RENAISSANCE

ARCHITECTURE
Bohol Island State University – Main Campus
College of Engineering & Architecture
 Introduction
• Renaissance architecture is European architecture between the early 15th and early 17th centuries. It
demonstrates a conscious revival and development of certain elements of classical thought and
material culture , particularly symmetry and classical orders. Stylistically, Renaissance architecture came
after the Gothic period and was succeeded by the Baroque . During the High Renaissance ,
architectural concepts derived from classical antiquity were developed and used with greater surety.
• Renaissance architecture tends to feature planar classicism (i.e. "flat classicism"). The walls of a
Renaissance building (both exterior and interior) are embellished with classical motifs (e.g. columns,
pilasters, pediments, blind arches) of minor physical depth, such that they intrude minimally on the
two-dimensional appearance of the walls.
•Pilaster: A rectangular column that projects
partially from the wall to which it is attached; it gives
the appearance of a support, but is only for
decoration.
• Renaissance architects rejected the intricacy and verticality of the Gothic style for the simplicity and
balanced proportions of classicism. Rounded arches, domes, and the classical orders were revived.
This revival was accomplished through direct observation of Roman ruins, as well as study of the
treatise Ten Books on Architecture (the foremost surviving ancient work on architecture, written by
Roman architect-engineer Vitruvius).

• The foremost Renaissance building types were the church, palazzo (urban mansion), and villa
(country mansion).
• Although the Renaissance flourished in Italy ca. 1400-1600, it only diffused across the rest of
Europe during the latter half of this period. Outside Italy, the transition to the Renaissance
was slowed by devotion to the Gothic style. Consequently, much non-Italian Renaissance
architecture embodies a fascinating blend of Gothic intricacy and verticality (including towers)
with Renaissance simplicity and restraint.

• The leading region of Renaissance architecture in northern Europe was France, where the
primary building type was the chateau (country mansion). The influence of French
Renaissance architecture diffused across northern Europe.
 Forms and Purposes of Buildings

• Renaissance architecture adopted obvious distinguishing features of classical Roman

architecture. However, the forms and purposes of buildings had changed over time, as
had the structure of cities, which is reflected in the resulting fusion of classical and
16th century forms. The plans of Renaissance buildings typically have a square,
symmetrical appearance in which proportions are usually based on a module.
The primary features of 16th century structures, which fused classical Roman
technique with Renaissance aesthetics, were based in several foundational
architectural concepts: facades, columns and pilasters, arches, vaults, domes,
windows, and walls.
 Foundational Architectural Concepts

• Renaissance façades are symmetrical around their vertical axis. For instance, church façades
of this period are generally surmounted by a pediment and organized by a system of
pilasters, arches, and entablatures . The columns and windows show a progression
towards the center. One of the first true Renaissance façades was the Cathedral of Pienza
(1459–62), which has been attributed to the Florentine architect Bernardo Gambarelli
(known as Rossellino).
• Cornice - the molded and
projecting horizontal
member that crowns an
architectural composition
• Frieze - the part of an
entablature between the
architrave
• Architrave – (1) the
lowest division of an
entablature resting in
classical architecture
immediately on the capital
of the column; (2) the
molding around a
rectangular opening (such
as a door)
• Entablature – a
horizontal part in classical
architecture that rests on
the columns and consists
of architrave, frieze, and
cornice
Cathedral of Pienza: This Cathedral demonstrates one of the
first true Renaissance façades.
Renaissance architects also incorporated columns and pilasters,
using the Roman orders of columns (Tuscan, Doric, Ionic,
Corinthian, and Composite) as models. The orders can either be
structural, supporting an arcade or architrave , or purely
decorative, set against a wall in the form of pilasters.
The dome is used frequently in this period, both as a very large
structural feature that is visible from the exterior, and also as a
means of roofing smaller spaces where they are only visible
internally. Domes were used in important structures such as the
Pantheon during antiquity, but had been used only rarely in the
Middle Ages .
 Windows may be paired and set
within a semicircular arch and may
have square lintels and triangular or
segmental pediments, which are often
used alternately. Emblematic in this
respect is the Palazzo Farnese in
Rome, begun in 1517. Windows were
used to bring light into the building
and in domestic architecture, to show
the view. Stained glass, although
sometimes present, was not a
prevalent feature in Renaissance
windows.
Palazzo Farnese: The Palazzo Farnese in Rome demonstrates the
Renaissance window’s particular use of square lintels and triangular and
segmental pediments used alternatively
External Renaissance walls were generally of highly finished ashlar
masonry, laid in straight courses . The corners of buildings were
often emphasized by rusticated quoins. Basements and ground
floors were sometimes rusticated, as modeled on the Palazzo
Medici Riccardi (1444–1460) in Florence. Internal walls were
smoothly plastered and surfaced with white chalk paint. For more
formal spaces, internal surfaces were typically decorated with
frescoes .

