‘The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa ype nt ric Res,‘Thott wo cases of beauty-natfal and customary Natal om gomety onsing in niferiy, at quay and propria, Customary beat Shports ve ‘eometrcal beauty. Georetia gies are naturaly more beat than Jercres the nnn the cle are hese Genel ext he puaiclogar aed SR ay tna Btu oan of taht en, Sahin fb sequerly necesito ther ta Sie Christopher Wren, Pareto As the ideal typeof centalted ling Palco’ Villa Capa-Rotond (Pi 1 has, perhaps moe than ay eter house, imposed self upon the imagination. atemate, abstract, four square, without apparent Taneion and ttl meno ‘ables derivates have cnjyed uivesal dstribution; and, when he wits oi Pallado ya ‘The ites peasant and dlighul as can be found, because Ison anal il vary coy scan wared on crs by th Suchighene, 1 naigble Fiz once i nencnpel bgt Chm le ing in frat and mon exit vines and therefore ait enjoys fom vey pat most beau views, sme of wish ae imte, me more txtendeay an thers Stich terminate wits he horn, there ae loge mse four rants When theming prepared forse ane bythe othe, a passage rm Le Cor busier’ Pricone may be uravoidsblyremiiacent ofthis Noes yl but father more explsie, Le Corbusier is describing the st of his S1Noye Howse 2 Psy (Pate 2). eee le ae ee ine cee ‘mainteno intacte du haut de ler farcin suspends ou tes at faces deers {uc en longs Usur ve domestique sesoserce das un Eve glen” “The Swvoye Howse has een gen a number of interpretation, It may ined be machine for Bving i anarangerent of intpenetiating volumes an paces, 30 {emanation of spacetime; bat the ngetiverelerence tothe dea of Viel ay [tame mind of the passage whith Palla esrb the Rotonda Paladi's landscape more agrarian ad bucol, he evokes les ofthe untamed pastoral His sed argersbut theft of the tno pases somehow the sare. Pallado, writing eewhere, ampli the eal ie oF evil Hs ower, fom ihn agent of eat nde, wl watch the maturing of his possession and ‘Svor he pauaney of contrast between his lds and is gdenseefieting on ‘rutile wl contemplate trowphout the years the antique virtues 2 in let tace andthe harmoniusorrng of Wife and hisetate wl be an analogy of para, ‘The ancien sass commonly used to ret ta such place, where being ofentines ‘id by te sivas frends ad eatons having ute orders, fous nd sc ike pleat paces and abo all ei rue they ful sy aan ‘Stnuh hapincr at cn be stand here blow.” Pape tes were the eas of Vig: an ely interpreted, they have fathered sound tarsles inthe cour of ne al those eas of Roman vite, ‘etme, Imparilsplndoe and decay whieh make up the agate recor Struction of he ancient wordt would ave been, perhaps, nthe lndscpes of Pouninwith their portntous apparitions of he antique tat Palade would hve fel a home; nd Its possibly the fsamentals ofthis ndipe, he po ‘unc of contast between the sergaged cde ad sting inthe payne farest, between gometical volume and the appearance of eninpaited natu, ‘wich li Behind LeCorbser’s Roman alsin If fchiecur at te Rotonés forms the tng forte goodie, 2 Posy Is etal the backound or the Iya efficent one and ithe eantemporary pastoral snot ye sanctioned by onwentona esas, appar te Vran ost sil present. Frm the hygeialy equipped boudoir, pausing while ascending he Fangs, the memory ‘of the Geax no doubt intrpess sel; 2nd perhaps the stra ference may even add stimulus asthe er plls ct fo ar However more specific comparison which pens isl fs that between Pa lads Vila Fos, the Naleonent fc 1380-60 (Paes 3,4), and the house hich in 1927 Le Crbisler bl for Mr, and Ne, Michael tein at Garches (Pies 6 ‘These are two bldg which in tel Frm and evcatins ae superficially so te une that o big her together would ser tobe Factious bay f {he oosstivepaycholoal and psi aly ofthe Malcontenta receives no parle ns haute which sometimes wie to bea ship, sometimes agymnsium, {hsdiference of mood should nat be allowed to nk seat Fors he fist cae, both Guches and the Malcontent af conceived of as singe chs (Pats, 8) ad, lowing or variations nro teste, aah ‘enticed tht both are tock of cotespending volume, each measuring 8 unisln eng, by Sin breadth, by 5 in eight. Then, fre otis, there isa com tales paral boy structure ta be served, Eah hase exits (and conceal) an ater tinge of duble ad single spatial intervas; and each house, read fom front to tack cplayscompuable patie dsiotion of Fines of support (Figure a tg cae ‘But a hin stag, might better to introduce an anos. Bees, if the dis tution of base hrzontal coordinates in both aes mc these, here teil some sight and ign ferences eaing tote stitution of hase lines of support which parallel the facades and thusat Garces, reading fam fron to bck, the fundamental spat intra proceeds inthe ratio of Ti Ings Wty wiles the Maleontenta me are preseted with the sequence 2= 2 ‘kv ther words by the ws fa canter hal unit Ls Corb btn 3 “emprossion for his enral Day and thereby transfers intrest edaewhee; whe Palla secures dominance fr hs conta dvsion with progression toward is portico which sboltly fcusesatenton in hese two ates The one scheme i threfore, potently spend and pomibly equation andthe ote icon otic and artilybearhia bat, ith his erence observe, It might sim ply be added ht, i both cases, a projecting element extruded erie erate ached prtico—oceupies 1 ants n dpi Strictrs of eure, are nol to be compare ar 10 seme eaten, ot atch tects laok to stueture aa station for ther dpostins. Thus Plo em ploye3 solid bearing wala of this aystem he wets {eis be observed, that those (rooms) onthe right correspond with those onthe tee tat so the Yate may be the mem ane sce a the oer, and tate s ‘als may sul bea the Bardo ofthe ac bees the walt ee made age Fone part ahd Salo the her, the att wl be mere fra resist he weit, ‘ Ey tenon of te nearest of the walls andthe former are mes which wl pr te inte ery Beat nconrenienes and an the whole work posh Paladins concerned wih the opal dpeiion of motifs dogmatically 2 z pa, out he tenpts to dave astrturalreason for hs lang syne trie while Le Corser, who spring ae for sructre a a tas fr the : Tonal elements of cei, conta the new sysiem with the eld and alle more comprehensive desea teesen ie wr one aretont = in le nde heeBa ceca aie ila EE Ta pel ae ered pe ae Ber aces conch sone Bea Fests; but, wil the pio nab and atic are rostcate, the bse is ated 2 pin surface and eling of von pester weight carried here nacicvd by this Pil emotive Iverson of de usa order, ‘Ain the situation at Garhes i mre complesand thers the exploitation of the sructu system has ied to eaneepion of the wal aa series of horizontal strips strategy which paces egal intrest in both aner and exremity ofthe {aende and whichis then maintained by Le Corbis endeney 0 suppres the ‘nde spans ofthe double bays By those means any system of ental vera immediate raul nthe garden ation of arches snows felf in he doling ‘lhc lements which may be consderd ufone the Maleate porte, and superimposed pediment. Thee become separate; and, transposed as eae drt paren, the one eccpie the two fr dee) bay othe tof the fi id, heehee 3 cnt peiion nthe eld hut an symmetrical on inthe ‘hole elevation, 2 the analogue of Palacios uper pediment. Ths isthe central element ofthe Upper story but then is aso nates, in spite of ts symmetialpestin, that the frtordevelopnent of ts element within se snot symmetrial.Nor oes it promte symmetry nthe ucade tv. whole; and, hough ii sponded 0 by the large central window ofthe enrace hall sinc te honzntal phe the wns ato probit any exp aking of hese Ivo manifestations, there ensues in the elevation meting very like that sane aration and eral of centraty whieh is isplayed nthe la, Thus a cental foes s Stipulated ts developments inhibited and thes then ours a dsplaerent and “Tedking un of exactly what Palio would hve presumed tobe x normatve her chi pont of iference es inthe interpretation ofthe rat. At he ‘Naeantenta ths forms pyramidal supestructre which ampli the volume of| tmehouse (Pate 9 wheat Gaches is consti by a Mat sacs, servig the lor ofa enclosure, cutout rom-and thereby diminishing the hoses Volume Ths. nthe one buldng te behavior ofthe oof mii be described a adv ap ithe otet as subttacte; but, tis important esnction apart, both oof are then frnshed wi wae of inedent, regula ox random, pediment ‘cpio, whic alte enter ino important-though ey siferen-elationshis“That mathomaties and musa encord were the bss flea properton was 2 arom i of the cis In whch Pada moved. Hee ete was elo Be 2 ‘erresponaence betwen the perfect numbers, the propertions ofthe Mum i tre and he element of musa harm’ ane Sir Hemy Wotton, Brith m= bsaoc to Venice at lihly Iter dt, eles sme par ofthis atitude when he writes “Tne wo prnclpt Comonances that most ash he Ear ae, by the consent of a ‘ituwe he Pt and the cue where the ft eth ay fom the Fo- Porton between two nd het The ther Ir the double ner between one {twos or fetmeen fe and four etc. Now we shal trantor Ise Propo” tons frm abe to vibe Objects and apy them 8 shal fal est {hue wi dunabiy rest wom terete ad harmonies Concent tothe bye" ‘yes non fact, suposed that architectural proportion were dived fom musa armoie, bt ater tat the lw of proportion were established mathe Inatizally and everywhere diffused, The univers of Paonic and Pythagorean ‘pecuation was compounded ofthe sme Felton of mumbes and sich a amos wat formed within the ane mae by the square and the ee ofthe umber, 2,3. Ao its quate rhythms, and relationships were established trithin this framework of numbers up to 2;and if sich number governed the trode of God wat conrad iting thatthe works of mun should sim lostucted, hats bulding should bea representative in miracomn, of the po ess exhibit arger sien the workings ofthe word In Alberts words: "Nature ar to act conestrty and with onstant algal er opera tion" and therefore, whats patent nme mast ako besoin athlete ‘Thus wlth proportion 3 projection of he harmony of the unvese, i ass both cent ad elon ute snasslble and a Palas cool enjoy thesatsfactons fan aesthetic Delve to be enti objective [Le Corbusier as expressed imi comtions abot proprton, Mathematics, ‘ing “des vrs econfortantes,”ané "one gute ps son cure Qu oe le eit terre chose exate”? bt tis indeed exacree wich Le Cobusesek, whi is bulding tot the unchangeable Cay a a Indio volumes wich one fins 1's, rsd, 2 ype planed obscurity an, ~Zorsquenly while inthe Maleontena geometry ifsed tougher he feral volumes of the ene bldg at Garches Weems oly Lo reside the blk as whale and inthe dspostion of ts suppor. “he theoretical postion upon whieh Pallas potion ested broke down in theciphteenth century when proportion became 2 mater Oia! semiiy ‘nd private inpration® and Le Corbusier, in site ofthe comfort which math ‘sai alord hi, simpy in eso is Wcation aatoy ea cxcpy ns tc ‘naslable postion. Funetionalsm ma, perhaps, highly Psitistiatempt to andthe ultimately Platonic Aratotlan tigue, Dut its interpretation was re ena nd ratltus; and in contadction to this theory that Le Carbsie Feonfortantes.” That elther bce of orn pte of theory both architects share a common Ttatons of» prt progrm, shoul therefore no be siping that the ‘choos to male disci advertisement of tei abhrenc to mutha orm ia. Of the twoand, perhaps, characeristiallyLe Corbusier fe more agree teglating lies ana gues and by placing on the drawings of his elevations the ‘ato the plden section, A: BB: (AB (Figure 2) Buf Le Corer’ ade re for im the primary demonstrations of he ‘ines of mithemstaldpin, with Palio would sem thatthe lima poo of ms theory Les in NS pan. Tougrout hs Quoc (Palio const “Emly equips both his line ae elevations with tei numeri apologetic (Pate 13} bu the crypt ges which he appends is drawings