Epic Architecture
Epic Architecture | |
Contents
Description
"Stones laid without harmony are home only to strife."
A daimyo's castle is his home and his fortress, stamping his authority on the landscape. Just as importantly, it is also his palace: the setting to show his grandeur and gravitas when meeting friends, dignitaries and rivals. The quality of the building sends an important message to friends and foes alike. Focusing on the aesthetic qualities of a building, as well as its strength, harks back to an earlier, more peaceful time, perhaps with the implicit promise that the daimyo will see to it that they return. Magnificent designs conjure up past peace and prosperity, and promise a better future.
Sengoku Jidai period castles were largely made of wood and, because of the civil war and fire assaults, very few remain today. Castles also constantly changed as owners and their needs changed. When a daimyo conquered a new province, the castle would be altered to suit his tastes and military needs. Each castle ended up as a mixture of styles, extensions, rebuilds and more extensions, making it harder to read the original design, but easier to trace its history of building work!
Requires
- Arts: Traditional Building, Calligraphy
Enables
- Buildings: