Lecture 1- Mercantile Mediterranean

Pisa

Powerful through trade in the west side of the Mediterranean (along with Amalfi and Genoa,
and Venice on the East)

 Campanile (bell tower, Leaning tower of Pisa)

o Begun in 1174
o Tries to correct the slope, hence tower is bent. Tower is
stable from project in 1990
 Baptistery
o Concentric plan with dome reflects early Christian
churches
o Dome is modelled on a later dome in Jerusalem
 Wall cemetery
 Covered in white and other colours of marble
o Expresses economical power and wealth in Pisa
 Format is derived from Early Christian basilica churches
 Finial on top of dome in Basilica (from Eastern Mediterranean)
 Distinctive blind arcades, marble decoration, classical elements. Marble is also associated
with ancient roman architecture
 Blind arcade, simply decorative columns with no structural purposes
 Note rounded arches below and pointed arch on top

Mamluk Cairo

Islamic city, mamluk (warrior slaves)

 Madrasa
o School of Islamic instruction
 Mausoleum of Qalawun (1285)

 Uses a combination of pointed arches (popular in Christian
churches and gothic cathedrals)
 Round windows, built from Christian prisoners
 Ablaq: Alternating bands of masonry of different colours
o Used in Eastern empires
Hasan Mosque

 Minaret
o People would climb up on the top of the minaret and make a call for the prayers
 Ablaq
o Alternating bands of different colours
 Muqarnas
o Elaborative, decorative material (small scale vaulting in terms of a
larger vault)
o Produced and associated with Islamic Mosques
 Courtyard
o Includes well or bathe for ritual cleansing
o Four openings on all sides, goes back to ancient Persia
o Prayer Hall in front (ES direction; direction of Meccah)
 Mihrab: Niche in the center of one wall, emphasizes the direction of Meccah
 Qibla: Qibla wall is oriented towards Meccah, faithful towards direction of
prayer
 Minbar: where the leading prayer will ascend to

All related to Islamic architecture

Venice

Venice has very little land. Economy based on trade, wealthy merchants, representative government

 Church of San Marco

o Cross layout, inspired by Byzantine churches in Constantinople
o Domes on each one of the arms
o Fourth Crusade leads to greater Venetian power
 Doge’s Palace
o Offices of justice, Administrative building
o Hall of Great Council
o Doge’s apartment and inner council chambers
o Representative Government
 Venice’s unique geography strongly shapes its construction and architecture
o Buildings in Venice has no good foundations.
o Long pencil like structures (30 ft) dug underground, followed with wooden
platform

The Italian Commune - revival of a representation government

Since the 11th century, trade and prosperity are tied to a boom in building: bridges, roads,
castles, even whole cities. There is no single medieval urban model across Europe, but many
cities that flourish during the era show certain basic developments

Lords owns agricultural lands, Kings are just more powerful lords, and Churches held a lot of power

 Development of an urban middle class (bourgeoisie)

 Conflict and negotiation among various parties, including Churches, nobility, merchants
 Complex arrangements of public spaces, reflecting the above situation
 Privileged political status of cities and their citizens
The commune is a new type of political entity that first appears in northern Italy. The commune is a
collective entity that begins with a group of city-dwellers who ally for tasks such as defence, trade
regulation, taxation, law, etc.

It is characterized by:

 Regular, permanent body of citizens to act as executive for citizens,



Siena, Italy

 Palazzo Pubblico
o Monumental government building
o Grand council chambers
 Piazza del Campo

Piazza della Signoria

 Made for the people of the governing council of Florence

 Open to all members of society
 300 ft tall, representative government, rights of the citizens
 Takes inspiration from the military architecture
o Arches that sticks out pass wall (Trap door, dropping rocks, oil for invaders)
o Crenelations

Lecture 2- The Gothic World I

Bruges, Belgium

 Develops as a trading town for wool and textiles

 Goods flow in from many cities. Canals were the primary means of moving materials
 Market square (Heart of the city), includes religious, commercial , and political functions
o Complex relations among church, count, guilds
 Cloth Hall with belfry, Wool Hall, Town Hall, St. Basil, St. Donatien
 Cloth Hall is expanded in the 1400s, builds octagonal addition to make a
statement of the important of the city and the government

Bastides: Monpazier, France

 Towns established in 13th-14th centuries in France, mainly for trade (sometimes for military
reasons)
 Asserting control over territory for agriculture and trade.
 Achieve land and freedom, being free from all foreign claims
 Commercial entity
 Monpazier; Role of trade and claiming lands for the lords and kings
Gothic Architecture in France

Early Gothic: St. Denis, Paris

 St. Denis was the apostle of France, his church served as burial site of French kings for many
centuries
 Round large windows, Arches
o Made possible by the buttresses on the exterior of the
building (load transferred to the ground)
 Bronze door, served as a portal to the church
 Ambulatory on east end, example of gothic instruction
o Thickness of wall similar to choir of an earlier
Romanesque church
 Vaulted roof on top is trying to push the walls apart, hence thickness of wall
is kept
 Expensive and Heavy
 Does not let in much light (windows are small)
o Although the thickness of the walls are similar, gothic builders made the walls more
efficient by orienting the walls differently
 Let in great amount of light through stained glass windows. Stained glass fills
the ample openings, recalling descriptions of the Heavenly Jerusalem
o Improved structural ideas, scale developed in gothic buildings
 Stained Glass
o Filled with light, description of the heavenly city embodied in the cathedral
 Nave – central part of the church (begun in 1230s)
o Filled with light, invoke with inscription of the heavenly cities
o As Gothic architecture develops, its structure becomes lighter and lighter, allowing
huge areas of stained glass

Gothic Structure

1. Pointed Arch
a. Suggests versatility. Varying angle of arch
allows more flexibility, especially cross-
vaulting; pointed arches produce less
lateral thrust
2. Rib Vault
a. Allows faster, more economical
construction because centering is needed
only for the ribs, and not for the webs
b. Allows cheap and more efficient
construction
3. Flying Buttress
a. Resists force from rib vault. Lateral force
is resisted by buttress. Carrying load to
the upright buttress through flying
buttresses.
b. Allows big openings, transparent walls
and large windows
 c. Structurally efficient to resist the strong lateral forces caused by roofs and wind
loads
None of these are Gothic inventions, combining these three elements composes the Gothic
Style

Arches and vaults

 Groin Vault (Cross vault)
o Supported at the four corners
o Allows open interior or glass windows
 Pointed Arch
 Semi-circular Arch (use groin vault)
o Must be same height at all corners

Lecture 3- The Gothic World II

France

Development of Gothic cathedrals from Early through High Gothic (Notre Dame Paris, ND Chartres,
ND Amiens, St Pierre Beauvais)

 Taller, Lighter (Eyes drawn up to top of the church where all the light comes from)
 Light Buttresses (Less supportive structures)

High Gothic Architecture

Notre Dame, Chartres, France (begun 1194)

Often called Chartres Cathedral, the first High Gothic building. Only west end has gothic
elements

 Existing cathedral destroyed from fire

 Associated with the Virgin Mary (the supposed veil of the Virgin)
 Market outside the cathedral
 Romanesque Style
o Round arches
o Blank, Unornamented stones/ walls
 Gothic elements
o Circular Large window at the centre
o More and more 3 dimensional. Act like porches for the main
entrance
o Rib Groin Vault (Running in both directions)
  Quadripartite groin vaults
o Clear stained glass windows
 Originated from the 1200s
 Tells stories to the illiterate (eg. Last judgement)
 Funded by the kings and bishops, supported by any wealthy people
o Dim mysterious experience

Photo elastic interference patterns show stress caused by the weight of the building and
wind loads

Gothic elements thrive along with the kings

Nave= Main Centric area of the building

Sainte Chapelle – built to house relics

Ratio of stain glass to wall is relatively high

Rayonnant style

 Thin, Delicate stonework

o Rayonnant radiating,
 Spires
 Architectural imitation of the crown of thorns
 Form is stayed original but elements such as glass has been renovated

England: Early English

Gothic architecture spreads throughout Europe and takes many forms. It is at once an international
style and a set of regional and chronological variations.

In England, many types of vaulting develop, for instance fan vaulting at Ely Cathedral and at wells
Cathedral

 Fan Vaulting: Ribs span out and link with he supports on the edge of the roof
o a characteristic of English Gothic in 15 th century
o Sprains from column and joins in the middle

Salisbury Cathedral

 Rare example of a Gothic cathedral constructed within a span of several decades mainly in
one style: the Early English
 Porches at main entrance
 Tower
 Central bay
 Pointed arches
 Long and Tall (not as tall as French cathedral)
 No horizontal characteristics

Compared to the architecture of Notre Dame, Amiens. The tower of Salisbury is smaller and less
proportional.
 Type of ribs

Diagonal ribs = Primary ribs

Tierceron: Secondary ribs

Lierne: Tertiary ribs

Cloister

Courtyard surrounded by roofed passage

King’s College Chapel, Cambridge

 Contrast of simplicity of space with decorative quality of fan vaulting. Both rational and
highly decorative
 Stained glass shows more naturalistic depictions that reflect new Renaissance modes of
vision and representation

Lecture 4- Sub Saharan Africa

Lalibela, Ethiopia

Christianity arrived in Eritrea and Ethiopia in the 4 th century, monumental stone churches
begun soon afterwards. At the time, the Kingdom of Aksum was politically and economically
powerful, trading down the coast of Africa.

