 THEMATIC THEORIES

o Aim at the fulfillment of one principal goal, often at the cost of other customary goals of building

 THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURAL SYNTHESIS

o Are examples of theories which aim at fulfilling simultaneously several goals, usually all the goals that are
known.

 THEMATIC THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

 MARCUS VITRUVIUS POLLIO

 author of the oldest research on architecture
 Ten Books on Architecture ( “De architectura libri decem”)
 Laws of Symmetry - modern terminology mostly mean “The systems of Module Measuring”
 Durability (Firmitas), Practicality or Convenience (Utilitas), Pleasantness (Venustas)
 A building is beautiful if its appearance was pleasant, it was in accordance with good taste, and its parts
follow proportions and the “symmetry” of measures

 MIDDLE AGES
 Monastery Institution
 Buildings are only defined by stating the size and it shall be made “according to the traditional
model”.
 “There’s no accounting for tastes” was the rule of thumb of Scholastics, which did not favor the
development of the theory of arts
 Practice of architecture was based on tradition
 “Sketchbook “ by Villard de Honnecourt (1235)
 “Booklet on the Right Way of Making Pinnacles” (Büchlein von der Fialen Gerechtigkeit )by Roritzer
 Traditional knowledge was learned by doing, in the guidance of the Old Masters
 In the beginning of the 13th century, craftsmen in the building trade started forming guilds (German
:Bauhütte)

 CLASSICAL THEORY OF FORMS

 Renaissance brought about a new interest in the feats of antiquity, especially in Italy
 Classical System of the “Orders” became the most visible contents of architectural theory
 Classical Style - “Mannerism”
 Writers complemented their works with still richer illustrations. Theory books of architecture started
resembling fashion magazines.
 The purpose of the works was usually to present the “rules of art” to designers.

 LEON BATTISTA ALBERTI (1404-72)

- De re aedeficatoria (On Building)
- Developed a clever system of classical pilasters and architraves which could be superimposed
on any smooth surface
- Used the name “ornamentum” (equipment, decoration) for these architectural elements.

 SEBASTIANO SERLIO
- “Regole generali di architectura”

 GIACOMO (JACOPO) BAROZZI DA VIGNOLA

- “Regola delle cinque ordini” (1562)
- Present the “concise, fast and easily applicable rules of the five column systems.”
- Based his design instructions on:
a) idea of Pythagoras that proportions of small integers mean harmony
b) proportions and other instructions provided by Vitruve
c) example set by earlier buildings
d) general good taste, whatever that meant when interpreted by each writer

 ANDREA PALLADIO (1508-80)

- Father of Modern picture books of architecture
- “I quattro libri dell’ architecttura” contains little theory but all the more pictures on buildings
skillfully designed by Palladio.

 PHILIBERT DE L’ORME
- French theorist proved that in the Pantheon, the Corinthian columns were dimensioned according to
as many as three different proportions.
 - Principle of “perceptive psychology”

 RENAISSANCE THEORISTS THAT PROVIDED GENERAL PRESENTATIONS OF THE

CLASSICAL RULES OF ARCHITECTURE:

a) FRANCOIS NICOLAS BLONDEL: “ Cours d’architecture (1675)

b) CLAUDE PERRAULT: “ Ordonnace des cinq espĕces de colonnes” (1683)
c) JEAN LOUIS DE CORDEMOY: “Nouveau traitĕ de toute l’architecture” (1706)
d) MARC-ANTOINE LAUGIER : “Essai sur l’architecture (1753)
e) JACQUES - FRANCOIS BLONDEL : “Cours d’ architecture (1770)”
f) J-N-L. DURAND : “ Prĕcis des lecons
(1802-05)
g) JULIEN GUADET : “Elements et theories de l’architecture (1902)

 CONSTRUCTION THEORY
 Used shapes that resembles or duplicates that of a “catenary curve”
 Use of Mechanical Analogous model instead of those Mathematical algorithms that we use in modern
construction

 MATHURIN JOUSS
- “Le Theatre de l’art charpentier” (1627) deals with wooden constructions
- “Le secret d’architecture decouvrant fidelement les traits metriques (1642) deals with stone
vaults
- Both treatises describe mainly traditional structures and do not yet present a tangible theory for
their design.