Expert: Jeni Andrews-Fraser - 9/21/2007

Question
Hi there,
what would be good examples of a cathedral and a bazaar

example.
do you think this is a good example of a cathedral building or bazaar. by saying cathedral i don't literally mean necessarily a religious building

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a7/Ocad.jpg/320px-Ocad.jpg

bazaar:
http://www.shopsquareone.com/square/storeimages/richtree.jpg

1. how can it be compare and contrasted in terms of organazing principles (physical, social)
2. the labelling / language
3. navigation around the space
4. the characteristics of the space
5. motivations for use
6. intention of owner / developers
7 characteristics of the users using the place
8. characteristics of the activities taking place within

please let me know. Thanks. Appreciate if you can help out!


Answer
Hi Sue - and thanks for your question(s).  Time and space do not permit me to answer everything you have asked for ... and it does seem like a homework question, which means YOU have to find out the information for yourself!  However, the two examples you have provided, in my opinion, fit neither a cathedral nor a bazaar - the first is the design for Peckham Library and the second is a shop front.  A cathedral is OF NECESSITY a religious building!  Architecture can be cathedral-like, in terms of space and function, but a cathedral houses the cathedra - the teaching chair - from which is dispensed religious dogma.  There are plenty of examples of cathedrals throughout the Western world: Chartres, Notre Dame, St. Patrick's in NY.  A bazaar is a less formal collection of retailers grouped in an area -- and most usually connected with Eastern cultures.  Again, there are many famous bazaars throughout the world - Cairo, Istanbul, and the various 'souks' of the near East.  The questions labelled 1 through 8 are clearly the 'homework' element of your overall enquiry, and I have no intention of doing your work for you; you will only benenfit from the assignment if you undertake the research yourself and apply what you found out to these specific questions.

Good luck