King Lalibela carved an artificial river, intended to be an analog of river Jordan. He created a site
where he conceptually recreates Jerusalem.

Placement of churches related to ravine and the waterway, location of the outcropping of rock

 Motifs from conventional architecture

o Pointed Arch shaped windows
 3 Porches in each side, Nave in the center
 Small basins (pool) fed by artesian wells, runoff to river Jordan

Beta Giyorgis (St. George)

Church made out of carved rock

Beta Maryam

 Mediterranean architecture
 Roof made of solid rock
  Arches has alternating dark and white patterns (similar to Cairo, Constantinople
buildings)
 Column Capital drawn from architecture of Constantinople of the Byzantine empire
 Reproduction of conventional motifs in living stone

Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe

Flourishes through trade with the Swahili coast; items from Persia, China, and Arabia have
been found here

Up on the hill there are great enclosures, possibly a place for rulers as well as being a religious site.
In the valley, we believe there are small complexes where people live in.

 Monumental structures built in dry stone construction, typical buildings built in clay
 Largest premodern stone complex

Hill Complex

 Religious site, has a cave where it placed the earliest place of the ruler.
 The Shona built remarkable walls over 20 feet high
 Built and used over a long period, has continued to modify to the landscape
 Grand Enclosure
o Large Openings in the wall (not a defensive complex)
o Stone walls
 Patterns made with link stones diagonally / to relieve weight of wall?
o Sign of the importance and power of the rulers of the great Zimbabwe
o Granaries serves as a symbolic purpose of the wealth of the rulers, symbolic
refineries

The Sahel and Djenne

Arab traders established trade routes along the eastern coast of Africa, spreading Islam along with
commerce

Great Mosque of Djenne. Mali

First built in 1300s.Rebuilt twice in 1800s and 1907. Part of the community that is integrated into the
way people live, kind of ritual

 Rough arid land, surrounded by marshes (river)

 Primary building material = earth
 Qibla wall facing Meccah
o Sense of vision is not important. As long as you can hear and orient yourself towards
Meccah
 Courtyard, Prayer hall, Minarets
 Requires upkeep from community to ensure its continuation. Material (mud plaster) washed
away by rain
 Wooden palm wood inserted into the adobe of the Moss. Protruding palm sticks are also
good for scaffolding for the annual replastering of the exterior (Toron)
 Minarets used to ccall the faithful of the prayer
 Buttresses on the wall. Decorative and functional, thickens the wall for stability
  Roof includes ventilation where hot air rises through vents

The Bandiagara Escarpment and the Dogon

 Dogon people move eastward in order to flee the Mali empire or from other Muslim people.
Area is rounded and easily defensible.
 Before the arrival of the Dogon, the Tellem people built in cliffside recesses as well as at the
base of the cliffs. Many of these sites have been reused by the Dogon.
o Dogon people reused the site of the Tellem
 Villages are seen as conceptually and spiritually bounded places
o Compounds organized by family and surrounded by low stone walls
o Ginna refers to a family house or compound. Also refers to the first house of lineage
o Compounds made out of stone, covered in mud plaster or out of mud brick
o Usually square or circular and are roofed with straw. Requires constant maintenance
due to their materials
 Granaries hold grain such as sorghum and millet as well as personal belongings, separated
by gender

Communal buildings

Temple of the Arou Tribe

One of the oldest known traditional religious structures and is used by a Hogon, or Dogon
spiritual leader

Toguna (assembly building)

Low building where men assemble, usually located at the center of a village. Designed to make
people sit during discussions as it is proven to be more effective

Lecture 5- South Asia

The Rajput Kingdom

 Arose from formerly subjugated communities around 1000s

 Several of these new kingdoms were extremely prolific builders of Hindu temples.
 Hinduism covers a vast set of beliefs and rituals (oldest living religion)
o Compared to monotheisms, Hinduism is expansive and pluralistic
o Large number of deities
  The Rajputs were new ‘converts’ to caste. One of the core requirements of becoming caste
Hindus was the establishment of royal temples, with Brahmans.
 The temples were also a course institution of governance
o By making alliances with the Brahmans, these Rajput kingdoms who were formerly
not in the caste system could become part of the dominant social system of South
Asia

Art and writing in statues and carvings of a Hindu temple

 Rani-ki-Vav (Queen’s Stepwell), Patan, Gujarat (11 th century)

o The control of water plays a symbolic and (functional) practical role for the Solanki
rulers
o Not only a well, but a supplementary palace where water and earth created a cooler
environment
o Staircase goes down to 90 ft below the ground
o Resembles an inverted temple, with sculpture that portrays deities but also every
scenes, primarily of women
 Ganesha, lord of beginnings and the remover of obstacles. Has an elephant
head and human body
 Kalki, manifestations of vision. One of the three primary deities along with
Shiva and Brahma in Hinduism
 Sun Temple, Modhera (1022-27)
o Built in the Chaulukya (Solanki) Dynasty along with the Stepwell
 Garba-griha, where the deities is housed/ inner sanctuary for deities
 In front of that is the Gudha mandapa, a place for the believers. It is used for
rituals, and sometimes for dance performances. A place may have multiple
mandapas
o Huge pool is reminiscent of the stepwells and served as a ritual site
 Idea/control of water is an important kind of duty of administration
o Scale and elaboration of decorations are signs of power from thes ponsors
o Mandapa
 A place for worshipers, usually a columned hall
 Portals shaped like a gothic cathedral
 Vastu-Shastras
o Were content manuals that assisted the development of building quickly and
efficiently in the Rajput kingdom
o It allows the reader to understand how to create a plan or layout based on a
combination of geometric figures
o It consists theoretical crevices on how to design things about geometry
o In Mahadeva, like the mandala the plan of the temple was organized according to a
strict geometric hierarchy. Temples and mandalas both could be seen as
manifestation of cosmic order. A mandala may also be drawn containing the cosmic
human, who is identified with the creation of the universe and its strcuture
 Chandella Kingdom: Khandariya Mahadeva, Khajuraho
o Shikhara, tower over the garbha-griha
 Represents a mountain and a mandala, or sacred diagram. IN this vision of
Mt. Meru, the cosmic mountain, the pinnacle represents the origin from
which the cosmos emanates
  Cosmic energy and movement expands outwards from the primary axis of
the Khandariya Mahadeva
o Innermost chamber served as the sanctuary, houses a lingam, an
aniconic or abstract representation of Shiva.
 Hindu temples elaborate rituals focusd on the treatment
of the deity, who was ritually wakened, dressed, and fed
 Circumambulation is common in Hindu temples in
clockwise direction

Difference between cathedrals and Southern Asia

 Sacred space is darkest and most confined in the Khandariya

Mahadeva, opposite of that of a Gothic cathedral (set of stained
glass windows at a clear story level high up on the walls, sense of
verticality of colored light filled space it evokes.
 Both sculptures are highly decorative and incredibly skilled. Saints and holy figures are
standing straight up in a rigid format. (Gothic cathedral tell a narrative structure)
Purpose of sculpture is different
 Chandellas retained ideas from their old animistic practices, in particular rites associated
with female fertility
o Mithuna engaging in intercourse. Concept of the union o female and male
energies; of the union of Shiva and his consort Parvati; of shakti, the primordial
energy of the cosmos

 The Orissa Kingdom: Lingaraja Temple, Bhubaneshwar (ca. 1100)

o Subsidiary shrines refer to the growth of a temple compound – Parivar (meaning
family)
 Shikhara plus multiple mandapas, allowing more elaborate rituals
o On top of the Shikhara is an amalaka, a large stone disk that represents a lutus or
the sun
 Supported by lions, a marker of royal patronage (idea of ruler)
 Jain Temples at Dilwara, Mt Abu
o Built in Solanki Kingdom.
o Conquered or overcome the cycle of birth is a belief in Jainism as well as Hinduism
and Buddhism
o Tirthankaras (24 spiritual leaders) are individuals that has achieved this kind of
enlightenment through ascetic practices and their intense meditation. Become
spiritual teachers to guide others to moksha, or release from the cycle of rebith
 Complex of five temples built from
the 11th century to the 16th century.
Each temple is dedicated to one of
the tirthankaras and is made of fine,
white marble. Prohibited from
engaging in agriculture, Jains
 specialized in professions such as jewellery and finance. Many finance ministers in
Rajput administration were Jains.

 Vimal Vasahi temple, Dilwara Temples, Mt Abu

o Rang Mandapa, a space for dance and performance
 Covered with an elaborately carved dome supported by 8 columns. On the
columns are female figures playing instruments
 Dome on top has 16 female figures which are deities of knowledge
 Central pendant ornament is a lotus, symbol of kingship (carved into
white marble)
o Portico ceiling (simple space)
 Each of the nine recessed ceilings of the portico has a different, remarkably
refined design
o Ambulatory and shrines
 Rows of columns form arcades around the center of the compound. On the
periphery are more than 50 subsidiary shrines, each with a statue of
tirthankara
 The Chola Kingdom: Dakshinameru (Rarajeshwaram Temple)
o Empire knows as Cholamandalam, the Cholanworld
o Kovil, the governing institution of Cholamandalam. The Chola kings created a
continuity between kings and deities, a diving kingship, furthering their legitimacy
(Fusion of God-King)
 Temple becomes a place for legal and financial, administrative functions
 Koval becomes a kind of corporation, lend money and charge interest, make
investments
 Renowned Cholan bronze statues represent a distinctive function of Hindu
images. Unlike the stone statues of deities in typical Hindu temples, these
bronzes were intended to be carried in processions
o Dakshinameru, main royal temple located in its own monumental compound and
surrounded by defensive walls. Dakshinameru means “Meru of the south” referring
to Mt. Meru, the mountain at the center of the Hindu cosmos.
 The scale of the complex signified its primacy in the empire. Two large
mandapas and a separate mandapa for Nandi, the bull deity who is the
vehicle of Shiva, guardian of the gateway
 Double square with the garbha-griha and Nandi mandapa at the center
points
 Exterior walls are inscribed with state documentation: taxes, deeds, evens,
personnel. The Cholas were immaculate record keepers
 Befitting its status, the Shikhara is the tallest in India at 216’.The finial
weighs 50 tons.
 2 occupiable levels (scale and importance of this specific temple).
Rather than the exuberant sculpture of many other temples, it
emphasizes geometric order and clarity as a symbol of the god-king
 4 sided pyramidal shape
o Corbel Vaults (Mandapa and Shikhara)
  Horizontal pieces of stones that are stacked up and each one of them
cantilever as a little bit more into the space
 Advantage of being very stable, enduring structural system

Lecture 6- Ming China and Joseon Korea

 Wooden post and beam construction. Skeleton system (column, space, column, space)
o Gives logic and order to the structural space in China and Korea

China

Ming Dynasty was a Han Chinese dynasty that supplanted the Mongolian Yuan rulers. The
Ming emperors, including Zhu Di supported massive building projects and reinforced Confucianism
as the basis for the state.

The Great Wall

Created as a barrier to Mongolia. Begun as early as the 3 rd

century BCE under then Qin emperor, but the current wall dates
mainly to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Builds through mountain and desert

Beijing and the Forbidden City

 Capital city seen as a reflection of heavenly order

o Symmetric, squared, has orthogonal avenues in
order to reinforce order
 Imperial City Complex (rectilinear format) in a wall.
Temple of Heaven built near the edge of the wall
 Believes in Feng Shui (describes meaning to geographic features)
o Oriented to put the most important buildings towards North (top of the hierarchy),
facing South. Have a kind of mountain towards the North to block the energy

Forbidden City

 Set up on several tiers (stage).

 Houses administrative, ritual, and residential buildings for the emperor
 Order of the Forbidden City can be seen in relation to the Chinee city and cosmos.
o Role of Confucianism in society, city, and architecture
 Symmetric, perfectly bounded rectangle. Central axis that runs through a courtyard and gate
 Artificial river (Golden river) that flows through the courtyard
o 5 Bridges that run along the Golden River built in white stone. Represents the
milkyway
 Structural system of Hall of Supreme Harmony
o In between columns are all open, none of the walls are load bearings. The Central
bay is wider
o Throne of the emperor placed towards the back, more prestigious, marker of
importance
o Dougong - A monumental Chinese architecture based on a timber frame with
complex bracketing that is both structural and ornamental.
  Based on architectural manual published in 1103 which stipulated building,
types, proportions, and details

Colour

 Golden colour represents the earth and the emperor. Hall of Supreme Harmony used for
major rituals, houses emperor’s throne
 Golden dragon details on throne, representation of the emperor
 Rotated squares on the ceiling with a circle. Represents heaven (round) and earth (square)
 Contrasting colour of columns closer to the emperor (golden) while others are red

The Temple of Heaven

Major ritual site within Beijing

 Runs through a great axis, run through all of the major complexes from south to North
 Have combinations of circles and squares. (Circular platform sits within a square, high level
has 3 tiers of circles)
 Number 9 is associated with the emperor, where 9 concentric rings of stone are placed on
the top of the circle tiers. Symbolism of nines and threes
 Connects the Middle Kingdom (China) with the heavens
 Round blueish roofs represented the heavens

Structure

 Red and Gold decorative elements on the columns

 Circular ceiling

The Ming Tombs

 Importance of Feng Shui (mountains at the back, land the slopes down)
 The thirteen tombs built for Ming emperors, through 5 white marble gates, crossing a path
with 12 pairs of animals and 6 pairs of officials. Circular mound at the back, triple entry gate
and stele tower
 Spatial similarity with other Chinese architecture and planning, where most important
towards North
 House for the deceased

Lecture 7- Humanist Italy

Architectural Principles of the Renaissance

Classicism; Rediscovery of The Ten Books of Architecture by Vitruvius – Only ancient roman
architecture book that survived until the Renaissance, provoked interest in ancient roman
architecture and inspired thinkers and designers such as Leonardo da Vinci, and Alberti.

Vitruvian Man (ca. 1490)

 Arm size and height can be fit into a square

 Naval in the centre of the circle

Humanism: Man and his capabilities become chief area of inquiry

 Scientific Learning: Experimentation, individual exploration become method of learning

Proportion and Order: Attempt to understand cosmos through proportion and order

Renaissance figures did not deny the Christian ideas of earlier ages; they sought to reconcile
ancient learning, science, and religion.

 Idea of geometry and its relation to the human body

 Brunelleschi develops Renaissance from the medieval age
o Looks into ancient Rome for inspiration, at the time knowledge of the Classical
past was incomplete and the influence of medieval building remained strong
o Scientific derivation of perspective

Filippo Brunelleschi and the Early Renaissance

I. The Foundling Hospital

Built in Florence (1419 and later)

 Columns derived from ancient Corinthian columns

 Height and space between columns are the same
 Semi Circle Arch. Height, one half of the height of the column
 Depicting symmetry, proportion, regularity. Note round columns and Corinthian
capitals
 Consistent Dome opening with orderly layout
o instead of barrel vaulting (Roman in style) or 4-part vaulting (Gothic in style),
he covers each bay with a domed vault

II. Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence Cathedral)

Built by Filippo Brunelleschi

 Constructed without the aid of centering or great quantity of wood (Scaffolding)

 Scale of the nave is huge, colossal.
 Gothic style with pointed arches
 Span and height of dome of S. Maria del Fiore present seemingly insurmountable
difficulties in construction
o Octagonal dome
o No flying buttresses as it is influenced by French architecture
o Dome diameter > 140 ft. Dome too high
 Brunelleschi creates doubled layer dome and concealed flying buttresses acting as half
domes.
 Oculus on top of dome, followed with a Lantern (Combination of classical and gothic)

Renaissance Urban Residences: The Palazzo Florence

Medici family is most powerful in Florence, known for patronage of the arts as well as for
political manoeuvrings

 Rough Stonework (rustication) on the bottom, smoother stonework towards the top
  Reminiscent of gothic buildings (round arches with smaller windows on side)

Leon Battista Alberti

Architect deserves a rewarded place in society. Up until Alberti in Western Europe, there was no
concept of Architects (Other than master builders/ not educated)

Sant’ Andrea. Mantua (1474)

 Building is much taller than the main façade.

 Triumphal Arch to create main façade
 Spatial Arch like ancient Roman basilica

Donato Bramante and Rome

Although the Renaissance developed first in Florence, by the late 1400s Rome had become
the major center of artistic development.
Bramante was perhaps the most influential Renaissance architect in Rome around 1500,
responsible for the redesign of St. Peter’s as well as other commissions.

Tempietto

 Concentric layers of circle, a kind of ideal geometric form by Renaissance designers

 Inscribed within a square
 Various ratios throughout the building in vertical and horizontal dimensions
 Plaster, ornamental flattened column that is stuck against a wall
o Derived from ancient Roman buildings
o Carries a kind of stylized beam on top, ahs its own set of conventional
ornament
 Clarity and geometry through circular dome ceiling, associated with the renaissance

Lecture 8- Pre-Contact Americas

North America and the Hisatsinom (Anasazi)

In the Four Corners, the Hisatsinom lived first on mesas from about 500 CE and then moved
into the canyons. (The Pueblo people prefer “Hisatsinom,” or “the old noes,”over “Anasazi, which
means “ancient enemy” in Navajo.)

