RENISSANCE

ARCHITECTURE

Renaissance
1300-1850

ThetermhasbeenderivedfromItalianword
rinaseimentomeaningrebirth.Therefore,the
termRenaissanceimpliestherebirth,renewalof
somethingthathaddisappeared.Itwasthe
rediscoveryofclassicalartandarchitectureof
ancientGreekandRoman.
ThestylewascarriedtoFrance,Germany,
England,RussiaandotherpartsofEuropeat
differentdatesandwithvaryingdegreesofimpact.

INTRODUCTION:
Renaissance architectureisthearchitecture
oftheperiodbetweentheearly15thandearly
17thcenturiesindifferentregionsofEurope,in
whichtherewasaconsciousrevivaland
developmentofcertainelementsofancient
GreekandRomanthoughtandmaterialculture.
Stylistically,Renaissancearchitecturefollowed
Gothicarchitectureandwassucceededby
Baroquearchitecture.

SYMMETRY AND
PROPORTION:
TheRenaissancestyleplacesemphasison
symmetry,proportion,geometryandthe
regularityofpartsastheyaredemonstratedinthe
architectureofclassicalantiquityandinparticular
ancientRomanarchitecture,ofwhichmany
examplesremained.
Orderlyarrangementsofcolumns,pilastersand
lintels,aswellastheuseofsemicirculararches,
hemisphericaldomes,andnichesreplacedthe
morecomplexproportionalsystemsandirregular
profilesofmedievalbuildings.

THEORY OF FREEDOM:
Bycontrast,Renaissancemovementwasthe
discoveryofman,glorificationofhuman.
Freedomofindividualinthepoliticalaswellas
inthespiritualsensebecametheimportant
aspect.
Cultural,politicalandevenreligiousrenewaland
animpressiverecordofnewachievementinart,
literature,science,philosophy,politicsand
educationetc.

Factors of the classical revival

SackofConstantinoplein1453AD,whenitwas
conqueredbySultanMuhammadII,theGreek
scholarmigratedtoAthens.ButwhenAthens
wasfallentoTurksthescholarthenmigratedto
Rome,FlorenceandBologna.Theybroughtwith
thembookscontainingknowledgewhichhad
beenpartlyforgotteninItaly.

Trade era: ( innovation)

Feudalera(Byzantine,Romanesque,gothic)
Simple
Tradeera(Renaissance)Innovation,new
technologies
Developmentofflourishingcommerce
Growthofnaturalisminliteratureandart.
Developmentofaspiritofscientificinquiry.Age
ofreasonandlearning

CHARACTERISTICS
Duringthe15thcentury,greatchurchesofthe
earliercenturiesseemedoldfashionedandcrude
intheirforms.
Thiswasbecauseclassicalruinswere
increasinglyadmired.Theclassicalproportions
andstandardsweredeterminedandapplied.
TheheadofcitystateofItalypatronized
classicalscholarsandartists.

RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTS:
Early

FilippoBrunellschi
1377 1446
Leon Batlista Alberti
1404 1472
Michellozzo-di-Bartolorneo
1396 1472
S Forzinoa
1455 60
Leonardo Da Vinci
1452 1519(Mona lisa, Last supper)

High

Donato Bramante
1444 1514
Raphael
1483 1536
Baldassare Peruzzi
1481 1536
Michelangelo
14751564
AndreaPalladio

Renaissance architects Inspiration

Roman Architect Vitruvius
Vitruvius(Romanmilitaryengineerofthe1st
B.C)writingscontentwaseagerlyabsorbedhe
basedhisarchitecturaltheoriesonthehuman
figure,thecircleandthesphere.Hewasthe
inspirationformostoftherenaissance
architects.
Hisdictumwasthatgoodarchitectureconsists
ofthreeparts.
(Function)
(Structure)
(designorbeauty)
Beautyinanindividualdependsonthe
combinationofthreequalities
(number)
(proportion)
(location/arrangement)
Albertisideaandphilosophyproduced
concinnitas(awelladjustedwhole,orthe
harmony,beautyandproportionfollowedin).

RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTS

Filippo Brunelleschi
DevelopedfirstinFlorence,withFilippo
Brunelleschiasoneofitsinnovators.
Developedlinearperspective
DesignerofremarkabledomeoftheFlorence
Cathedral
Otherarchitecturalworkstobehighlightedare
sculpture,mathematics,engineering

Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio(30November150819August1580)
wasanItalianarchitectactiveintheRepublicofVenice.
Palladio,influencedbyRomanandGreekarchitecture,
primarilybyVitruvius,iswidelyconsideredthemost
influentialindividualinthehistoryofWestern
architecture.
AllofhisbuildingsarelocatedinwhatwastheVenetian
Republic.
The Four Books of Architecture,gainedhimwide
recognition.
HewasthemanwhodevelopedPalladianstylevillas.

Alberti:
Albertiwaspainter,poet,musicianand
architect.
Tohimarchitectureisnotrootedincraftsbutan
intellectualdisciplineandasocialart.
Hereliedwhollyuponthemajesticeffortof
arches,pillar,inthetrueromanspirit.
Albertiregardedmathematicsasthecommon
groundofartandthesciences.

Typical building Examples

Early
FlorenceCathedralDome
14201434

A.AndreaMantua
1470

A.SpiritoFlorence
1436

SMariaNovella,
Florence
1456

PazziChapel,Florence
1430

High

TheTemietto,Rome1500AD

GesuRomeVignolaandPorta1573AD

S.PeterRome15061626

Architecture
Inconstructingchurches,Renaissancearchitectsnolonger
usedtheshapeofacrossasabasisfortheirstructures.
Instead,theybasedthemonthecircle.Believingthat
ancientmathematiciansequatedcircleswithgeometric
perfection,architectsusedthecircletorepresentthe
perfectionofGod.
Inconstructingtheirhomes,wealthypeopleofthe
RenaissanceoftenadoptedaRomanstyle,buildingthe
foursidesoftheirhomesaroundacourtyard.Simple,
symmetricaldecorations--imitationsofclassicalones-wereappliedtothefacadesofbuildings.

Painting
TheRenaissancepainterdepictedthehumanfigureas
realisticallyaspossible,oftenwithbackgroundsofthe
naturalworld.
Sciencehadtaughttheartisthowtoshowlinear
perspective-thatis,howtosizetheobjectsfrom
distance.
Carefuluseoflightandshadow,madefiguresappear
fullandreal.
Renaissancepaintersportrayedobjectswithrealism
andobjectswerecarefullyandaccuratelydepicted.

ARTCHITECTURAL CHARACTER FEATURES

LOGGIA: Agallerybebehindanopenarcadeorcolonnade.
Podium: Acontinuousbase/plinthsupportingcolumn.
Vestibule: anentranceroomorlobbytoabuilding.
Stucco: afinequalityofpilasterforornamentalpurposes.
Cortile: Italiannamefortheinternalcourtsurroundedbyan
arcadeinapalaceorothergreatbuilding
Rustication: amethodofformingstoneworkwithroughened
surfacesandrecessedjoints
Crowning Cornice: ahuge,giantoverhangingrunningthe
lengthoftheroofline.
Serliana window: anarchwayorwindowwith3openings.The
centralonearchedandwiderthantheothersoneitherside
namedafterSerlio(architect,painter)commonlyknownas
VenetianorPalladianwindow.

 Plan
The plans of Renaissance
buildings have a square,
symmetrical appearance
in which proportions are
usually based on a
module. Within a church,
the module is often the
widthofanaisle.

 Facade
symmetricalaroundtheirvertical
axis.
surmountedbyapedimentand
organizedbyasystemofpilasters,
archesandentablatures.
Centrallyfocused

Columns and Pilasters

TheRomanordersofcolumnsareused:-
Tuscan,Doric,Ionic,Corinthianand
Composite.

 Arches
Semi-circularor
segmental.
Arcades
Partofentablature

Vaults
Highlydecorated
Floralappearance
Complexpatterns
Paintings

Ceilings
FanVaultinpalacesand
cathedrals
Residentialwereflator
cofferedceilings.
Frequentlypaintedor
decorated

Domes
Averylargestructuralfeature
thatisvisiblefromthe
exterior,andalsoasameansof
roofingsmallerspaceswhere
theyareonlyvisibleinternally.
Afterthesuccessofthedome
inBrunelleschisdesign.

 Doors
Doors usually have square
lintels. They may be set
within
an
arch
or
surmounted by a triangular
orsegmentalpediment.
Had a large or decorative
keystone.

Windows
Windowsmaybepairedandset
within a semi-circular arch.
They may have square lintels
and triangular or segmental
pediments.

Walls
Externalwallsaregenerallyofhighlyfinishedashlarsmasonry,laidin
straightcourses.Thecornersofbuildingsareoftenemphasizedby
rusticatedquoins.Basementsandgroundfloorswereoftenrusticated.