ce lays to be more conning or at fast more comprehensible, when they relat othe plan. Artis, pos, to be understood, for haus uch a the Malor- tent the plan may be seen asan exhibition of natural Beavty, 25 the au tine, shsrct and uncomplcsted but the facades ae, of neces, adlteated (theush Scarce to thei aetiment) by an nristen a customary’ mater. The facaces tecome complicate, thse Platonic rationale may be lima ised by ‘he radial presence, inthis 26, of he fn rae which possess its Ovn faonle nl whih inevitably introduces an altematve sytem of measurement (Pie 1), The conflict betwee the ‘estar’ demands ofthe oder and asves of rat ura relationships might be asuened toe the source rom whic de facade of "he Mleonienta dre. They ae gestive, evoeate, but they ae tes oF totaly sneptble vo mathematical relation, and, theeore, again toward alld plan that one ever Provided wth explanatory dimersions, the twAb BAT 2:3 lationship. They are numbered 12: 16, 16 16 and V6 : 24 Iolo rome dosent concur with what ets acta "thst be whicn preva; and, nthe garden fade, tisbreakdown Becomes a mater of fourand tv, whic Becomes complicated Dy its interplay with a ubsary ster, TR iis Patlado modifies the geome asperis of his cube: and this vst of the cei [brand pyramidal elements wih the sae tems both to conceal and 1 amplify ‘mid are among the prerogatives of slid wall const-tion. They ate among the Freedoms ofthe ada lan, the pt pays and the nection of hed frm a itched rots sa Hberty which at Gaches Le Corser ans of for and vot slabs (ate 12}; and, therefore, the quality of paral a ne eng the ten, Perforation of S07, Fs = cetsn vertical movement of space, posible but the sui quality ofthe bei scaring gpd andthe ne rt of Palais ‘cc horizontally. nether words fe plan exchange fo res econ bt he tent anseFeitatons ofthe new system ate gulte2 exacting 2 hoof te of andy though the eid walstractr his been turned ots ie, wth she former com peuiiso section and sabes of eeaton ow Wansposed to plan, there may bere some reson fr Palacio’ choice of lan and Le Corbusier’ cove of ‘esatons as brng the document, in each case, max Mlusatv of elementary mathematical ulation, "The spatial audits the Garces plan cotive to tril; bt it may some tines seem toe an terior which acetal tothe nee alone—to the in tel operating fom with a tage vacuum. Thus there iat arches perma en esion between the egazed and the sppaenl ferutous. Conceptually, “lis lea; but sensuous all deeply peiplenng. There ar statment of “heratcical eal here ate counter #atements fan eaitarian one Both houses {may seem tobe appreheribl from without but, fom within, nthe rior ful tthe Malcontent, tore sa clu othe whole bing hile at Garces, i is neve psi to stand at any point and recive a tol impeession. For at ‘Gace the necouryexuidstance between lor ad ling conveys a egal Importance tal pat ofthe vate in betwen; and tus te development of holue fovstecomes an abiay, I ot an mpeg, proceding This isthe ‘icra propounded by the system and Le Corbusier expands tot Me aceepts the principe of horizontal extension; thus, Garces cena focus cant token up-concenttatonatany on ain = diepated and the dsmenibered Fragment the center bseme a pariperal person of ince, a srl int [itn of interest around the erm ofthe ph But it snow tat this systom of harizntalexterion whic is concrpualy logical comes up apie the rigs boundary ofthe lock which, almost ceri, [Stet obs perceptual equsie?" and consequnty, with Roizontal exe Son checked, Le Corba obliged to employ an opposite escure. Tat, by oupng out lage volumes of he Black a erate and oof wre, be introduces ay imple of ener and by oppoumgan expose moment wth an in oe une y invcacing verse psturs lone expanse ones, he ja Irak msitaneous eof conflicting sates inync rele the slomenary, geometrical sustuctre ofthe bulldigsand cael, the peripheral ident neh sistas forte Pally focus ca aso become