2. Question 1:
Compare the
Temple of
Ziggurat, to the
Hollyhock house
• The Temple of Ziggurat and
Hollyhock house is a man
made building that follows
Paleolithic, Geometric and
Archaic Period themes. They
build their structures on a
hillside to distance themselves
from the mortal world. It follows
the basic human function of
attempting to reach heaven or
God.
3. The Temple of Ziggurat and
Hollyhock house are also
similar because of the designs
of the Doric outlines of the
buildings (from the roof tops,
the enclosed roof entrances
into cavern inspired rooms).
The Temple of Ziggurat and
Hollyhock also have a
“Assyrian” (neo-Babylonian-
Persian) architecture that is
constructed as a rectangular
house with walls all around it.
It is built on a hill over looking
the city or the land and has
altered stair cases that lead
up in all directions.
4. Question 2: The entrance to the
the temple has a “Bent-Axis
approach vs linear”
The Ziggurat temple has a straight-forward approach.
The people back then believed in creating some sort
of maze or puzzle of getting into the building, but it
leads into large, cavern based rooms.
The Ziggurat also was constructed with the
knowledge that statues would only face frontward
because they thought that they would not have be
taken seriously.
The Hollyhock house is a house that is based on
different views. It’s entrance is more pushed
in, physically cramping the visitors then, (just like
Ziggurat), lead into large, cavern based rooms that
demand the attention of the visitor.
5. Question 3: The Monumental arched
doorways of Sumerian temple reminded the
priests that they were entering a holy place.
How does this compare?
The monumental arched
doorways represent how
the priests were going into
a holy place. There is some
similarity because just like
the temple doorways, the
Hollyhock door way has a
similar detailing. It’s
designed to be physically
enclosing as if entering a
cave, then once
entered, the house gives
off a palace or artistic
building vibe.
6. Another similarity, is that the doorways of the
Hollyhock House hold the same sort of
significance as the doorways of the
Sumerian temple. The physically enclosing
doorways, at first glance, give off that
something in very important or amazing
before you enter the house. Then once the
person enters the room, the insides of the
room demand the attention of the visitor.
One more similarity is that despite that the
hollyhock was meant to be a house and
Ziggurat was meant to be a temple, they
both have a unique stature, both are
placed on a hill that overlook their cities or
lands and made to show that this place is
higher or better then the people bellow it.
7. Question 4: This interior of
the Sumerian temple may
had a “chiaroscuro”
variations of light and
dark, how does Hollyhock
compare?
• Hollyhock had the same
characteristics as the Ziggurat in
which certain rooms were
designed to be lighter. Rooms
such as the dining room, living
room, and master bedroom
were extensively lit up to show
off the decorations and other
glorious objects in the rooms.
• Hollyhock also had rooms in
which the owner wanted to
keep dark, such as the
bathroom, kitchen, downstairs
living room and other rooms. The
owner and sunlight determine
where and when the light or
dark will strike.
8. •Hollyhock had a variety of rooms
such as the study, children's play
room, and basement. Hollyhock’s
“Chiaroscuro” variations were mostly
lightened generally because the
owner of the house wanted to keep
the house enlightened to show it off
as well as make the house seem
more child friendly
• Also, the Hollyhock, “Chiaroscuro”
essence comes from how certain
shadows are casted from the
corners and small details of the
outside. Whether it’s the staircase
outside that leads upstairs to a
balcony that casts a shadow into
the main bedroom, the statue that
catches a reflection off the mirror on
the wall, or how the
9. Question 5: Sumerian
Temple as an
Yes, hollyhock’s features
“Introverted” building
have always been
with a small almost small, but very well
delicate (one might even detailed.
say feminine) features.
Could the same be said From the roof, the
about hollyhock? kitchen, the bed
room, details such as the
detailing of the floor, the
three tile glass
windows, the pastry fold
out table and even the
Egyptian style balcony
Hollyhock’s architectural
construction was based
around the little feminine
details and features of the
owner of the house.
10. Question 6: Frank Lloyd Wright utilized a method of
“Expansion-Contraction” where visitors would
experience tight narrow spaces that would open up
to larger spaces. How does this feature compare
with Sumerian temple?
This feature does not compare so well with the Sumerian
temple. There are some details of the house that are
similar. For example, the way that the temples stair case
has a more bent look because the people back then
had a belief of a stair case that coils around the building
and leads to a larger holy place.
However, the Sumerian temple architectural style has a
lot more open space, wide open stair cases, and large
rooms with Doric style columns holding up the roofs. Also,
it focuses on religious traditions and beliefs.
Also, a feministic feature of the Hollyhock House is how it
is carefully shaped to look like a temple or a palace for
a queen or, for this case, Aline Barnsdall and her
daughter.
11. Question 7: Hollyhock house is arranged around a central
courtyard with one side open to form a kind of theatrical stage
and complex system of Split Levels, steps and roof Terrance's
around the court yard. Is this reminiscent of the Sumerian
Ziggurat?
Yes, it is more Ziggurat inspired. Hollyhock is arranged to be
very ancient Egyptian style based.The courtyards wrap around
the house, the steps run up and down, up
rooftops, androoftops are not an average American style.They
were made to express something artistic or cultural.
The hollyhock attemptsto emulatethe ziggurat by the
presentation of the house. The entry way to the front gateleads
up a hill that winds ups to the house. The house is shaped just
like an ancient Ziggurat.
The hollyhock tries to emulate the zigguratdue to its similar
architecture. The ziggurat was created in the “Neo-Sumerian
Rule” and even though the Hollyhock was built far after that
time it embodies great similarities to early ziggurats.
12. The hollyhock also tries to
emulate the ziggurat from
how the house was built, just
how ziggurat in that time
was created to establish a
“Neo-Sumerian Rule” in that
time, the hollyhocks
creation ushered in a new
era of architecture far
greater then its time
The Hollyhock also try’s to
emulate the importance of
ziggurat, from the way that
the ishtar gate is
appreciated, just from its
unusual way the buildings
are shaped to the height
that the buildings are made
13. Question 8: Hollyhock features a
series of abstract motifs such as
in Sumerian art
Sumerian Art closely relates to the symmetrical, even
artwork found inside Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock
House. The images are a reflection of the house’s
creatively constructed frameworks and compliment
the preexisting geometrical attributes.
Sumerian Art is well balanced and intentionally
placed, just like the form in the Hollyhock House. Not
only do these two art forms relate in form, but they
relate in subject.
Both project an Eastern type of style that are
composed of dark lines, full shapes and heavy
contrast. Unlike the background of the Mona Lisa, the
compositions are clear and defined.
14. Question 9: How does the story of Gilgamesh
compare with contemporary life?
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a direct concentration on the
obsessions and typical standards our culture creates on
beauty, the material world, etc.
Sumerian Art can relate to this classic fascination by simple
terms that their goal was to achieve beauty. They believed
that the symmetrical features (just like on the statues in Ancient
Greece and Rome) were perfect, stunning – and did
everything possible to achieve this splendor.
Likewise we see it again with Frank Lloyd Wright and still today
with our contemporary ideas on beauty. Enkidu was tempted
by the village harlot (much like Hollywood stars are with
modern Venus’) and shown all the wondrous pleasures of the
world.
All of these things represent the sublime and are fought for
among each civilization.
