-1789)Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) reshaping
political and religious borders in Central Europe.Filippo Brunelleschi (1420–1436)Michelangelo Buonarroti (1546–1564)François de Cuvilliés - Amalienburg
Pavilion, Munich (1734–1739).American Revolution
(1775–1783)American Colonial, ca. (1600-1700)Federal/American Neoclassic (ca. 1790-1845)English Furniture/Early English Renaissance & Regency (1484-1820)Reign of Henry VII
(1509-1547)Cultural: Architecture, furniture,
decorative arts reflect elite
taste, luxury and classical revival.Aesthetic Movement (approx. 1872-1889)Arts and Crafts Movement (approx. 1860 – 1920s)Mission Revival Style (approx. 1690-1930)Victorian (1840-1910)Art Nouveau (1880-1910)Vienna Secession (1873-1909)Eclecticism (1700-1899)Art Deco (1920-1940)Modernism (1907-1946)Industrialization and Mass Production (Late 1800s–Early 1900s)World War I (1914–1918)Ascendency of Modernism: 1945–1965Aftermath of Modernism (Late Modernism → Postmodernism): 1965–1979Civil Rights Movement (1950s–1960s)Women’s Liberation Movement (1960s–1970s)Cold War (1947–1991)Contemporary Design Themes (2000–2020s)Digital Expansion & Global Minimalism: (2000–2009)
Rise of digital fabrication (CNC, laser cutting).
Global minimalist aesthetic (inspired by Japan + Scandinavia).
Eco-design emerges as an industry.Parametricism, Social Design & Wellness: (2010–2019)
Parametricism becomes mainstream in
architecture. Biophilic design spreads
through corporate and hospitality interiors.Post-Pandemic Domesticity & AI Design: (2020- Present
Covid-19 reshapes architecture → hybrid work, home offices, flexibility.
Maximalism returns in residential interiors.
Sustainability moves from trend to requirement (net-zero, circular design).
AI-generated design visions + robotic fabrication.
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