Difference between revisions of "Category:Architecture"

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Architecture according to Race

Lithmorran

The main building material for Lithmorran homes is timber, though larger public buildings in the city proper frequently have the benefit of Vandagan artisans who built, for example, the cathedral. Timber forms the main structure of most buildings either way, and wattle the filling. Daub covers the structures and is usually white-washed to prevent the seepage of rain. These basics of Lithmorran construction change with regards to the amount of money available to the owner of the property to build, however, as seen below:

Wealth in homes is displayed by the number of rooms available to those who live within it as well as the type of roofing. Rich homes have wooden or pottery shingles and wood or plaster floors. They may also have several rooms, or even several stories to their home.

Perhaps wiser than the rich, the poor use reed thatching to roof their homes. The waterproof material generally provides better insulation - but the rich can afford firewood more easily. Poor homes, however, are almost always one or two rooms and suffer hard-packed dirt for flooring.

Both rich and poor alike sweeten their homes with flowers and herbs, though rich prefer potpourri to rushes. Likewise, all Lithmorran homes have a hearth.

Farin

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Tubori

The Tubori are not known for building grand monuments and edifices to stand the test of time, courtesy of the continual threat of hurricanes. In fact, hardly building at all is not uncommon; Tubor has a larger homeless class than any other duchy. Instead of living indoors as other duchies would call it, the poorest often shelter under makeshift lean-tos, little more than plaited leaves for a roof supported by wooden poles.

For more prosperous freemen and the poorer gentry, wooden houses - usually elevated on posts in case of floods - are the standard. Windows are common, though usually not made of glass; instead, Tubori windows are open holes, usually shuttered and hung with netting to keep insects out while allowing air to circulate. Roofing is devised from stacks of palm leaves or bamboo poles lashed side by side. While houses built in such a fashion are indeed easily destroyed by storms, they are also easily (and cheaply) rebuilt.

Extremely wealthy individuals (the most established gentry and successful nobility) have homes made of stone with imported marble flooring, often in Vandagan styles. It is a mark of pride to have a white home, meaning a home made of white stone with tile roofing and no sign of wood anywhere in sight. This has, on occasion, led to poor but proud individuals to paint wood to resemble stone - a pretense usually destroyed by the first hurricane.

Balconies, verandas and porches are common to allow for evening lounging; their ubiquitous presence has led to many a Tubori play involving love-struck serenades and ill-advised midnight climbs.

Vandagan

Due to the Vandagan national enthusiasm for architecture, a house is perhaps a man or woman's single biggest status object. An interesting consequence of this is that far fewer people tend to be homeless in Vandago, even if their homes are truly crafted of crude materials- it's a shame far greater than most anything but being branded a heretic. Homes are most fiercely fought over in inheritance disputes than any other possessions, especially prior to the days of the Decree of Sodality.

The richest members of Vandagan society have quite sound homes framed with supporting steel, around which and within which stones are placed. Thicker walls mean deeper pockets, and are yet another point of pride, as are the stones with which one manages to have the structure filled. Granite is fairly common, due to a natural abundance of the rock- the richest might decorate their inside walls with alabaster, some types of marble, and multiple windows. The grandiosity of homes in Vandago tends to be difficult to match outside of the duchy, nobles and rich stonemasons or wool producers vying with each other for the tallest, most sumptuously decorated, most expensively crafted domiciles possible.

Far more average in Vandago than these towering and heavy manors are the much smaller, wood-framed houses of the middle and lower classes. Although many of these wood-frames houses of the middle class do manage at times to approximate the luxuries of the steel-framed, using carpeting and interior decoration standards that are quite similar, they're usually constructed on a much smaller scale and from cheaper stones, a fact most Vandagans can recognize simply by looking at them. This trend of attempting to imitate with poorer materials has even spawned a saying in Vandago- to 'gild one's stones' is to try and appear of far greater status than one actually is.

The more numerous poor will also be able to avail themselves of wood frameworks, but often simply fill them in with mud or various less salubrious pastes they can throw together. The luckiest poor may manage to either steal enough stone from a quarry they work for to shore up the house for Vandago's bitterest winters; however, it's more common for them to simply layer on as many mud casings as they can. The poor in Vandago never tend to stop working on their houses, both out of stubborn pride and out of the simple necessity to stay warm.

