The older and modern plans for college campuses

Architecture

Way of Life in Search of an Architecture"

Cistercian architecture reflected the identity of a group of monks who wanted to reform the excesses of the church, which they regarded as inhibiting the spiritual life. They sought to establish a way of life that was simple and humble and devoid of distractions. These monks believed that elaborate architecture and highly embellished designs would distract from worship. They believed it was important to avoid distraction because it would lead to pride. Cistercians put down their roots in aesceticism which demanded withdrawal from the world, poverty, and discipline. Their communities called for an self-sufficient agrarian life in an isolated area. They renounced cash because business dealings would lead to contact with the outside world. They rearranged and reshaped their daily lives apportioning time for reading, manual labor, and prayer. They left behind lives as intellectuals and took up farming.

An efficient centralized government was set up with a clear chain of command ("a masterpiece of mideval planning" p. 6) to ensure austerity and simplicity. Their early buildings reflected both, and the names of their houses usually cited some characteristic of the land upon which they were built. The order grew rapidly, in fact, at an unprecedented rate. New abbeys were established and procedures for choosing new sites upon which to build became more and more elaborate. This was because sometimes in their zeal to establish a new abbey, they overlooked features of the site that would eventually cause them to fail and have to move to a new place. There were many rules for decorating the interiors of the churches, all aimed at simplicity and limiting embellishments. At first, there were not a lot of rules for architecture, but a general understanding apparently prevailed. Their architecture reflected sensory disengagement for the purpose of attaining spiritual enlightenment: "...a spirit that is intent on interior things is better served by an absence of decoration and trimming in the things around it" (p. 11). The old order they had left behind provided them with views of what architecture should not be, that is, extravagant and highly ornamented, which they regarded as a hindrance to spiritual growth. Peacefulness was the aim, achieved by their use of light: "The relationship of light to architecture, specifically the way it conditioned a new luminous and spatial quality in the building, became in fact one of the most prominent features of the Cistercians' churches. Clear white light complemented the simple forms and fine proportions of the buildings to produce interiors of coolness, quiet, and serenity" (p. 13).