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Architecture in Greek ἀρχι-, "archi-", meaning first, prime, or chief and τέκτων, "tekton", meaning builder. It is a multi-disciplinary field, including within its fold mathematics and geometry, science, art, technology, social sciences, politics, history, philosophy, and so on. The first architect known by name was Imhotep from ancient Egypt. The Roman architectural writer, Vitruvius summarized that "Architecture is a science, arising out of many other sciences, and adorned with much and varied learning: by the help of which a judgement is formed of those works which are the result of other arts". He added that an architect should be well versed in fields such as music, astronomy and philosophy. This holds true to this day – as music is a play of pitches/tones with silences (modulation in sound), architecture is a play of solids with voids, geometry with proportion.

The study of philosophy ("lover of wisdom") would be an appropriate attribute for an architect in the days of Vitruvius given the diverse fields of knowledge an architect needs to embody. "Architectural philosophy" is frequently used to describe the approach of an architect; for example, Modernism, Rationalism, empiricism, structuralism, poststructuralism, and phenomenology are some directions from philosophy influencing architecture.

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El Escorial, the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real (also known as the Monasterio de El Escorial or simply El Escorial) is located about 1000 km (50 mi) northwest of the Spanish capital. El Escorial comprises two architectural complexes of great historical and cultural significance: El Real Monasterio de El Escorial itself and La Granjilla de La Fresneda, a royal hunting lodge and monastic retreat about five km away. These sites have a dual nature; that is to say, during the 16th and 17th centuries, they were places in which the temporal power of the Spanish monarchy and the ecclesiastical predominance of the Roman Catholic religion in Spain found a common architectural manifestation. El Escorial was, at once, a monastery and a Spanish royal palace. Originally a property of the Hieronymite it is now an Augustinian monastery. Philip II of Spain, reacting to the Protestant Reformation sweeping through Europe during the sixteenth century, devoted much of his lengthy reign (1556-1598) and much of his seemingly inexhaustible supply of New World gold to stemming the Protestant tide. His protracted efforts were, in the long run, partly successful. However, the same counter-reformational impulse had a much more benign expression, thirty years earlier, in Philip's decision to build the complex at El Escorial. Philip engaged the Spanish architect, Juan Bautista de Toledo, to be his collaborator in the design of El Escorial. Juan Bautista had spent the greater part of his career in Rome, where he had worked on the basilica of St. Peter's, and in Naples, where he had served the king's viceroy, whose recommendation brought him to the king's attention. Philip appointed him architect-royal in 1559, and together they designed El Escorial. On November 2, 1984, UNESCO declared The Royal Site of San Lorenzo of El Escorial a World Heritage Site. It is an extremely popular tourist attraction, often visited by day-trippers from Madrid. (more…)

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108 North State Street, 5th Avenue Theatre, Akhtala monastery, Algonquin Hotel, Andriyivskyy Descent, Architecture of the California missions, Architecture of Houston, Architecture of the Song Dynasty, Architecture of the medieval cathedrals of England, AT&T Corporate Center, Ballard Carnegie Library, Baths of Zeuxippus, Bayon, Beaumont House, Benjaminville Friends Meeting House and Burial Ground, Blackstone Library, Buildings and architecture of Bristol, The Casbah Coffee Club, Chana School, Chicago Board of Trade Building, Chicago Spire, Chicago Theatre, Chrysler Building, Church of St. Peter (Straubing), Churche's Mansion, City and Town Hall, Cityscape of Ashland, Kentucky, Crown Fountain, David Heymann, Dolphinarium, Dunstaffnage Castle, Édifice Price, Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier, Egyptian pyramids, Egyptian Theatre (DeKalb, Illinois), Elgin Cathedral, Ellwood House, The Exchange, Bristol, Forbidden City, Fort Greble, Fort Pasir Panjang, Giacomo Quarenghi, Golubac fortress, Great Pyramid of Giza, Gunston Hall, Haapsalu Castle, Halton Castle, Hamm (Westfalen) railway station, Harold Washington Cultural Center, Heller House, Historic Michigan Boulevard District, Hull House, Imbrex and tegula, Iranian architecture, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Joffrey Tower, Joseph F. Glidden House, Kaunas Fortress, Leonardo da Vinci, Lubbock High School, Machu Picchu, Manila Hotel, Mark Twain House, Marquette Building (Chicago), Mezhyhirskyi Monastery, Mission San Juan Capistrano, National Gallery, London, National Police Memorial, Old Louisville, Old St Paul's Cathedral, One Bayfront Plaza, Onion dome, Oregon Public Library, Palais Strousberg, Pavillon de Flore, Presidio of Santa Barbara, Queen's Pier, Rancho Camulos, Robot Building, Rock N Roll McDonald's, Roman Baths (Bath), Rookery Building, Roslin Castle, San Francisco International Airport, Shamrock Hotel, Singapore Changi Airport, Smederevo Fortress, Sycamore Historic District, St Mary's Church, Acton, St. La Salle Hall, St Thomas the Martyr's Church, Oxford, Sunol Water Temple, Taipei 101, Taj Mahal, TCF Bank Stadium, Thomas Jefferson, Union Station (San Diego), Union Station (Washington, D.C.), University Mall (Little Rock, Arkansas), University of Illinois Observatory, University of Virginia, Valley of the Kings, Via della Conciliazione, Vilnius Castle Complex, Waller Hall, Walls of Constantinople, Wigwam (Chicago)

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Art Tower in Mito, Ibaraki; architect Arata Isozaki

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