Why is it Justifiable

Classical architects developed their approach to design, considering its form and function for both private and civic buildings throughout the 17th century. The Examination Hall In Trinity College, Dublin, stands in Parliament Square. Designed by the architect Sir William Chambers, but realized by Christopher Myers, and completed In 1785. Entering the college through the classical portico of the West Front of Trinity College, one emerges into a beautiful, elegant and enormous space consisting of two squares, Parliament Square, a cobblestones quadrangle, and Library square, which is set with lawns and trees.

Facing across the main quadrangle towards the Chapel, these two buildings mirror each other. Both are large single vaulted chambers with an apse, and a temple front portico in the tetra style, the columns being of the Corinthian order, supporting a pediment with unadorned tympanum, this mirroring was a device used in classical architecture to try to achieve balance, majesty, space and calm. The roof of the portico is of groin vaults springing from the imposts of Corinthian pilasters on the inside and the front columns.

There are three principle registers, the ground floor, the piano mobile and the upper or attic level. There are five bays on the front elevation. The fenestration is typical, neoclassical, symmetrical distribution; the windows on the ground floor are round headed in keeping with the three arches in the portico, and the three arched windows above the entrance. On the piano mobile the windows are large, rectangular, with a pediment above, and console brackets and festoons below, the sills united with continuous molding.

The attic windows are smaller, and square with a lintel above them. The walls of the building are made from ashlars granite, with channeled rustication on the ground floor, giving the building a fortified and secure effect. The portico and three central bays are made from Portland stone, a sign of the illustrious economic climate during the last half of the 18th century (Portland stone was expensive and had to be imported from Dorset at some considerable cost). The longitude elevation of the exam hall consists of seven bays; the central window on the piano Mobile has a pediment.

Again the fenestration is symmetrical, with square windows on the attic floor, above each window is a lintel, on the ground floor the ashlars granite is channel rusticated, and the rectangular windows again have lintels above them. An undecorated transfigures ps the building between the ground floor and the piano mobile. Central to the ground floor is a door with block rustication surrounding the entrance. A balustrade runs along the parapet on the roof. Behind the balustrade on the roof, semi-circular windows run the length of the building including the three semi-circular windows on the south facing elevation, which is where the apse is.

The apse has three bays, the attic level contains the aforementioned semi-circular windows, the piano mobile contains three large rectangular, round headed windows which are framed with a keystone surrounded y five vigorous either side of it. Inside is an ‘aphasia hall with a three-bay arcaded vestibule and gallery above’2, the hall is lit naturally by the semi-circular windows on the clerestory, the round headed windows in the gallery and by the large round headed windows in the hemispherical semi-dome apse.