Developmental Pueblo Period

 Cultures that lived around the Canyon

 Kivas (pit houses) sunken into the ground
o Ladder through smoke hole
o Living quarters moved above ground into rectangular rooms of adobe and saplings
on stone foundations
o Originally built as residential spaces, but over time became ceremonial and the
actual living places are constructed above ground.
o Typically contained benches, hearth, draft deflector, sipapu (represents the earth
from which the first ancestors emerged, the opening in the earth into the
underworld from which the ancestors emerged)
Great Pueblo Period

 Multileveled housing and storage complexes with sunken kivas

 Masonry construction
 Fighting between clans for limited farmland
 Defensive settlement design
o Built up into the cliffs

Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

 Housed a large population but in a fragile environment, total population of up to 15,000

 Hub of long distance trade: turquoise, shells, basketry, wood, etc. Traded locally and also to
Mesoamerica
 Pueblo Bonito
o Largest Chacoan great house, serves as a ritual political center
o High status items of turquoise, pottery, shells, feathers (ritual items)
o Oriented southward; four stories high, six rooms deep with living spaces in front and
above, work and storage spaces below and behind
o Walls are sophisticated with stone masonry constructions and wood lintels; floors
constructed of sticks, rushes and earth
 Casa Riconada
o Largest kiva forming its own site in the canyon south of Puebla Bonita
o Spirtual circular centre and locus of the groups using the canyon
o Wall niche may have been lighted by sunrise on summer solstice. Includes
astronomical alignment. Casa Rinconada is oriented north-south
 Allow people to know the right time to plant/ harvest throughout the year.
Acts as a calendar
o Timber of the roof supported by stone walls

Mesoamerica and the Mexica (Aztecs)

 A large region with many cultures, but some characteristics were shared by many
peoples: deities, ball game, calendar, maize cultivation
 Six major urban civilizations that developed relatively independently from outside
influences

After the decline of the Toltec and the Maya, the next great Mesoamerican empire was created by
the Mexica. They adopted any rituals from the Toltecs, earlier rulers of the area, and also asocited
themselves with Teotihuacan.

After migrating from the North, the Mexica settled by Lake Texcoco and founded Tenochtitlan; from
the marsh they created fields and islands. Population in 519 was estimated to be about 400,000
people, the largest residential concentration in Mesoamerican history.

 Organized on a grid, around the great city complex (highly planned city)
 The Mexicas created a highly efficient agricultural through a system of chinampas, or raised
bed fields

Sacred Complex. Tenochtitlan (1325-1521)

  Largest structure (Templo Mayor) crowned by shrines to Tlaloc the rain god and
Huitzilopochtli the war god.
 The sacred precinct is oriented towards the equinoxes. Summer solstice aligned with the
center of the Templo Mayor
 Rebuilt later but they were destroyed by the Spanlards
 The shrine of Huitzilopochtli is on the right at the top of the temple; it was decorated with
carved skulls, as were previous phases of the Templo Mayor.
o Coloured in red, symbolizing sacrifices from captives that were taken from war
o Each ruler builds on top of the previous ruler to build its own version
o Sacrifices performed here re-enacted the victory of Huitzilpochtli over his siblings
 The scale and grandeur of Tenochtitlan awed the Spanish who arrived in 1519. Very civilized
o Conquered by an alliance of Spanish and indigenous peoples, the downfall of the city
marked the end to the long autonomous history of Mesoamerica

The Andean Coast and the Inca

 Set of cultures that were independent from Mesoamerica, culminated in the Inca Empire
 Interdependence between coastal and mountain ecological zones needed for a more
balanced diet and the rise of high civilizations

Inca Empire

 Last of the indigenous empire in the Americas, a large scale civilizations in the Andean region
 Great diversity in environment and culture
 Inca name means “four part”
 Extensive system of roads for trade and communication. The road system reached 2000
miles from Quito in Ecuador to Santiago in Chile. Runners and way stations facilitated fast
and efficient communications
 Did not have a writing system, used elaborate knotted strings (Quipu) as a form of
accounting. The Inca excelled at weaving and textiles
o Colour and location of the knots may have implied stories. Narrative device

Cuzco, Peru

 Administrative, political and ceremonial center. May have planned in the shape of a
puma, with Sacsayhuaman at head and confluence of rivers at tail
 Four roads lead from city to four territorial divisions (leads outwards as
communication)
o Divides quarters of the city, segregated by origin that correspond to their
home territories
 o Believed that high ranking power officials were taken to the Inca capital
where inca could keep an eye on them and essentially use their families as
hostages
 Residence of Sapa Inca (ruler), nobility, provincial lords. Around the core are districts
for “foreign tribesmen”
 Plazas straddled the rivers, ceremonial center of city
o These plazas (Aucaypata and Cusipata) also served as the hub for the four
main roads.
o Covered in sand, buried in gold and silver items that were offerings for the
sun god
 Manifestation of remarkably wealthy and kind of far reaching empire
 Center of Plaza was an altar that was covered in gold leaf
 Shown in the stonework we can also understand the wealth and sophistication of
the Inca empire
o Extremely large stones put together with incredible skill
 Sacsahuaman appears to be a temple but describes as a fortress
o Not an iron age culture, how to shape large rocks without iron tools
 Incredible amount of labor and time to shape rocks

Machu Picchu Peru (15th-16th centuries)

 Last Inca city to be inhabited only by the Inca and is the city to have survived intact
 Appears to have been an estate of the emperor; the location is not convenient for
trade or agriculture
 Steep land built on mountain
 Central plaza surrounded by buildings of fine masonry
o Each block is cut into a perfect rectangle, the face gives a slight curve to it so
that each block bulges out just a little bit. Reminiscent of contemporaneous
masonry of a building such as the Palazzo in Florence
 Intihuatana
o Ritual stone at highest point of site that echoes the form of Machu Picchu;
may be a miniature mountain
o Serve as a center to revolve around, representation of the site as a whole
 Temple of the Sun
o Sited on steep ridge with unobstructed views; may have been used as
observatory
o Windows used to calculate the position of the sun; alignment with summer
solstice

Lecture 9- Korea

The Joseon Dynasty of Korea

Invention of hangul

Early housing complexes are called the Changdeok Palace. Were burnt by the Japanese and were
rebuilt. Changdeokgung resembles Chinese palaces but is more closely related to the landscape.
Changdeokgung (1405, rebuilt 1592 and 19th century)

 No main axis, symmetry in overall complex. Buildings are axial. Different from the Forbidden
City
 Most important building not in North.
 Natural landscape becomes a major part of the experience of the palace
 Tiled roof with gently upcurved slopes, shown in Donwhamun gate
o Delicate bracketing, ornamental and structural. Form and colorful decoration are
ornamental as well
 Injeogjeong (Throne Hall)
o Stone markers in courtyard show positions of officials based on rank
o Similar to in Beijing, if you are higher in official you sit towards the front
o Does not have yellow tiles (color symbolism is different from China)
 No elaborate gold patterns
o Wooden Structural members are all the spaces between them are non-load
bearings.
 Derived from China
o Central Axis and stairs leading towards the throne in the middle. Use of red in high
status buildings in East Asia. Similar to Hall of Supreme Harmony in Ming City
 Huwon (rear garden; often called secret garden)
o Set within an artificially contoured, wooden landscape, Huwon functioned s a
private retreat for the royal family. Juhamnu served as a library and reading pavilion

Lecture 9- Eastern Europe

Ukraine Russia Poland

Eastern Europe and Timber Construction

Church of St. Lazarus, Kizhi Island (14 th century) is perhaps the oldest surviving log building in Russia

 Uncommon timber architecture, primary building material

 Extensive conifer forests; unlimited supply of timber
 Construction methods suited to cold weather
 Module of buildings of 10’ long logs (standard length of timber)
o Pitch was poured between the logs to seal cracks, creating a well
insulated interior

Ukraine: St. Sophia in Kiev

Earliest example of a masonry church is Slavic Lands. Name of church comes from the greatest
Byzantine church, the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Although much of the interior dates from
1000s, the exterior is the result of rebuilding in the 1600s and later.

 Built by Byzantine masons, the church has a plan derived from Byzantine churches: a central
dome and short arms.
  Comparing with St. Mark in Venice. They were both influenced by Byzantine architecture.
Including a crossing and dome on top on the central axis. Sanctuary towards the end, short
arms on the sides. Interior decoration, use of mosaic (made out of small pieces of tile or
glass; incredibly durable)
 Frescoes and mosaic were derived from Byzantine churches
o Golden glow, creating vision of heavenly city

Russia

St.Sophia, Novgorod

Rebuilding of a wooden church, design inspired by St. Sophia in Kiev and by Byzantine churches. It
was executed by local builders with the help of invited Byzantine architects.