Vavardi

The Vavardi people appreciate beauty and they expect to be seen, so it is little surprise that the architecture in Vavard is known for aesthetics over other considerations. Stone is the building material of choice, especially white stone, followed closely by brick. Wooden buildings are disdained for looking cheap, and, where wood must be used for financial considerations, architects will sometimes add a false brick facade. Carved accents and statuary decorate most buildings, their grandeur and quantity scaled with the wealth of the buildings resident. Arches and pillars are both popular as decorative accents, though they are rarely used as part of the buildings main supporting structure. Wealthier homes make a point to offer courtyards in front of the building, by a rule visible through fences, gates or windows, though not accessible to the public, providing a glimpse into luxuriously landscaped pockets complete with fountains, pools and sculpture. Owing to the gentle climate, balconies are also prevalent, often overlooking the courtyard and outfitted with furniture.

Inside the home, at least the first room upon entry is expected to be finely appointed for receiving guests, and this is often positioned to be the most impressive place in the building. Rooms are frequently floored in either mosaic tiles, flat stones, or marble. They are then covered with soft carpeting or exquisite tapestry rugs. Lit by wall sconces, the walls are either plastered or painted with murals, and often draped with rich fabrics and pieces of art. Furniture is often dressed in rich fabrics, as well, with cushioned upholstery used generously.

Where Vavard's architecture truly shines is in her public monuments. Large, gushing fountains, enormous arches, marble tiled plazas, and tall, elegant statuary are found in every nook and cranny possible. City buildings are constructed not only to be functional, but beautiful, and are built of white stone and marble. It is expected that the wealthy be seen contributing to public works projects, and monuments are always a popular way to provide for the city while glorifying ones own name.

Charali

Given that the Charali people are nomadic, their housing structures require that they be easily-movable and compact enough to be carried upon the back of a horse. Plainsmen live in short-term villages of tent-like structures which are easily constructed and designed for the utmost mobility.

Charali tribal hierarchy is easily discernable through these types of housing. While most tribesmen live in easily-movable, conical teepees, tribal leadership resides in cylindrical structures referred to as yurts. The yurt is typically floored with lavish carpets of soft animal skins and furs and has a small, circular opening in the roof to allow for camp-fire smoke to exit. In either the teepee or the yurt, animal skins are used for bedding and there is typically little to no furniture present.

The Charalin style of architecture is simple and easy to break down for transport. Lesser members of the tribe reside within tepees covered with animal skin while elders and those with higher social standing will live in family-sized cylindrical yurts. Because of the volatile nature of the Plains in terms of weather, trees are relatively rare. Each of the poles used is therefore rare and has gained a little mystical symbolism in the process. If a pole snaps, for example, it is an ill omen and portends the injury or death of one of the family. Likewise, there is on occasion a 'sky burial' that occurs when a prominent member of the family has died. Using a pole from each of the homes in the tribe, the corpse is held aloft toward the sky in order to ensure an easier journey for the spirit.

Hillish

Homes in the hills are built around functionality. One-story huts and hillside dugouts are the norm, with basement storage. The homes of chiefs or valued craftsmen are at times more involved. Precise construction and attention to practical detail results in small, but comfortable, efficient homes built to withstand harsh elements and attack. Decoration utilized to emphasize the more cleverly engineered aspects of the design, such as intricately carved shutters and support beams.

Homes usually consist of a single, central room with a large, round central fireplace that serves as a living area, kitchen, and workshop, though sleeping lofts and recessed bed-spaces give family members much-valued personal space.

Building materials include wood, wattle, and mud, which are used to maximize stability and insulation. Furniture is utilitarian, but not uncomfortable. Beds are often a mass of furs and blankets and are on the floor if not in lofts or niches. Roofs are thatched and pitched, and many homes have roofs that extend to the ground to provide storage, giving houses a distinct triangular appearance.

Flatter-land villages are built in concentric circular layouts. Wells, storerooms, and meeting lodges mark the center of the village. This allows both easy access, and creates a protective shell around resources. Villages built upon steep inclines also feature lookout posts at strategic vantage points.

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