Exam Review - Desmond

Introduction to Villa Capra

Building discussed: Villa Capra (also known as Villa Rotonda) designed by Andrea Palladio.
Location: Vicenza, Italy, in the Veneto region.
Architectural influence and recognition among students.

Alberti's goal in architecture was to evaluate beauty using three criteria: utility, strength, and beauty.
- Utility: How well the structure serves its purpose.
- Strength: Durability and stability of the building.
- Beauty: A subjective criterion tied to aesthetic appeal.
Alberti served aristocratic classes and rising merchants in Northern Italy through his architectural designs.
Emphasis on clarity and articulation in building expressions.

Concept of building mass: Represents the bulk and presence of a structure, relating to its shape and weight.
Importance of ornamentation to enhance understanding of the building's purpose without lessening its integrity.
Example: Villa Rotonda's simple cubic form aids in clarity and immediate recognition.

Evaluate buildings based on clarity, purposefulness, and successful ornamentation.
Example discussed: San Andrea in Mantua designed by Alberti.
- The facade illustrates a clear mass, showcasing architectural orders that enrich and articulate the reading of the building's function.

Approximately a dozen architects and over 30 significant buildings discussed throughout the course.
Each architect introduces new issues and adaptations in design, leading to the evolution of architectural principles.
Notable connections between Palladio's work and earlier architects such as Brunelleschi and Alberti.
Architecture influenced by emerging capitalism and banking in Italy.

Exploring architecture as a language composed of elements (words), grammar (rules of form), and meaning (expressive intent).
Different building types (e.g., churches vs. villas) signify varying architectural expressions.
Emphasis on modularity: The idea of consistent geometric forms contributing to complex designs.

Transition from the authority of the church to the knowledge from ancient Greek and Roman architecture.
Development of reasoning in architectural practices; adaptation of ancient knowledge toward contemporary needs.
Notion of epistemology: How knowledge and truth are understood in the context of architecture.

Additional resources available on Moodle including:
- A fleshed-out list of architectural terms (columns, pilasters, etc.).
- Charts detailing architect lifetimes and relevant buildings.
- More comprehensive historical context with significant events interwoven with architectural development.

Focus on understanding not just the dates of significant buildings, but the reasoning behind architectural choices.
Importance of clarity, objectness, and space in the overall design philosophy.
Example: Brunelleschi's and Alberti's use of forms establishes a framework for future architectural adaptation.

Emergence of positive open space as a defined idea among architects, contrasting with irregular spaces of previous eras.
Notion of civic space begins to evolve, establishing coordinated relationships between buildings and public space.
Historical significance: Reflects societal values and architectural responses to urban environments.

Linear perspective developed by Brunelleschi allows architects to represent space accurately.
Masaccio's fresco cited as an essential early example of using perspective to convey depth and structure.
Impact on painting and architecture as a method to create a sense of coordination between human agency and the environment.