 Central dome, with smaller domes around it. Lukovitsa dome: Onion-shaped dome
 A lot of masonry. Distance between pillars are about the size of the pillar itself. A lot of mass
compared to open space
o Executed by local builders who do not have as much experience or skills
 Iconostasis, a screen of icons and other paintings that separates the nave from the sanctuary
in Eastern Christianity. It develops from Byzantine barriers between nave and altar.

Moscow, Ivan III, and the Cathedral of the Dormition

Ivan the great expelled the Tatars and subdued the independent city of Novgorod. He
conceived a new Moscow as a third Rome, sponsoring stone and brick buildings rather than wooden
ones

Cathedral of the Dormition, Moscow

 Based on a 12th century church in Vladimir, Fioravanti, using an advanced construction

techniques such as iron tie-rods and relatively lightweight brick vaults
 Some decorative elements suggest Renaissance architecture
 Central dome and subsidiary domes on the four corners. Shows Greek cross plan on the
interior

Cathedral of St. Basil, Moscow

 Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible) sponsored this church composed of nine chapels, each with its
own dome and saint
 Uniquely eye catching was added later to the Lukovitsa dome (arrived with Mongolian
invasions)
 Main centre dome with 8 domes surrounding it

Cathedral of the Transfiguration, Kizhi Island

The continuation of traditional timber construction techniques (cf.

Church of St. Lazarus) but with the imperial trappings of domes.

 Serves as buttresses the support the structure

 Although 120’ high on the exterior, the octagonal main
space has a much lower ceiling that was originally painted
with saints and archangels (lost during WWII)
 Poland: The Jewish Community and Stara Synagogue

Jewish Migration to Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages was prompted by the Crusades, the
Spanish Inquisition, and many other factors. Jews were forced out of many Western European areas
and into ghettos in cities where they were allowed to remain.

 Certain areas where Jews are allowed to live, work, and practice their religion. These are
essential for Jews to live by law or are customed forced to live in.
 Some Protestant cities began to accept Jews as part of the middle class (merchant class)

Poland, Kracow, and Kazimierz

Until 1795, Kazimierz was an independent city that contained both Polish and Jewish
residents. Granted freedom of trade, travel, and worship in the late 1200s, Jews created a center of
learning and culture.

Stara Synagogue, Kazimmierz, Krakow (rebuilt mid 16th century) Matteo Gucci.

 Orthodox fortress synagogue, with thick walls and small high openings
o First built in either 1407 or 1492 but has been rebuilt in the mid 1500s
o Most synagogues were built in style common to their location, many were relatively
simple on the exterior, in part to avoid showing wealth
o Religious and cultural center of learning but also a place of refuge
 Stara Synagogue
o Women’s gallery was a low space on the north side, while the men congregated in
the large central hall
o Derived from Gothic architecture, the layout is intentionally different with columns
in the center of the room instead of the side. In the Orthodox tradition, sculpture
and representations of humans are generally avoided.
o In the center is the wrought-iron bimah, a platform from which the Torah is read.
o At one end of the space is the Aron Hakodesh, commonly called the ark, which holds
the Torah. The ark is usually placed in the direction of Jerusalem.

In 1939, the Germans occupied Kracow; they commandeered and plundered all of the city’s
synagogue. Many Jews either left the city or, after August 1940, were deported. In 1941, the
Germans established the Krakow Ghetto, using forced Jewish labor to build the walls. Beginning in
June 1942, the ghetto was liquidated, with most residents sent to the Belzec death camp, a slave-
labor camp, or Auschwitz concentration camp.

Lecture 10- Ottoman Empire

Bursa: The Early Capital

The Ottomans: The Near East and Mediterranean in 1173

In 1071, the Seljuk tribes invaded Anatolia and established a Turkish presence
  Ortho, son of the founder of the Ottoman dynasty, makes Bursa the capital. He and later
rulers sponsor extensive building. The rectangular courtyard complexes are markets, such as
the Koza Han silk market. The square bay with round dome becomes a standard element of
Ottoman architecture.
 Early Ottoman architecture were influenced by Armenian churches, Seljuk tombs, and
Persian arcades. There are also signs of Byzantine Influence, notbly in the construction of
brick and stone. (Alternation of dark and light elements in bricks)
 Orhan Gazi Camii shows a reverse T plan of early Ottoman royal mosques


Yesil Camii imaret, Bursa

Külliye: Charitable compound that usually includes a mosque, donor tomb, bath, madrasa and public
soup kitchen. These complexes usually were based on a waqf, a charitable endowment under Islamic
law.

 It is not only used as a house of praying but also as a place for eating, teaching, and as a
hostel for the poor
 Associated with Turkish architecture

Istanbul: A New Rome

The Ottomans and the Mediterranean in the late 1400s

In 1453, the Ottoman ruler Mehmed II conquered Constantinople and became the strongest empire
in the eastern Mediterranean and southeastern Europe. The Ottoman goal was to create an Islamic
empire of peace and justice. Constantinople became known as Istanbul and soon became (once
again) the largest city in Europe.

Topkapi Palace and Middle Gate. Istanbul, Turkey (1460s and later)

 Conceived by Mehmed II as a “tent palace”. Ottoman rulers show wealth in patronage of

religious works rather than residential buildings.
 Collection of relatively small structures instead of one colossal building
 Gate of Felicity. Topkapi Palace: Gates mark transitions between courtyards of different
function and formality
 Council Hall are located between the public courtyard and private harem
o Relatively small scale of Council Hall is related to tradition of using tents as military
headquarters. Typical Ottoman element of square with round dome.
 Harem refers to both the women of the imperial palace and to their living quarters.
o Quarters were a private, inviolable realm within the palace, allowing segregation of
women and men.
o Harem Area has tripled in size in 1580, reflecting on a manifestation of the growing
power of women
o Queen Mother and Concubines came to wield considerable power behind the
throne
 Queen mother and preferred concubines could attend receptions and other
events
Mimar Sinan (ca. 1489-1588)

Born a Christian peasant, the son of a stonemason, but raised as Muslim. Familiar with major
architectural developments in Italy.

He designed Suleymaniye Mosque, in Istanbul (1550-57) for Suleyman the Magnificent

 5 large madrasa or schools, in addition to the usual functions

 Centrepiece mosque, towering the minarets
 4 great pillars that holds up the dome
 Calligraphic ornaments usually from passages from the bible. Floral based on plant motifs or
consists of geometric shapes. Very different from Gothic Churches. (Similarities with Gothic
Architecture includes having a grand space lighting from the top)
 Round domes associated with heavens? The plan is a square. Connotation of dome of
heaven above the earth
 Sinan combines ideas of efficient construction of Gothic churches with the geometry and
order of the renaissance
 Emphasize of a central axis (with alternating sizes on large round arches and pointed smaller
arches)
o Consistency and variety of geometric forms to produce a unified, complex
experience (octagon, square, circles)
 Mihrab located in an alcove, oriented towards Meccah
 Colossal domes supported by eight columns

Selimiye Mosque. Edirne, Turkey (1568-75). Sinan

 Rationalize and unifying the spaces and structure of a domed mosque

 Four minarets surrounding the dome, courtyard, two great madrasas placed next to the
prayer hall
 Smaller domes, leading to the great dome on top of the prayer hall

Hagia Sophia. Istanbul (Constantinople)

The great challenge and inspiration for builders of mosques in Istanbul. It was remodelled as a
mosque, with minarets added.

 Contains a great dome, two half domes on the sides, semi-circular protrusions, squares
layout
 The Suleymaniye Mosque embody the desire to recreate the city as a religious and political
city and was inspired by Hagia Sophia
o Great dome, Light coming in from the base of the dome
o Great courtyard leading into a circle and half domes. However the overall planning
in Suleymaniye Mosque is much more consistent. He opens up the main space and
included more thorough domes.

Lecture 11- Islam in Central Asia

The Persian Renaissance

 Rectangular courtyard with frames around the portals (pishtaq), vaulted ceiling (iwan)
 Persian characteristics includes square courtyard, pishtaq, iwan, glazed tiles

Timur the Great and Samarkand

 Established an empire in western and central Asia

 Mongol origin but had become Turkicized and had adopted Islam

Gur Emir. Samarkand, Uzbekistan (ca. 1400)

 Minarets that are separated from the main body

 Shows distinctive dome, iwan, and pishtaq, all of which will influence later builders in Iran,
India, and other Islamic areas. (the architect is Persian)
 Squared courtyard, madrasa (school), major chamber, minarets surrounding the courtyard
o Strong sense of geometry (Octagonal chamber, squared courtyard, squared madrasa
geometry transforms from octagon to square)
 Calligraphy and geometric ornament, the latter based on grids of squares, triangles, and
radial shapes.
o Indentations on minaret
 Use of glazed tile over most of exterior
 Distinctive shape of dome (Onion shaped dome), seen before in Eastern Europe and
Byzantine empire. The shape of the dome may come from the period of the Mongol
invasions
 Interior
o Multi-center arches, geometric and plant-inspired ornament, and muqarnas
 Vault with smaller vaults within it. Blue is a common color that are
consistent throughout their design as it associates with royalty
 Arches mediate between the square and polygonal dome (muqarnas vaults)

The Safavid Dynasty and Isfahan

After the fall of the Timurid Empire in 1506, the Safavid Dynasty took power in Persia (modern Iran).
Safavid architecture was heavily influenced by the buildings of the Timurids (who in turn has been
influenced by easier Persian cultures).

Isfahan, Iran

Shah Abbas made Isfahan the capital in 1598, and along with Shaykh Baha’ ad-Din doubled the size
of the city . “Isfahan nesf-eh jahan, Isfahan is half the world”

 Flourishes through trade

 Population from half a million to a million
 Embarks on number of colossal building projects
 River runs along a center axis that is lined with gardens and palaces, stretches over the river
and a monumental bridge to the other side of the river

Chahar Bagh Avenue

 A type of garden that has four quadrants separated by water channels. Developed from
ancient Persian gardens but takes on new meanings through its association with passages from the
Qur’an. *avocation of Islamic paradise

Maydan-I Shah (Royal Square) Isfahan, Iran (1590-1602)

Greatest public square in this part of the world, more than 500m long. Major buildings
include the Masjid-I Shah (Royal Mosque) and Ali Qapu

 Oriented towards the direction of Meccah

 South end (Royal Mosque), North End (great bizarre)

Ali Qapu .Isfahan, Iran (ca. 1600)

 Functions as a gate
 Multicentred pointed arches, material made out of paper mache (lightweight material)
in order to create a better acoustic environment.
o Muqarnas elements based on musical instruments
 Ceiling has incredible set of vaults
 Every surface are complex with decorated surfaces beautifully designed and decorated

Hasht Bihisht. Isfahan, Iran (ca. 1670)

 Eight quadrants with a central dome, representing the “Eight Paradises”. Four
surrounding pools suggests river of paradise, another reference from the Qu’ran.
 Decorated with gold and bright red colors
 Built by Muslim patrons, hence we do not see images of people and occasionally
animals. Floral, geometric, and calligraphic orientations are the main basis for design

Masjid-I Shah (Royal Mosque). Isfahan, Iran (1611-37)

 Southern End. Including two round flanking minarets, pishtaq frames, iwan vaulted interior
space
 Proliferation of order, with calligraphy on the outside, muqarnas inside, and mini decorative
vaults
 Plan – Squarish courtyard
o Vaults are incredibly complex
o pishtaq and iwan show the influence of Timurid architecture
o Each entrance has an iwan, one on each end
o Muqarnas on the interior ceiling, as a 3D sculpting of the underside of the vault

Mughal India

Mughal Empire begins in 1526 with Babur, who is of Timurid an Turkic descent. In the Mughal
Empire, Mongol, Turkic, and Persian influences are strong.

Fatehpur Sikri, India (1570s)

  217tA new political and religious center built by Akbar at the spiritual study center
of his advisor Shaik Salim Chishti.
 Akbar becomes famed for his patronage of the arts as well as for his political and
military abilities
 Separated by palace complex and religious complex. Layout is organized by courtyards, each
one is more or less symmetric but the overall organization is not.

Anup Talao. Fatehpur Sikri, India

Akbar takes a deep interest in religion; he rules a multi-ethnic empire in which Hindus are the
majority but Muslims still hold political power. The Anup Talao is thought to be a site for discussion
of Islamic law. At right, a painting of Jesuits visiting Akbar’s court.

 Square platform connected by four bridges suggests the idea of the Islamic four square
garden. Where instead of rivers, we have these four paths, and a central area, equidistant
from the four sides of the platform and the pool

Diwan-I Khas. Fatehpur Sikri, India

 Probably used as an audience hall for Akbar, this building shows the eclectic nature of
Mughal architecture
 Chattris (bell shaped done), built by sandstone. They are pre-Islamic Indian motifs
o Brackets came from local wooden construction. Indicates non central Asia
constructions, non Islamic motifs
 Platform connected by four bridges in the interior
o Akbar was interested in establishing a synthetic religion, in hopes of creating a divine
religion to benefit humans
o Emperor Akbar is equally close to and far away from all these kind of competing
interest or the competing religions and ideas
 Built out of red sandstone (uncommon material locally)

Taj Mahal

Constructed by Akbar’s grandson Shah Jahan as a tomb for his wife and himself. Along with Taj
Mahal, Shah Jahan also created an entire city based on

 Made of white marble, includes the

mausoleum, a Charbagh garden, and several
other large buildings.
 Great gate with calligraphy which includes
passages rom the Qur’an on entering
paradise
o Pishtaq, Iwan
 Elements and ideas from different places (Red sandstone).
  White marble is inlaid with semi-precious stones, carved in floral and geometric designs,
Calligraphic passages emphasize rewards promised to believers
o Flower motifs refer to the flower of paradise; flower are aso used in Persian
poetry to describe features of the beloved.
o Techniques of inlaid stone originate in Italy
 Plan of Taj Mahal derived from Timurid and Persian buildings. The nine square plan has
eight chambers around the central space correspond to the eight levels of paradise in
Islamic cosmology.
o At center of building are the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and his wife; bodies are
interred in the crypt below
o Screen/ Divider is carved with marble. Elements taken from wooden screens .
Craftsmen had transformed wooden screen to detailed stone screens instead.
(local elements)

Similarities of Taj Mahal with Gur Emir from Samarkand

 Basic pattern comes from Persia and Samarkand

o Domes and flanking minarets, pishtaq and iwan
 Both has the same purpose of tombing the deceased
 Main building is flanked by a mosque to the west and a hostel or guest house to the east

Lecture 12- Papal Rome + Palladio

Reformation, Counter Reformation, and the Sixteenth century Chruch

Reformers such as Martin Luther react against Church abuses, venality, and oppressiveness. He
nails his 95 thesis to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in 1517. (Corruption, too much
money)

“Why does the pope, whose wealth today is greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus,
build the basilica of St. Peter with the money of poor believers rather than with his own
money?”

The Counter Reformation was formed as an attempt to reform the church and re-establish its
traditions.

Gesu and the Jesuit Order

Looks like a renaissance church, pilaster of columns, Corinthian columns, symmetric, temple
front motifs with columns

Original decorations was very simple and corresponded with ideas from the Council
of Trent
 Wants to use art in ways to further the cause of the church such as making clear
pictures for believers, not distract people.in a seductive manner.
 Nave and dome paintings are by Giovanni Battista Gaulli, date from the late 17 th century
o Looking up onto the painting, depiction of window to heaven
 Rebuilding of St. Peter’s Basilica

By the mid 1400s, Old St Peter’s was in poor condition and lacked the majesty seen as necessary for
modern Rome

Bramante created a plan in 1506; construction began but did not progress far before his death.

 Symmetry with equal length arms

 Michelangelo simplifies the plan, and increases size to create more structures. Lessens the
hierarchy of connected scales
 Dome and west end of St. Peter’s are executed largely to Michelangelo’s design, although
the dome is made taller. Note giant order, a column that runs through multiple levels, and
ribbed domes
 Original plan does not include nave. Therefore the addition of nave transforms church into
longitudinal plant o fit Counter Reformation desires.
 Façade lacks the monumentality, Dome gets hidden by simple rectangular façade. Seemed
necessary for the pov of the church to redesign it

Andrea Palladio and the Veneto

The Four Books of Architecture

Other architecture books are written in Latin, language of the educated. However nobody
spoke Latin, therefore the Palladio’s book was widely accessible as it is translated in Italian
translated, unlike the work of Alberti and Vitruvius.

Comparatively straightforward manner

Detailed information of architecture foundations, ornaments. Practical and

Villa Rotonda

 Pediment and ancient roman column that is derived from ancient Roman temples
o Taking elements of religious architecture. Believes the ancient temples developed
from early houses, so it’s appropriate to use these elements for a house and not just
a temple or a church
 Interior. Monumental room with a common ornamental dome ceiling

Lecture 13 – Catholic Europe

Spain and the Escorial

El Escorial. Near Madrid, Spain (1562-82)

 Built for Philip II, a devout Catholic, in the years just after the Council of Trent
 Colossal project, Estilo Desornamentado style: Unornamented
 Acts as a church, palace, monastery, religious college
o Brings together the most important functions that Philip II sees
  Church located at the center, with royal apartments above. The monastery is at lower right,
the college at lower left.
 King’s personal quarter is close to church
 Strong proponent of learning, creates a great library around the entrance
o Library that speaks out the importance of books and of intellectual pursuits. Has a
barrel vaulted ceiling
 Church: Influenced by Michelangelo’s plan for St. Peter with huge dome in the center, 4
short arms (Greek cross plan)
o Screen behind the alter shows a characteristic of colonial Spanish architecture

Royal Patronage and France: Louis XIV and Versailles

Louis XIV, often called the Sun King, was the most powerful ruler in Europe and added to the
Louvre as his royal residence. As the Louvre neared completion, though, Louis decided to move the
court to Versailles.

