ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY - CFU 6 – 2020/2021 Teacher: Marco Pistolesi, arch. PhD ([email protected]) This course aims to give methodological tools to recognize and to understand the main architectural features of Past: typologies, spatial shapes, construction techniques, functional qualifications, styles and esthetic appearances. Aim and organization A wide selection of cornerstones of western architecture will be studied in their historical, social and cultural framework, to understand the reasons why artistical/architectural trends developed, examining the different construction techniques and its consequences on compositive and spatial issues. The course will consist on theoretical lessons broadcast partially live, partially already recorded. Will be carried out moreover live graphical exercises, that will help students to know and understand some architectural organisms, chosen by the Teacher as “cornerstones” of each historical age. Test examination Every student will have an oral interview; he will prove to have gained a method of approach to the main architectural-historical issues, demonstrating his knowledge of each work with the aid of sketches and drawings.. TOPICS 1. GREEK ARCHITECTURE Phases of Greek History (Archaic Age, Classical period, Hellenistic Age); geographic diffusion and development of Greek culture (Peloponnese, Asia Minor, Magna Graecia). The architectural Orders and the trilithic system. Doric, Ionic and Corinthian mode: constituent elements and morphology. The Greek temple: from the origin (Mycenaean mègaron) to the diversification of the types. Main Doric temples: the temples of Poseidon and Hera (so-called “Basilica”) in Paestum, the temple of Aphaia in Aegina. The Parthenon in Athens. Urban spaces in Greek city: public places (agora), sacred areas (acropolis). The Athenian Acropolis: the Propilaea, the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechteion. Main Ionic temples: temple of Hera in Samo, temple of Artemis in Ephesos, temple of Apollo in Didyma. The pan-Hellenic sanctuaries in Olympia and in Delphi. The “tholoi” (circular temples) in Delphi and in Epidauros. Perpendicular Greek urban layout (Hippodamus of Miletus): Piraeus, Miletus, Priene. Hellenistic period: the city of Pergamo: landscape and architecture. The temple of Oympic Zeus in Athens. The Greek theatre (Athens, Priene, Epidauros). 2. ROMAN ARCHITECTURE Phases of Roman History (Monarchical age, Repubblican age, Imperial age, Late antiquity). Roman masonries. The “opus caementicium” and its properties. Archs, voults and domes: classifications, construction techniques, compositional potential. Archs and architectural Orders with decorative purposes. The Roman temple: similarities and differences with Greek temple. The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, the temples of the Forum Boarium, the so-called Maison-Carree in Nimes. The barrel vault-system in the Republican age: the Tabularium in Rome, the great sanctuaries in Latium (Tivoli, Palestrina). The Roman theatre and the amphitheatre: similarities and differences with the Greek theatre. The Theatre of Pompeus, the Theatre of Marcellus, the Flavian Amphitheatre (Coliseum). The basilica (Basilica Aemilia, Basilica Ulpia). Roman urban spaces: the Roman Forum and the Imperial Fora. The Trajan's Market. The typical Roman city and its urban layout. The evolution of the domed space: the octagunal hall in the Domus Aurea, the Pantheon, the pavillons in the Hadrian’s villa, the so called temple of Minerva Medica (Ninpheum in the Horti Liciniani), the mausoleum of Santa Costanza in Rome. Great cross-vaults: Baths of Diocletian and of Caracalla, the Basilica of Maxentius. Commemorative monuments: the triumphal arch (Arch of Titus, arch of Constantine). 3. EARLY CHRISTIAN AND BIZANTINE ARCHITECTURE. The church in its typologic and functional issues. Rome: the Basilicas of St. Peter, San Giovanni in Laterano, San Paolo fuori le mura, San Sebastiano, Santa Sabina. Churches in Ravenna: S. Apollinare in Classe. Bizantine “double shelled” buildings: Church of San Vitale in Ravenna; Church of the Saints Sergius and Bacchus (called “Little Hagia Sophia”), Hagia Sophia at Constantinople. 4. MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE The age of Charlemagne and of Emperor Otto I: the Palatine Chapel in Aachen (Germany); the typological definition of the “Abbey” and its main buildings. Innovative architectural devices in the abbey-church: the western apse, the Westerk. The abbey of St. Galle. The Torhaus of Lorsch. The Church of St. Michael in Hildesheim. Romanesque architecture: from the wooden-covered Church to the vaulted system: constructive, structural and aestetic issues. Particularities of a romanesque church: the choir, the ambulatory, the doule trampset, the Westwerk and Westbau. Romanesque architecture in France. The pilgrimage churches. Abbey church of Cluny, Notre Dame in Poitiers; the square cross-vault: St. Madeleine church in Vezelay. The domed churches in Aquitaine: the Cathedral of Angouleme, St-Front in Perigueux. Normandy and England: St Etienne in Caen, the Durham Cathedral. Romanesque architecture in Italy: the churches of S. Ambrogio in Milan, of S. Fedele in Como, Modena Cathedral, church of S. Miniato al Monte in Florence, the Baptistery in Florence. Oriental influences in romanesque architecture: the cathedral of S. Marco in Venice, piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. Gothic architecture: structural innovations, shape and spatial transformation of typical gothic cathedral in France. The evolution from Early gothic to Flamboyant: Noyon, Laon, Notre Dame de Paris, Chartres, Amiens, Reims, Beauvais. Features of English Gothic: the Cathedral of Wells. Italian architecture in XIIIth. and XIVth. centuries: cistercian abbeys (Fossanova, Casamari). The architecture of mendicant religious orders: franciscan and dominican churches. S. Francesco in Assisi, S. Fortunato in Todi, S. Francesco in Bologna, S. Maria Novella and S. Croce in Florence. Great Italian cathedrals: Florence, Orvieto, Milan. City halls and castles: The Palazzo Pubblico in Siena, Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Castel del Monte in Andria. 5. ITALIAN ARCHITECTURE IN 15TH. AND 16ITH. CENTURIES. Renaissance humanism. The rebirth of classical culture, architectural orders, simmetry, prospective, proportions. Longitudinal and central plants in Renaissance: architectonical, liturgical and philosophical issues. Works by Filippo Brunelleschi in Florence: the dome of S. Maria del Fiore, the Spedale degli Innocenti, the Church of S. Lorenzo and the Old Sacristy, the church of S. Spirito, the cappella Pazzi. Leon Battista Alberti as treatise and architect: the Tempio Malatestiano in Rimini, the churches of S. Andrea and S. Sebastiano in Mantova, the facade of S. Maria Novella and Palazzo Rucellai a Firenze. Residential buildings in Florence: palazzo Medici, palazzo Pitti. Urban planning in Pienza. The Ducal Palace in Urbino. Rome in XVth century: the church of S. Maria del Popolo, S. Marco facade, Palazzo Venezia, the S. Spirito Hospital. Works by Donato Bramante in Milan: S. Maria presso S. Satiro, the tribune of S. Maria delle Grazie. Bramante in Rome: the cloister of S. Maria della Pace, the Tempietto di S. Pietro in Montorio, Palazzo Caprini. The rebuilt of St Peter (projects by Bramante and the following events). Master architects in early 16th. century: Michelangelo: the New Sacristy of S. Lorenzo and the Laurentian Library in Florence, S. Pietro in Rome, Piazza del Campidoglio. Raphael (Villa Madama, Palazzo Branconio dell’Aquila). Baldassarre Peruzzi (the so-called “villa Farnesina”, Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne), Antonio da Sangallo the Younger (Palazzo Baldassini, Palazzo Farnese). Religious architecture after the Councile of Trent: liturgical and ideological issues in the evolution of the church plan and spatiality. Main types of church facade. Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola (church of the Gesù, S. Andrea in via Flaminia, Villa Giulia). Francesco da Volterra: church S. Giacomo degli Incurabili. Palladio and the classical architecture in Veneto region: Villa Barbaro, Villa Foscari (so-called “la Malcontenta”), Villa Almerico-Capra (so-called “la Rotonda”); Palazzo Chiericati, Palazzo Valmarana; the Basilica in Vicenza. 6. BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE IN THE 17TH CENTURY Critical discussions on Baroque art and architecture. Early baroque architecture between classical tradition and compositional innovations. Carlo Maderno: works on St. Peter’s basilica: the new longitudinal body and the façade. Gian Lorenzo Bernini: works in St. Peter’s basilica (the Baldaquin, the square), church of S. Tommaso in Castelgandolfo, church of S. Maria Assunta in Ariccia, church of S. Andrea al Quirinale; Palazzo Ludovisi (Montecitorio), projects for the Royal Palace in Paris (the Louvre Palace). Francesco Borromini: church and convento of S. Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, the Oratory, church of S. Ivo alla Sapienza, the renovation of the basilica of St. John in Lateran, the College of Propaganda Fide. Guarino Guarini: the church of S. Maria della Divina Provvidenza in Lisbona, the Palazzo Carignano, church of S. Lorenzo, the Cappella della Sindone. BIBLIOGRAPHY MAIN TEXTBOOK: D. WATKIN, History of western architecture, 2015 (VI ed.). .