compounded with te versions of terrace and root warden) whieh seta sently analogous developmen oPlladio step of eta x Fay crparabe proces to hat which scsi plan takes place son te levaton, where thee the sre regula fasion of vale and ier development of point of concentration; andere, with the hodzontal windows “enveyng an equality to both the center and verge of he Facade,» dsineration ‘ot focun which snever complete aun ash oelation of tention Her the plan here sting rsd, othing pase nothing slow moving and the "items ofthe loc, by this mean aeguite an ener chity and anes, 4s though they were ying to vest he peripheral ntnt fom yng ou of “the Hock altogether, {A tiled comparion ses easy to sustain between the two houses which intially. seemed to vite hi linking together the Savoye House a the Via “Rotunds and, conceivably, this Benue either ofthese bulding 50 entirely eniensed ins seucure an ie eotiona impact are, respecte, the earer ‘Grches and the ater Malontent. The Savoye House ard he Rotond are bth toe famous but they are on each cs, more obviously Platonic and ey to {ake Powby this ites thoy are both he round and that, therefore, wha iscancenrated in two front at Garces andthe Makcontena sre ised rough four, eulting nf rts gnility of external effet. But there 2 atieable ens an ck tron tobe found in these aad, thee ae logos development to tote nthe other huss. Such te Palo’ concen, tot in pan and elevation, with central empha and Le Corbusier's determine ere of fous, At Poy, jut pombly, the complicated volumes ofthe upper ool garden replace the Palin pitched roof 2nd cupola and ai, [st POS ty, Palio’ four proecting logis are subsumed within the bck as then ‘Sou terrace which, seratey, 35 the dominant element ofthe ive ne, ul sto be considered to cotespond tothe domed salon of the Rotonda But, symbaliclly andi he phe of estomary’ beaut, Plladio’ and Le overs dings tn ferent weld, Palla sought complete clarity of ‘lan andthe mot lcd orarzaion of conventional elements based on Imerys the mast memorable form of erder and mathematics athe spree Snction nthe word of forms, Ins own ming is work was ese hat of ‘Musto, the adeptation ofthe anclet house anda the Back of his ind were fiays the ext halls ofthe Imperial theme and such buldings as Hadrian’ ia SU Tiel He had eral seme of achaclopia eersrution of Greek aed Roman domestic bung, bed on Viruvun and Py, ncorpurating elements whic a Grockand Roman practice would have been found ony in public bulIng, ut which heres gener Indeed, Rome fo hon was stl supremy ve a he acer had aaaped the temple fom the house hla ele Panning was, no coub, similar eine ‘Notootty, Le Corbusier as an equal eerece for mathematics and he would appear sho, sometimes, e linge wih compatable hrc. For his plans Te sce find atleast oe sure In hone ean of contenance and ammedte {splayed inthe ingerious planning of te Rococo hte, he backround of @ socal ie tence more spied and intimate. The French, unt ecenly, pos ‘ened a unbroken radian of thse of planning; and, therefore one may ten discover na Beau Arte tiation of an ieplarsie,elements Which f they ta nx preceded Le Corser might seem fo be eriounly remincent of his fa highly suave vestibule and boudis. Le Cotas admits the Byzantine nd the anonymous architecture ofthe Mediterranean worl; and there ao Present wit hin 3 purely French elight ia the more ever aspess of mechani The itl pilin on the rot at Gache i a he same tine, temple flv sc the bridge of ship. The most comple atehitectral volumes ae ited with runing water (Geometry, both rhitects may be Sid to have approached Something of the Plone archetype of the el vist nhich the fantar ofthe Vion tear might be supporto reste and the elation ofan de whieh repre ented bythe house as. cube could ao be presumed tole itl very realy 10 the purposes of Virgin ereaming For here eset up the cont betwen the hole andthe contingent, the asia andthe ara and the gap between {heel word and the foo human exigencies of realization here veces its most pathetic resentation The bridging mast be as competent and comping 3 he Construction ofa wellspacued fupsand, it maybe charged, 1a the Halen tent wth lst eligi eriosnes or, at Garces, imbued with opi {Sted and wity also, is sic orparzation nan tle fet which ‘econ the mind to what maybe Some fndamentlderepancies in he pro ‘a constractor of architect guns, alo the convinced cast with ssc century repertory of welbhumanize forms ae Wansaes ns ‘ecved mater with pasion an a igh seriousness iting to the continued Talley that etn to posses. The eernes to the Farhi the seri bose peimens of the Malcontent othe thermac incre slo, the "bigs, protean in both ide and for, nthe eauvoclconunction of ten front and domestic bac; thes fe charged wit meaning, bah or what they sn i hy pid pe pgp Sea ae ea ea a eae onatoaean fore Seeee ea eee ee cao near taper ete ee sepa oly pom autos u oa pions ns scar tee Fema Ieee aes et eee Senne nse eniewe, aay Sorina maeene ene arta eee! ses SUid mp ed medias ee teva ulcers Bese certeer remus neocaerramet eat fegotncttenlebiep reprint dlrs Saba nmomrn aerece nares _ifonad Winer neli tpt ees ae ‘posi fi Gaia igayauc ray thar ee eee oe cae eee eee eae eg eo eee eae ete te ene renee el ee Iota pinay et eclipse etree crea me nae icainseerat or emene east one Svainea tenon man emcee oeuna re Cee ae Cc acaes oe al ene e fers oy erica enploro bce each th es Sars Grenier eine es ee eae het nes cot cel rtanre tearvean a Sor espn or po eee See ees Pia i's ab mane te crn ln nh restr eonaor ta unnee ouarea treet esrtediosy amusing extbition echique; butt the magificeny ried qual Ty ef the orgnals nich ce rarly Finds he work feo Pallant and Donets of este Corb These dition scarey requ Instence and no ‘oubtit shuld ony be sententiuny sugested that, nthe cast ofthe diane trrk, ti pehapsan adherence tol which hs lapsed ‘Addendum 1973 “Though pull of Schinkel wit te Corba might ot be so rewarding the omprion of exty Corbuand Paco, much the same argument shoe si facing tis ale might auie wel be found developing thomsles if or the Vila Malcontent, ane were to substitute the Bein Altes Museum and for arches the Pale the Asmbly a Chandar. stations Paes 1-16) Inight ui to rake the point: a.conentona clase part equipped with a {onal poché and much the sun por! itoried and made to presenta. compet= tive vey of local pestrer-peaps to be understood 2 cempenstlons for a tonal pooh: ‘ci which begins with apresimate configurations and whch then go: ces tide ference, ich sek oetablsh how the same general moi ‘Sh be transformed according to the log (or the compulsion) of specie analy Et frst) sates, se prewmably Worn i exign ane sitions Shou bs obvious. 1 cannot eronly del wth questions of iconography and ‘onli pope over symmetrical and, becase it sso dependent on se nays protracted, an only impose enormous stain upon both is con Sime and producer However, i ane would nat ike imagine oneelt coe Fronted with the ysl of am intensive etal workout on te mare! prowided ty the Altes Musum and te Palace of te Assy his reeration sould nok understood as depreciating the mited valve of sich an exer, For the to. buildings incite compartonanacan alo, bh of ver simulate ure parle wih eran productions of Mis an der Robe. Ba, f normal ution might gest so much, a Wotan syle of cites exercne (though painfully blonging toraperiod c 1500) nights posse the mest of appealing primal to whats visible and of thereby, making te minimum of pretences o erudition andthe lest ponble nun of references ouside tel might in other words, poses the merits of accsibility—for those who ae wilingto accep the fa Notes | an nee to Rog Witwer ch Tet te Sn ‘eter Titre Le ces waar Lame Oot Longe ed a etch yee iow oh out (eae deni lo Me eee ee. The 8 | Sect 01086 he ‘a races appr eg ait