 Highly centralised, efficient strong economy

 Chateau de Versailles, France was originally a small town before the arrival of the King. Louis
XIV turns it into the great center of court ceremony

Chateau de Versailles

 Colossal size, scale comparable to the great forbidden city in China

 Great axis that runs all the way from the centre
 Classical columns, symmetry in its façade
o Hierarchical where wings are stepped back, showing the real focus of the centre
(from Renaissance architecture)
o Baroque is more theatrical, more decorated compared to the architecture in
Renaissance period
 King’s Apartment was located on the central axis of the gardens and palace, behind the
Gallery of Mirrors. This was not a private room but a place where the king met friends,
advisors, and even foreign dignitaries
o Place for the French King to show off his power to the rest of the world
o Chapel, Corinthian columns. Ceiling painted with illusionistic quality (effect of staring
into the sky, looking through heaven)
 Main floor showing Gallery of Mirrors. Back in the day mirrors were expensive. At day the
mirror reflects the sunlight, at night the mirror reflects the lights from the crystal chandeliers
that glowed and sparkled
 Garden Façade: Le Notre created a grand axis to dominate the landscape and organized the
gardens through clear geometry
o Views towards and away from the palace. Includes Basin of Apollo and Basin of
Latona in the central axis
o Garden function not only for strolling and conversation but also for celebrations that
included banquets, music, fireworks and other gaudy entertainments

Baroque Architecture in Rome

 Developed from Renaissance architecture and used the same set of Classical elements
including columns, arches, and pediments.
  Strives to achieve different effects by emphasizing movement, plasticity, complex geometry,
and theatricality rather than the more static ideal geometry of the High Renaissance
o Instead of circles, they may stretch it and use ovals
 More theatrical, dramatic elements

Gianlorenzo Bernini (1598-1680)

 Born in Naples, moves to Rome at young age with his sculptor father, Pietro Bernini
 As a young age, he gains the patronage of Cardinal Borghese for his sculpture
 Pope Urban VIII makes Bernini the principal architect of Saint Peter’s Basilica in 1629. He
works on projects there for 21 years.

Bernini and Plaza of St. Peters

 During construction of dome, there are lack of unity and

monumentality
o Bernini adds Baroque additions such as roads to enhance
the beauty of the façade of St Peters
o Arms that reaches out and pulls people being virtually the
mother of all the others
 Open colonnade

Cornaro Chapel, S. Maria della Vittoria (1644-47)

In renaissance, previously they believed art should not be too distracting.

However in Baroque, they believed art should be exaggerated.

 Carved out of hard marble

 Ecstasy of St Teresa and Angel piercing her heart
 Light coming in from above with bronze rods on top
 Columns supports pediments
 Slightly curved
 Ceiling with illusionistic painting, vanish into golden light of heaven
 Variety of materials
o Greenish stone with marble. Red and white stone. White
Marble. Reddish stone, Yellowish stone
o Bernini is working with the most sumptuous materials
 False perspective space on the windows

St. Andrea Al Quirinale

 Semi-circular canopy with semi circular opening

 Pediment on exterior
o Break
 In the interior we have a oval dome and oval floorplan. With altar on the front
 Painting of Crucifixion of St. Andrew
 o On top there are golden light of heaven sculptures of angels and 2 oculus on top,
suggesting that he rises up to the opening, into the golden light of heaven.
o Sculptures accompanies the stories of St. Andrew (fishermen and Putti)
o Dynamic and Exciting stories

Putti: Toddlers with rings

Early Renaissance has flat surfaces, simple, unornamented, simple white grey stones and
plasters. There is a drastic change with more materials, ornamented hexagonal shapes on walls,
more 3D elements

Francesco Borromini (1599-1677)

 Born as Francesco Castello in Northern Italy

 Arrived in Rome, where he worked on St. Peter’s under Maderno

Comparison with St. Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by Borromini and St. Andrea al Quirinale by
Bernini

 St. Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

o Façade is classical motif is curved/ warped. With concave, convex shapes.
Attempts to make the façade more three dimensional. Distorting elements,
manipulates them far more than any other architects at the time
o Oversized medallion
o Designing for small medicant order, often works for free. Columns are made out
of stucko plaster. Sticks to a tight budget
 Less sculptures
o Several layers of dome
o Concave walls, walls are continuously moving, niches
o Ceiling with arches that supports the central dome (oval) with lantern. Effect of
bright dome, and appears to be tall. To create dramatic experiences

 St. Andrea Al Quirinale

Lecture 14- Japan

The Age of the Warriors

Cities and Castles: Himeji Castle

Geographic and cultural proximity to China shapes architecture in Japan. Similarly to China, buildings
in Japan also uses a timber post and lintel system.

During the Muromachi Period and Azuchi Mmoyama Period from the 1300s to the early 1600s,
Japanese politics were dominated by feudal lords, or daimyo.

 Warrior culture produces a distinct culture based on martial virtues. Zen became popular
from its emphasis on individual discipline
 Encourages self sufficiency

Himeji Castle
 Castle town organized around a central castle with residential districts segregated by status and
occupation. The Castle Town was the dominant form of urbanism in Japan in 1600. Segregated with
town on the outside, warriors district on the 3 rd inner, and at the most centre the feudal lord.

 Main Keep (Top room) is a kind of strategy room

 Makes it difficult to storm the castles as it is designed
o No direct route into the city. Must get through the gatehouse on your way to attack
 Castle was renovated by Terumasa Ikeda, one of the powerful lords who supported the
shogun
 Tiled roof, thick plaster
 Build with solid timber
 Ornamental gable
 Military functional while being decorative
 Layout is irregular with main keep containing armouries
o Columns running al the way to the top
o Windows are small for defensive purposes
o Interior is functional with less ornamental designs

Zen and Gardens

One of the schools of Mahayana Buddhism, it is crucial to active military scenes. Finding its own path
to enlightenment

Ryoanji. Kyoto

 Mud plaster roofed with wooden shingles

 Nature of Zen garden: Through meditation and pondering the garden, one makes its own
meaning
o Highly abstract, understanding of the place
 Garden is used as aid to meditation. Also seen as allegorical, which parallels the practice of
Zen itself
 Concept of “leftover white”
o Absence of white. Leftover space to interpret things on your own

Tea and Teahouses

 Developed idea of tea from extravagance scale we typically associate from the ruling elite
 “The way of tea” is developed by the tea master Sen no Rikyu in the late 1500s. A focus on
simplification, modesty, humble materials.

Symmetry is often the basis of importance buildings. However Taian. Kyoto is highly asymmetrical

Cral door (nijiriguchi) emphasizes transition to interior

Katsura Detached Palace. Kyoto, Japan

Constructed by princes of the imperial family. It is built in the sukiya style, which is less formal than
the shoin style of Nijo Castle. Emphasis of Katsura is not on political power but on cultural prowess.

 Wooden shingle roof, sliding shoji screens and plaster

 oBasic color and material palette of wood, plaster and paper in brown and white
oRustic appearance of palace buildings with wooden shingles, unpainted wood, and
white plaster. These are aspects of the Sukiya style
 Sukiya Style
o Derived from the Nejo castle from Shoin architecture and involves in creative
manipulation of elements, freedom in design, and expression of individual.
 Imperial Dais
o view towards shoin, or decorative desk has a very distinct shape where the wall can
be opened up.
o Step up in room suggests that it is the most important place in that room
o Staggered shell, carefully designed and refined aesthetics, characterizes what was
considered to be the kind of elite, aristocratic taste.
 Moon Viewing Platform
o Simple wooden platform covered with bamboo flooring
 Garden
o Irregular shapes and curving paths create experience based on both space and time
o Katsura Palace has NO AXIS
 Shokintei
o Values imperfection, asymmetry, aging, individuality, modesty.
o Differs fundamentally from more typical concepts of bauty
o Pine branches and trunks that forms the column and beam. Bamboo rafters on the
ceiling

Lecture 15- Protestant Europe

 Major landlords, wealth in agricultural and hunting lands

o Elite houses were rural not urban, and did not rely on Classical precedent

Inigo Jones

 Seen as the first true Renaissance architect in England because of his knowledge of Italian
architecture and his use of Classical and Italian Renaissance precedents. He prefers the
“solid, proportionable according to the rules, masculine and unaffected.
 Influenced by Palladio and Italian architecture
o The translation of Palladio’s Four Books made him by far the most influential Italian
Renaissance architect in England

Banqueting House, London

 In 1600s, London was not dominated by any clear style of architecture

 Only surviving piece of Whitehall Palace, which was the primary royal residence from 1530-
1698
 Ionic Plaster. Pediments in semi circle and triangle
 Follows the rules of symmetry on the exterior. Rectangular room
 Interior elevations correspond with exterior. Space is a double cube and recalls the ancient
Roman basilica
o Clarity and compartmentalization – bays of wall and ceiling are simple and regular

Sir Christopher Wren

 Examine architecture in Paris in 1665

  Rebuilded 51 parish churches due to the Great Fire of 1666

Baroque was associated with absolutism, whether the Popes or the French monarchs. England
never adopts certain aspects of Italian Baroque art and architecture, notably the spatial
complexity exemplified by Borromini, and the illusionistic multi-media drama of Bernini.