Rustication, in architecture, type of

decorative masonry achieved by
cutting back the edges of stones to a
plane surface while leaving the central
portion of the face either rough or
projecting markedly. Rustication
provides a rich and bold surface for
exterior masonry walls.
 Diffusion of the Renaissance

• The Renaissance emerged ca. 1400 in the stable and prosperous city of Florence. During the fifteenth
century the movement spread across Italy, with Venice emerging as the leading Renaissance centre of
northern Italy. During the sixteenth century, the Renaissance spread across the remainder of Europe.
• The Renaissance flourished primarily in Western Europe. The impact of the Renaissance in Eastern
Europe was significant, yet limited.
• Florence remained the heart of the Renaissance for about a century (the Early Renaissance, ca.
1400-1500). Coaxed by the patronage of the papacy, the core of Renaissance activity then moved to
Rome for about a quarter century (the High Renaissance, ca. 1500-25). The Late Renaissance (ca.
1525-1600) was not led by any particular city, though both Rome and Florence remained at the cultural
fore.
 Early Renaissance

• The two leading Early Renaissance architects were Brunelleschi and Alberti.
• Filippo Brunelleschi, the first great Renaissance architect, was primarily a designer
of churches. His most famous work is the octagonal brick dome of Florence
Cathedral, an engineering feat of such difficulty (given the dome's unprecedented
size) that he also had to invent special machines to hoist each section into place.6
Brunelleschi's dome was the largest the pre-industrial world would ever see.
• Brunelleschi's dome is crowned by a lantern: a rooftop structure with openings for
lighting and/or ventilation. (Another common type of rooftop structure is the
belfry, aka bell-tower.)
The Renaissance style of architecture emerged in Florence not as a slow evolution from preceding styles, but
rather as a conscious development put into motion by architects seeking to revive a golden age. These
architects were sponsored by wealthy patrons including the powerful Medici family and the Silk Guild , and
approached their craft from an organized and scholarly perspective that coincided with a general revival of
classical learning.

• The person generally credited with originating the Renaissance style of architecture is Filippo
Brunelleschi (1377–1446), whose first major commission—the enormous brick dome that covers the
central space of the Florence Cathedral—was also perhaps architecturally the most significant. Known as
the Duomo, the dome was engineered by Brunelleschi to cover a spanning in the already existing
Cathedral. The dome retains the Gothic pointed arch and the Gothic ribs in its design. The dome is
structurally influenced by the great domes of Ancient Rome such as the Pantheon , and it is often
described as the first building of the Renaissance. The dome is made of red brick and was ingeniously
constructed without supports, using a deep understanding of the laws of physics and mathematics.
 The typical Italian Gothic building, the
Cathedral of Florence, is dedicated to "Santa
Maria del Fiore". The church was designed by
Arnolfo di Cambio (c1245-1302) who
considerably enlarged the existing religious
structure. Finished around 1367, the Cathedral
was completely covered by coloured marbles
like the earlier Baptistery, except for the façade
that remained unfinished and was terminated
only in the 19th century.

The project left unfinished also the Dome,

since in 1421 only the frame (polygonal base)
had been erected. Two architects, Lorenzo
Ghiberti (1368-1445) and Filippo
Brunelleschi (1377-1446) won the
While the enormous brick dome that covers the central space of the
Florence Cathedral used Gothic technology, it was the first dome
competition although it was the latter who
erected since classical Rome and became a ubiquitous feature in actually built the dome, showing a great
Renaissance churches. mastery of technical knowledge, in 1436.
Leon Battista Alberti became the most
influential architectural theorist of the Early
Renaissance with his own Ten Books on
Architecture, which instructed on the
adaptation of ancient classical forms to
modern buildings. His greatest facades
include the Church of Sant‘ Andrea and
Palazzo Rucellai.

The facade of the Church of Sant‘ Andrea

(Mantua) mimics a triumphal arch
The Palazzo Rucellai, a palatial townhouse built 1446–51,
typified the newly developing features of Renaissance
architecture, including a classical ordering of columns over
three levels and the use of pilasters and entablatures in
proportional relationship to each other.

The facade of the Palazzo Rucellai (Florence) is neatly

divided into rectangular sections with pilasters and cosmetic
entablatures. Circular elements, like those above each window
of the Palazzo, were a Renaissance favourite, with many
architects of the period regarding the circle as the "perfect
shape"

Palazzo Rucellai, Florence: Designed by Leon Battista Alberti

between 1446–1451.
A stringcourse is a horizontal strip of material that runs
along the exterior of a building, typically to mark the division
between stories.

Santa Maria Novella: Façade of Santa Maria Novella church in
Florence, designed by Albert
The facade of Santa Maria Novella (1456–
70) also showed similar Renaissance
innovations based on classical Roman
architecture. Alberti attempted to bring the
ideals of humanist architecture and
proportion to the already existing structure
while creating harmony with the existing
medieval facade. His contributions included
a classically inspired frieze decorated with
squares, four white-green pilasters, and a
round window crowned by a pediment with
the Dominican solar emblem and flanked on
both sides by S-shaped scrolls. While the
pediment and the frieze were inspired by
classical architecture, the scrolls were new
and without precedent in antiquity, and
ended up becoming a very popular
architectural feature in churches all over
Italy.
 High Renaissance
• The High Renaissance witnessed the pinnacle of classical simplicity and harmony in
Renaissance art and architecture. The central plan layout (found in many Roman temples,
most notably the Pantheon) was popular during this period.5 ("central plan" denotes
rotational symmetry; if the plan is rotated around its central point, it looks the same at
multiple points of rotation. Common shapes for central plan buildings are the circle, square,
and octagon.)
• The founder and leader of High Renaissance architecture was Donato Bramante
(Bramante is considered a member of the "High Renaissance trio", along with Michelangelo,
the foremost sculptor of the period, and Raphael, the foremost painter.). His greatest
completed work is the Tempietto, a Doric shrine erected upon the traditional site of St
Peter's martyrdom. Despite its small size, the Tempietto is often considered the crowning
work of High Renaissance architecture.
Rome is widely regarded by scholars as the second Renaissance capital of Italy, after Florence, and was one of
the most important architectural and cultural centers during this period. Roman Renaissance architects derived
their main designs and inspirations from classical models. The style of Roman Renaissance architecture does
not greatly differ from what may be observed in Florence Renaissance architecture. However, patrons in Rome
tended to be important officials of the Catholic Church, and buildings are generally religious or palatial in
function.

Donato Bramante (1444—1514) was a key figure in Roman architecture during the High
Renaissance. Bramante was born in Urbino and first came to prominence as an architect in Milan before
traveling to Rome. In Rome, Bramante was commissioned by Ferdinand and Isabella to design the Tempietto, a
temple that marks what was believed to be the exact spot where Saint Peter was martyred. The Tempietto is
considered by many scholars to be the premier example of High Renaissance architecture. With its perfect
proportions, harmony of parts, and direct references to ancient architecture, the Tempietto embodies the
Renaissance.
The Tempietto, c.
1502, Rome,
Italy. : Designed by
Donato Bramante,
the Tempietto is
considered the
premier example of
High Renaissance
architecture.
The High Renaissance also gave rise to the Palazzo
Farnese, arguably the greatest Renaissance palace.

First designed in 1517 for the Farnese family, the

building expanded in size and conception from
designs by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger
when Alessandro Farnese became Pope Paul III in
1534. Its building history involved some of the
most prominent Italian architects of the 16th
century, including Michelangelo, Jacopo Barozzi
da Vignola, and Giacomo della Porta. Key
Renaissance architectural features of the main
facade include the alternating triangular and
segmental pediments that cap the windows of
the piano nobile, the central rusticated portal,
and Michelangelo’s projecting cornice, which
throws a deep shadow on the top of the facade.
Michelangelo revised the central window in
1541, adding an architrave to give a central
focus to the facade, above which is the largest
papal stemma, or coat-of-arms with papal tiara,
Rome had ever seen.
 Late Renaissance
• The Late Renaissance featured a general relaxation of the severe simplicity and order of the High
Renaissance.
• The most radical strain of Late Renaissance art was mannerism: the deliberate pursuit of novelty and
complexity, often to the point of bizarreness. In mannerist painting and sculpture, human anatomy is
strangely elongated, and figures are placed in complex, unnatural postures. In mannerist architecture,
classical forms are skewed, exaggerated, and misplaced, and classical balance and harmony are sometimes
distorted.13 By upsetting conventions and exploring new artistic possibilities, mannerism became an
influential force, even for artists who chose to retain a more purely classical style.
• One such artist was Andrea Palladio, who maintained a firmly classical aesthetic. Palladio, known primarily
for villa design, was the foremost architect of the Late Renaissance, and arguably the most influential
architect of all time. Countless residential, collegiate, and civic buildings throughout the world are
descendants of Palladio's architectural style, which experienced a massive revival during the Neoclassical
period.
The common features of
Palladio's villas, three of which
are discussed here, are captured
by the term Palladian style.
Firstly, the overall plan is a
central block flanked with
identical wings, which ensures
perfect symmetry; the central
block is faced with a temple
front. Secondly, the interior
plan is also symmetrical, with
a great hall at the centre. And
thirdly, the building has a tall
major story and a short attic
story.
St. Peter’s Basilica
St. Peter’s Basilica, also called New
St. Peter’s Basilica, present basilica
of St. Peter in Vatican City (an
enclave in Rome), begun by Pope
Julius II in 1506. It is designed as a
three-aisled Latin cross with a dome
at the crossing, directly above the
high altar, which covers the shrine of
St. Peter the Apostle. The edifice—
the church of the popes—is a major
pilgrimage site.
 Note: The architects after
Raphael’s death in 1520
were Antonio da Sangallo
the Elder, Baldassarre
Peruzzi, and Andrea
Sansovino.

Raphael – Raffaello Sanzio or Raffaello Santi

Note:
• On Sangallo’s death
(1546) Paul III
commissioned the aged
Michelangelo as chief
architect, a post he held
under Julius III and
Pius IV.
• At the time of
Michelangelo’s death in
1564, the drum for the
massive dome was
practically complete. He
was succeeded by Pirro
Ligorio and Giacomo
da Vignola. Gregory
XIII (1572–85) placed
Giacomo della Porta in
charge of the work.
This monumental
elliptical space,
enclosed by 284
Doric columns
four rows deep is
the masterpiece
of Gian Lorenzo
Bernini, who laid
it out during the
pontificates of
Alexander VII
and of Clement
IX.