Etienne-Louis Boullée was an influential 18th century French architect known for his abstract geometric style inspired by classical forms. He removed unnecessary ornamentation and inflated geometric shapes to a large scale with repeating elements like columns. His drawings included projects for public buildings such as churches, palaces, and theaters that emphasized regular shapes through symmetry, order and proportion to create a sense of grandeur, beauty and harmony. He also designed cenotaphs and cemeteries meant to evoke dark and somber feelings through sparse, bare walls and shadows.

1. Metropolitan Church
ISHANT ANAND
DEVENDER SINGH

2. Étienne-Louis Boullée
Etienne-Louis Boullée was a
visionary French neoclassical
architect whose work greatly
influenced contemporary architects
and is still influential today.
Developing a distinctive abstract
geometric style inspired by
Classical forms. His work was
characterized by the removal of all
unnecessary
ornamentation, inflating geometric
forms to a huge scale and repeating
elements such as columns in huge
ranges.
Architecture, Essai sur l'art……. drawings of projects for public buildings he designed
between 1778 and 1788: churches, palaces, courts, assemblies, theaters, libraries, museums, city gates, memorial
arches, bridges, lighthouses, cemeteries, cenotaphs…

3. “Why does the regular shaped figure emphasized
at first sight?
Because its faces are regular and recurrent and because its form is simple...We
distinguish them thanks to the image of order that their regularity and symmetry suggest...
The regularity sets the beauty of form; symmetry, order, and overall beauty; variety
produces various levels by means of which they are diversified to us ... Proportion is an
effect that arises from regularity, symmetry and variety…The harmony of the bodies is
born from the combination and the perfect conjunction of all its proportions….”
Theatre exterior

4. “Greatness is directly related to beauty
and, under different meanings, it is the
same whether objects are pleasant or
horrifying. Looking grand in anything means
revealing superior qualities”
Cenotaph Boullee
“the image of greatness satisfies us
in every aspect because our
soul, eager to extend its joys, seems
ready to embrace the Universe”

5. Bibliotheque Nationale

6. Hôtel Alexandre
Oval bull's-eye windows
Flanking doors in the corners
of the courtyard have isolated
architraves embedded in the
wall above their plain
openings
Four Corinthian columns
embedded against a recess
in the wall plane create an
entry

7. CENOTAPH FOR ISSAC NEWTON
Basically, the building is a large sphere that
represents both the land and Newton’s
discoveries. Its access can be gained through the
base and, despite its size, only a small area of
such base can be occupied. Its surface is
skillfully perforated, so that sunlight can enter
during the day and create the picture of the night
sky. At night a great source of artificial light in
the center portrays the daytime image .
Light represents Newton, lighting the knowledge of mankind
Perforated roof gives night sky view during day

8. Play of light and shadow
“To produce sad and dark images it is necessary to present architecture by means of a
completely bare wall, as I intended in some funerary buildings, showing a picture of
sunken architecture by means of low proportions and buried into the ground; in short, give
shape, by means of light absorbing materials, to the dark image of an architecture defined
by the shadow effect. This type of shadow-integrated architecture is an artistic discovery
that belongs to me ...
Metropolitan Church

9. REFERENCE
• http://www.etsavega.net/dibex/Boullee_Newton-e.htm
• http://myhomepage.ferris.edu/~norcrosa/18thcWebsite/PPT/Utopian.p
df
• http://hanser.ceat.okstate.edu/4073%20pages/boull%C3%A9e.htm
• http://www.printmag.com/design-inspiration/etienne-louis-boulleearchitect-of-big/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89tienne-Louis_Boull%C3%A9e