The Invention of the known "Classic": Context, part 2: Gothic Cathedrals

 During the Middle Ages, medieval builders took to constructing a new trend of Gothic Cathedrals all over Europe. With each one wanting to achieve great heights and natural lighting coming from colorful stained glass murals that enclosed most exterior wall space. The first to ever build a Gothic Cathedral, Abbot Suger, created the three main support system designs that would later be coined as Gothic by local critics. These support methods being arcs that would allow for builders to achieve great height, hold up the heavy ceilings and prevent the walls, which some where made mostly of glass, from collapsing: the pointed arcs, the ribbed vaults, and the flying buttresses.

    The pointed arcs where a significant element in the building of Gothic Cathedrals. These, due to their angled point, would provide the builders with the possibility of raising the heights of their Cathedrals, which was an important aspect of the style and was aimed at to be achieved. However, due to heavy pressure being the main source of keeping stone blocks together, the stressline within the arc would apply pressure and would most likely cause the blocks that start from the end of the curve to collapse towards the sides, sending the entire structure tumbling down. To prevent this from happening, flying buttresses would be placed on the sides of the arc as a supporting barrier that would stop the stressline from pushing out and destroying the structure.

    In addition, the ribbed vaults where sets of four arcs/columns placed together like a square with its arcs meeting at a single point. These vaults would hold up and support the ceiling and the walls that had great stained glass sections; they would also prevent these from collapsing due to the lack of wall support. All this meaning that, because of the pointed arcs, flying buttresses and ribbed vaults, the Cathedrals where able to achieve desired heights and beautiful mural glass walls with the necessary support to keep them up. Of course, there are exceptions and many medieval Gothic Cathedrals are far from sturdy and self-standing but a great amount of them still stand and hold just as much beauty and grace to this day. 

    Gothic Cathedrals, known for having tremendous heights and colorful stained glass lighting, hold very risky design properties that have had to be accommodated using techniques now seen as visual representations of what the Gothic style is. Gothic architecture is a physical representation of the importance of both aesthetic and good support. Meaning, practicality could also mean having stylized visuals that are recognizable throughout ages.