An Analysis Of Altmeri Architecture In The Late 420's [The Weirder Scrolls]
[Part three of my series on altmer society can be found here This is a continuation of my mostly Altmer-centric lore stuff based on Tamriel Rebuilt, The "old" lore, and some of the cooler stuff from ESO.
The obvious East-Asian themes in some of the architecture are a reflection of Bethesda's own treatment of elves throughout the series history. How this relates to Akavir is something I really want to address at some point.
I'm also looking for a better name for the region I'm calling "The Dreaming". Something to add to it like "The Dreaming [blank]. THe basic idea is that the Crystal Tower is either "leaking" magicka or draining the logic from the surrounding era. This has been happening very, very, slowly for a long time, possibly after an ancient Maormer attack.
Of course, none of this artwork is my own! A lot of it is merely the closest I could find to what I imagine in my head, and some of it even comes from other games. Let me know what you think, and if you'd like to draw some of this yourself!]
As a race dedicated to art and craftsmership, it's no surprise that the Altmer construct some of the most diverse, eclectic, and dazzling buildings in all of Tamriel. The following are some of the most common styles of Altmeri architecture.
Crystal Architecture
The Altmer are constantly trying to emulate the deeds of their ancestors, and many look to the sacred Crystal-Like-Law for inspiration. Most common in the Dreaming surrounding the Crystal Tower, this style is built around a series of giant gem-stones. It's commonly speculated that Crystal-Like-Law is somehow alive, and that its crystal "roots" form a sprawling network beneath the land. As such, these crystals are "grown" and raised from the earth itself.
Crystal architecture is reminiscent of baroque cathedrals, and features a great deal of open space. A mer living within The Dreaming prefers to remain indoors, within the solid walls of a crystal structure. The crystals also serve as spikes of reality in the otherwise chaotic and nonsensical Dreaming. These are essentially indoor cities.
The-Sea-Yields-To-Aldmeris
Commonly known as "The Coastal Style". The Altmer love the sea almost as much as their maormer enemies. Altmer along the coast learn to swim before they learn to walk, and many mer spend a great deal of their lives on the water, as shippers, marines, or fishermer. In their attempt to emulate their Aedric ancestors, the Altmer seek to create, and in some sense to dominate the prison they inhabit. To this end, Altmer artwork is commonly abstract, based on something in nature but "improved upon" with original ideas.
This style illustrates the Altmer command over natural forms. Based on aquatic life-forms, it is most common along the coast, where architects have ample inspiration.
Sacred Armor
Popular with Battlereeves and more militant Kinships, "Trinimac's-Sacred-Armor" is solid, imposing, organized, and pragmatic. Above all else, these buildings are made to withstand a war.
These buildings are almost always centered around a fortress-monastery to Trinimac, where a Battlereeves's most trusted servants dictate the day-to-day lives of the Workers under their protection.
Sacred Blossom
Favored by those with an Elder mindset, the Sacred Blossom style is baroque, extravagant, and kaleidoscopic. Every surface reveals patterns within patterns, abstract faces and figures pressing outward toward the viewer.
The name itself comes from the famous "skyscrapers" of Alinor, whose spires open into blossoms of glass and petrified Greatfly wings.
Sail-Toward-Victory
Immediately recognizable by its domes and arched roofs, Sail-Toward-Victory is what outlanders imagine when they think of Altmeri architecture. It is most popular with the Youth, and is therefore the style most commonly seen in manors and embassies outside of Summerset. The famous roofs are actually inspired by the ship-hulls of the infamous Altmeri Navy, and is seen as a militant gesture by Imperial bureaucrats.
In many ways, this style is the basis for modern Aldmeri architecture. The most common similarities can be found in the Indoril style of Morrowind, though one should never make this comparison in the presence of a Dunmer. The khajiit share a similar style as well, but it's far more gaudy in nature, more in line with an Elder's mindset.
[Edit: The second "additional" image is insanely small. I'll try to fix that.]