St. Stephen Wallbrook, London 1672-77

 Bell tower derived from Gothic buildings. Marked verticality to make it a type of
landmark
 Unornamented simple exterior
 Interior
o Round dome with tall ceiling
o Held up with a set of 8 columns
o Geometric shapes (square, on rectangle on octagons

St. Paul’s Cathedral

 Inspired by Gothic architecture

 Central façade has a great temple front accompanied by a lower story of six pairs of columns
(very French thing to do)
 3 layer in dome. Inner dome creates interior space, secondary support lantern on top, outer
dome is created by wood and forms the shape
 Length and long nave suggests comparison with Gothic cathedrals
o Hidden flying buttresses behind wall. Makes the church appear larger

James Gibbs and St. Martin in the Fields. London

Gibbs had some Baroque tendencies but at St. Martin in the Fields his approach is like
Wren’s eclectic and pragmatic rather than doctrinaire. This church becomes a model for Anglican
churches in countless areas where the Church of England has followers, including in North America.
Also influences Protestant churches in general. The placement of tower within church is widely
copied.

 Broad nave with open aisles and gallery is adapted to Protestant worship. The church
becomes an auditorium space rather than a processional or ceremonial space.
 Aisle separated by skinny columns.

Chiswick House. (Lord Burlington and William Kent)

 Palladian windows with central arched opening and two smaller rectangular
windows on the side

Baroque in Tu ofrin: Guarino Guarini

Tea and Teahouses

Wren’s 1673 plan shows his love of geometry, which he sees as the source of beauty however, it is
seem as insufficiently “cathedral-like” and too closely linked with St. Peter’s in Rome

 Shows love of geometry and intense use of Classical ornaments

 St Paul’s Cathedral: Entry has two classical ornamental towers that are very similar to Gothic
towers (2 large towers on either side of its façade)
o Great temple front with 6 tiers of columns: Inspired by French architecture where
second story has paired columns supporting temple front.

Old St. Paul’s, London

Influence from Gothic

 Inspired by the dome of St.Peter

Chiswick House. London

Lord Burlington is a cultured man who travels to Italy to see Palladio’s work. Kent is first a painter,
but the an architect and interior designer. Chiswick is one of the earliest Neo-Palladian villas.

Lecture 16- Diffusion of the Baroque

Baroque in Turin: Guarino Guarini

City of Turin becomes the capital of Baroque architecture thanks to Gurini.

San Lorenzo. Turin, Italy

 Centralized plan is based on geometric manipulations perhaps even more complex than
those in Borromini’s work. Lighting shows great sense of drama.
The layered space of the ground floor with convex and concave curves, emphasis on
religious faith as emotional experience
 Ornaments, ceiling that forms a star
o Brightly lighted with big windows. Church is darker while brighter around the top
 4 Pendentive bridge around the support and the base of the dome. Placed right on top of
the opening
 Pear is hollowed out (open chapel)

Shows influences from Islamic architecture

Exterior suggests of infinity in the dome created by space, form. and light

Mosque of Al Hakim

Palazzo Carignano. Turin Italy

Guarini brings the monumental undulating façade to residential architecture. Although it has
a rectangular form, in the centre there is a remarkable set of curves that concaves and convex.

Imaginative forms shown through the windows, fundamental breaking of the rural, does not follow
etiquette of buildings.

Stairs
  Columns are supported with beams that are arched upwards. Stair convex towards the
bottom. Oval vestibule (landing), stairs concave after landing. Sequence of light
 Courtyard façade shows the playfulness and creativity characteristics of Guarini

Baroque in Central Europe

Benedictine Abbey

 Pediment bulges outwards and splits open in the middle. More straight edges and sharper
compared to Palazzo Carignano.
 Layered ornaments
 Plaster vault
 Built with expensive marbles, architecture of artifices
 Dome portrays sight of heaven with paintings of angels, light. Compared to Borromini’s work
it is lighter and more delicate
o Figures interact with the ceiling

Vierzehnheiligen. Franconia, Germany

 Undulating façade typical of Baroque, but decoration of façade is relatively austere with
many windows
 Layout of church is one open save with grand alter in the middle. Building is composed in 3
main ovals
 Painted stucco in white
 Windows all over to create a bright ambience
 Illusionist painting in the ceiling. Delicate designs framing the paintings.
 Neumann’s churches rely on work of many artists- sculptors, painters, stucco workers, etc. In
comparison with Cornaro Chapel by Bernini
 Plastered stone vaults using iron clamps

Baroque in Spain

Colegio de San Telmo, Seville

 Highly decorated surfaces, derived in part from the badwork of Dutch and Flemish pattern
books, marks the Churrigueresque style
 Churriguesreque ornaments in its façade (in column, it appears to be supporting the weight
of the column)

Granada Charterhouse

Lecture 17- Colonial Americas

Spanish Colonies

Architecture and urban planning are crucial after the conquest of the Mexica (Aztecs) in 1521.
Knowledge of European architecture and art arrive in Mexico through educated friars and texts
(Vitruvius, Serio, Alberti)

Religious Buildings

Early churches were crucial to conversion efforts. Open air buildings based on indigenous structures
were often added.
Altar above a structure made out of wood. (Pyramid like structure)

Prototypical convent

 Large mission complexes, or convent, functioned as headquarters for conversion efforts. A

standard, distinctly Mexican type developed with outdoor chapel, atrio (or patrio), friars’
quarters, church
 Combination of outdoor and indoor spaces

San Agustin, Acolman Mexico (1550,60)

Open-air chapel and courtyard, then large church and cloister. The atrio is distinct to Mesoamerican
churches

Constructed by natives. Indigenous people had long history of masonry; new techniques were
disseminated through schools and texts.

 Arched balconys and entrances.

 Patio acts as a distinctively new world.
 Flat rectangular Façade
 Atrio Cross
o Functions as an axis mundi and creates the quincunx plan common to
Mesoamerican planning
o Central element in its four quadrants (Four elements around the center -quincunx)
o Does not resemble typical European crucifix; resembles the World Tree
o Figure of the Virgin share motifs with Mayahuel. The skull was a symbol of rebirth
and regeneration, and was associated with fertility. The serpent, associated with the
Fall of Man in Christianity was a fertility symbol associated with Mayahuel.
 Exterior
o Columns, tablature, arch suggests renaissance style. Highly decorated with more
ornaments than basic renaissance architecture
 Plateresque style – A style of Renaissance Spain that contains elements of
Renaissance, Gothic, and other styles
o Relatively orthodox Renaissance motifs mixed with indigenous ones. Shield on right
is Mexica glyph for place name of this site
o Columns appear to be Renaissance however the details do not
 Round arches are derived from Renaissance architecture
 Interior
o No Aisle. Layout is a long rectangle with axial on one end
o Ribbed vault and pointed arch shows reminiscences of Gothic architecture
o Gilt retable (retablo), shows similarities to San Lorenzo del Escorial
o Paintings
 Made by Indigenous artists. Shows parallel to Michelangelo’s work

Cathedral of Mexico

Cities and the Laws of the Indies

The Colonial World, African Diaspora, and Slave labor

The British Colonies: Stratford Hall

Lecture 18- The Picturesque

Concept of the Picturesque

 Edmund Burke proposes the idea of the sublime, related to pain and death
o Argues that the sublime is produced by vastness, infinity, and magnificence. He
believes architecture is more likely to be produced by darkness than by light
 Picturesque originally meant “like or having the elements of a picture”. English landlords
argue for variety and asymmetry. This idea of composition differs from Classical notions of
regularity and unity
 Uvedale Price argues it is opposite to beauty, claiming that beauty is created through
regularity and uniformity, while the picturesque is formed by roughness, sudden variation,
and irregularity.

Stourhead

Artificial pond that looks naturalistic, inspired by 17 th C landscape painting, ancient Roman literature,
and Chinese gardens

Stourhead House

 Influences from Palladian Architecture

o Temple front motif, supported by 4 columns
o Symmetrical

Formal and spatial parallels between Chinese Gardens and the 18 th century English garden

Combined with the stark contrast between light and dark, the rough stone and the feeling of
descending into the earth suggest a feeling between the Picturesque and the Sublime.