The Gould Memorial Library Essay Samples

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The Gould Memorial Library, which is situated at the Bronx Community College Campus, proves a very close resemblance to the Parthenon in rich architectural aspects. The inspiration behind the architectural design of the library comes from Greece. Democracy began in Greece and from where America also adopted its political form of government. The Parthenon is patterned after a Doric order. This is manifested in certain features like columns that are wide enough but do not have bases. The plain column capitals support the frieze and which contains metopes and triglyphs. Also, because Parthenon is a Doric peripteral temple, its floor plan is rectangular in form with arrays of low steps on its edges or sides. A colonnade that has a dimension of 8 x 17 stretches out and around the periphery of the building (Beard 24). These elements can also be seen in the Gould Memorial Library. Just like the Parthenon, the Gould Memorial Library building, built from 1897-1899, also uses colonnade and located in a large stone podium overseeing the Harlem River. It uses row of columns that support the porch (Lehman n.p.). The five elements that differ from that of Parthenon is that the Gould Memorial Library (1) use dart moldings; (2) use of ornaments such as limestone pilasters and cornices; (3) does not have a rectangular form; (4) it has an octagonal central torso; (5) repeated contrast of straight and raking cornices (Lehman n.p).

Work Cited

Beard, Mary. The Parthenon. Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2003. Print.
“Gould Memorial Library.” Lehman. Lehman University, n.d. Web. 25 March 2015.