Palladio four books of architecture outline

Palladio four books of architecture outline how to#

(Namely VitruviusвЂ™ idea that the architect can change proportions based on his own judgement rather than the Platonic laws of the universe - which Alberti believed had the potential to invoke aesthetic chaos.) His statements on aesthetics would lay the foundation for three centuries of architectural thought.ДЄlberti believed (following in the footsteps of Plato) that there is a so-called higher reality to the physical world, which could be expressed through architecture via the universal laws of mathematics and вЂњharmonicвЂќ proportions, such as the вЂњgolden ratioвЂќ. Renaissance ThoughtДuring the Renaissance, the architect and theorist Leon Battista Alberti expanded greatly on VitruviusвЂ™ ideas of beauty, which he found problematic. The discussion of whether or notВ something can be considered beautiful, and whyВ is often referred to as aesthetics. For example, I hate McMansions, but love Brutalist architecture, which is loathed by many. The trickiest of the three is, of course, beauty, as ideas of beauty differs from person to person.

Palladio four books of architecture outline how to#

For those who feel like they donвЂ™t know how to talk about architecture, asking if something is well-constructed, satisfies its intended function, or could be considered beautiful is a good place to start. The Vitruvian Triangle (diagram by me, hereby released into the Public Domain)Д®ven now, VitruviusвЂ™ requirements forВ вЂњgoodвЂќ architecture remain relevant, and form a successful basis for theoretical thought.

Vitruvius believed that good architecture satisfies three fundamental laws: firmitas, utlitas, and venustas (commonly translated as firmness, commodity, and delight.) VitruviusвЂ™ most famous contribution from De architecturaВ was his answer to the question: what makes good architecture? VitruviusвЂ™ treatise handled everything from how the Romans built their cities and decorated their temples to the philosophy of architecture and the training of young architects. VitruviusвЂ™ work De architectura (commonly known as The Ten Books of Architecture) is the oldest existing treatise on architecture, and the only primary source from classical architecture to have survived into modernity.ДЎ931 edition of VitruviusвЂ™ Ten Books of Architecture, screenshot from. Though there were likely many before him whose work was lost in the throes of antiquity, the Roman architect, writer, and engineer Vitruvius (active during the 1st century BCE) is credited with being the grandfather of architectural theory. (Photo Sources: Monoskop, Fair Use) Early Architectural Theory: Antiquity through the Renaissance Seen above: books that have, at one point, pissed off some dudes in black turtlenecks and glasses. How do changes in technology influence architecture?.How does todayвЂ™s society influence its architecture?.How does todayвЂ™s architecture fit into architectural history?.How do (or should) architects reinterpret the past?.Can we create a better world through architecture?.What is the role of a building within the city or landscape?.What is the role of architecture as an art or as a science? In society?.What makes good or innovative architecture?.What makes a building beautiful or important?.It encompasses everything from philosophy and aesthetics to history, sociology, and building construction techniques.Д¬ommon questions in architectural theory, debated even today include:

(for those curious, this is from Greg LynnвЂ™s 1993 essayВ вЂњArchitecture Curvilinearity: the Folded, the Pliant, and the SuppleвЂќ)ДЇortunately for most of us (sorry PhD students), the vast majority of architectural theory isnвЂ™t this complex and esoteric! Hence: What even is Architectural Theory?ДЄrchitectural theory is simply talking about architecture. Hello Friends! Educational!McMansion Hell is back after a long(ish) haitus - and I hope you like text, because thereвЂ™s gonna be some text.This SundayвЂ™s topic is architectural theory, aka many an architecture studentвЂ™s least favorite class(es) in architecture school.ДЄ lot of people see the words вЂњarchitectural theoryвЂќ and expect something like this: