 THEMATIC THEORIES - Present the “concise, fast and easily

o Aim at the fulfillment of one principal goal, often at the cost of applicable rules of the five column
other customary goals of building systems.”
- Based his design instructions on:
a) idea of Pythagoras that proportions of
 THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURAL SYNTHESIS small integers mean harmony
o Are examples of theories which aim at fulfilling simultaneously
b) proportions and other instructions
several goals, usually all the goals that are known. provided by Vitruve
c) example set by earlier buildings
 THEMATIC THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURAL d) general good taste, whatever that
DESIGN meant when interpreted by each writer

 MARCUS VITRUVIUS POLLIO  ANDREA PALLADIO (1508-80)

 author of the oldest research on architecture - Father of Modern picture books of
architecture
 Ten Books on Architecture ( “De architectura libri
decem”) - “ I quattro libri dell’ architecttura” contains
 Laws of Symmetry - modern terminology mostly little theory but all the more pictures on
buildings skillfully designed by Palladio.
mean “The systems of Module Measuring”
 Durability (Firmitas ), Practicality or Convenience  PHILIBERT DE L’ORME
(Utilitas ), Pleasantness (Venustas ) - French theorist proved that in the Pantheon,
 A building is beautiful if its appearance was pleasant , it the Corinthian columns were dimensioned
was in accordance with good taste , and its parts follow according to as many as three different
proportions and the “symmetry ” of measures proportions.
- Principle of “perceptive psychology”
 MIDDLE AGES
 Monastery Institution  RENAISSANCE THEORISTS THAT
 Buildings are only defined by stating the size and it PROVIDED GENERAL PRESENTATIONS
shall be made “according to the traditional model”.
 “There’s no accounting for tastes” was the rule of
OF THE CLASSICAL RULES OF
thumb of Scholastics, which did not favor the ARCHITECTURE:
development of the theory of arts
 Practice of architecture was based on tradition a) FRANCOIS NICOLAS BLONDEL: “
 “Sketchbook “ by Villard de Honnecourt (1235) Cours d’architecture (1675)
 “Booklet on the Right Way of Making Pinnacles” b) CLAUDE PERRAULT: “ Ordonnace
(Büchlein von der Fialen Gerechtigkeit )by Roritzer des cinq espĕces de colonnes” (1683)
 Traditional knowledge was learned by doing, in the c) JEAN LOUIS DE CORDEMOY:
guidance of the Old Masters “Nouveau traitĕ de toute l’architecture”
 In the beginning of the 13th century, craftsmen in the (1706)
building trade started forming guilds (German d) MARC-ANTOINE LAUGIER : “Essai
:Bauhütte) sur l’architecture (1753)
e) JACQUES - FRANCOIS BLONDEL :
 CLASSICAL THEORY OF FORMS “Cours d’ architecture (1770)”
f) J-N-L. DURAND : “ Prĕcis des lecons
 Renaissance brought about a new interest in the feats
(1802-05)
of antiquity, especially in Italy
g) JULIEN GUADET : “Elements et
 Classical System of the “Orders” became the most
theories de l’architecture (1902)
visible contents of architectural theory
 Classical Style - “Mannerism”
 Writers complemented their works with still richer  CONSTRUCTION THEORY
illustrations. Theory books of architecture started  Used shapes that resembles or duplicates that of a
resembling fashion magazines. “catenary curve”
 The purpose of the works was usually to present the  Use of Mechanical Analogous model instead of
“rules of art” to designers. those Mathematical algorithms that we use in modern
construction
 LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI (1404-72)
- De re aedeficatoria (On Building)  MATHURIN JOUSS
- Developed a clever system of classical - “Le Theatre de l’art charpentier” (1627)
pilasters and architraves which could be deals with wooden constructions
superimposed on any smooth surface
- Used the name “ornamentum” (equipment, - “Le secret d’architecture decouvrant
decoration) for these architectural elements. fidelement les traits metriques (1642)
deals with stone vaults
 SEBASTIANO SERLIO - Both treatises describe mainly traditional
- “Regole generali di architectura” structures and do not yet present a tangible
theory for their design.
 GIACOMO (JACOPO) BAROZZI DA
VIGNOLA
- “Regola delle cinque ordini” (1562)