1) Vitruvius

A roman architect of 1st century BC

Wrote treaties on architecture called De architectura

2)Leon Battista Alberti

15th century
Wrote treaties on architecture called De re Aedificatoria

3)Andea Palladeo
16th century

Wrote Palladeo’s Four Books on Architecture

4)Jacques-François Blondel
18th century

Wrote Architecture Françoise

5) Quatremere De Quincy
18th century
Architect & Historian
6) Gottfried Semper
19th century
Wrote book The Four Elements of Architecture

7) Viollet Le Duc
19th century
He wrote various treaties & dictionary about “French
Architecture”
ANTIQUITY (ANCIENT TIMES)

Theory of Architecture 18AATC212 Presented by: Ar.Divya Sharma

School of Architecture KLE Tech Hubballi.
 ANTIQUITY (ANCIENT TIMES)
 Era before Middle ages.

 There is little information or evidence about major architectural theory in

antiquity, until the 1st century BC, with the work of Vitruvius.

 Vitruvius was a Roman writer, architect, and engineer active in the

1st century BC
 He was the most prominent architectural theorist in the Roman Empire known
today, having written De Architecture(known today as The Ten Books of
Architecture), a treatise written in Latin and Greek on architecture, dedicated to
the emperor Augustus

 Probably written between 27 and 23 BC

 It also proposes the three fundamental laws that architecture must obey, in
order to be so considered: firmitas, utilitas, venustas, translated in the 17th
century by Sir Henry Wotton into the English slogan firmness, commodity and
delight ( structural adequacy, functional adequacy, and beauty).
• The Vitruvian Man was created by
Leonardo da Vinci around the year 1487.
It is accompanied by notes based on the
work of the famed architect, Vitruvius
Pollio. The drawing, which is in pen and
ink on paper, depicts a male figure in two
superimposed positions with his arms and
legs apart and simultaneously inscribed in
a circle and square. The drawing and text
are sometimes called the Canon of
Proportions or, less often, Proportions of
Man
 In classical architecture most buildings are based off the proportions of man or a human
body.

 Vitruvius believed that the human body is a model of perfection.

 Architects during the classical period used the Vitruvian Man as a base point to build and construct
much of their work to build temples, and columns on most buildings in Rome.

 The Vitruvian Man remains one of the most referenced and reproduced artistic images in the world
today.
 The proportions for the human body, as proposed by Vitruvius, have inspired many other
artists in drawing their version of the Vitruvian Man.

 In conclusion, Vitruvius helped to create some of the best-known work in architecture during the
classical period.

 His work has provided information not only for architect’s in his day, but has
helped to enlighten architects in modern day architecture.

 Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, an example of the blend of art and science
during the Renaissance.
 Aside from his famous writings and drawings he is also believed to have
served in the Roman Army in Spain and Gaul under Julius Caesar.

 Vitruvius says that an architect is someone who is a master of the “practice” and “theory” of
building.

 Not only one who can build the building, but also one who can visualize the building and put it
to work.

 Practice for Vitruvius is knowledge of history, philosophy and artistic principles

 Architects must be masters and learn writing, drafting, optics, arithmetic, history,
philosophy, physiology, music, medicine and law.
 VITRUVIOUS ON ARCHITECTURE

He saw architecture as being of three types:

1. The art of building structure

2. Making time pieces

3. Constructing machinery
 VITRUVIOUS ON ARCHITECTURE

1. The art of building structure

The design of the public buildings The design of private buildings.

Defense Religion Utilitarian

 VITRUVIOUS ON ARCHITECTURE

The Art’s Three main principles are

Strength Utility Beauty

Strength :  Encompasses soundness of Foundation

 Building’s Structure

 Selection of Materials
 VITRUVIOUS ON ARCHITECTURE

The Art’s Three main principles are

Strength Utility Beauty

Utility :  Concern’s the Convenient planning

 Social suitability of the edifice

 VITRUVIOUS ON ARCHITECTURE

The Art’s Three main principles are

Strength Utility Beauty

Beauty :  Building’s Visual Charm

 Charm arises chiefly out of Proportional Harmony

 VITRUVIOUS ON ARCHITECTURE

The Art’s Three main principles are

Strength Utility Beauty

Beauty :  Order
 Arrangement
 Rhythm
 Symmetry
 Decorum
 Economy
 VITRUVIOUS ON ARCHITECTURE

The Art’s Three main principles are

Strength Utility Beauty

Beauty :  Order
 Rhythm Supplying the proportional criteria for design
 Symmetry
 Arrangement Dictating correct planning assembly of the work
 Decorum
Clarrifying the appropriate use of the orders , the
 Economy adaptations of the buildings to the site the correct
management of materials
 Arts 3 main
principles
Strength
Beauty
Soundness of
foundation,building Utility Building’s visual
materials Convenient planning charm
and social suitability

order arrange Economy

ment Decorum
Rhythm
Symmetry
 Much more than a book on buildings and machines, the contents of De
Architectura reveal the ancients' much wider concept of what exactly is
'architecture' and it describes such topics as science, mathematics,
geometry, astronomy, astrology, medicine, meteorology, philosophy, and the
importance of the effects of architecture, both aesthetic and practical, on the
everyday life of citizens.
 In short, according to Vitruvius, the successful architect and engineer should
have both theoretical and practical knowledge based on a broad and deep
understanding of all the sciences, arts, and even nature.
 Even more importantly, for Vitruvius buildings should always be three things:
 beautiful, stable, and useful.
 Part of what makes Vitruvius so important in the architecture world , is his
creation of the Ten Books of Architecture

 The Ten Books follow the course of

the construction of an imperial civilization; the first few chapters examine

 Training of architects and the definition of their services,

 The next few chapters inspect how architects should create the location
of a city;
 The remaining chapters explain how to build the buildings in a city and
how to defend them and wage war, in this manner repeating the cycle.
I BOOK
EDUCATION OF ARCHITECTURE HISTORY MEDICINE JUSTICE AND ART.

 He goes on to say that the architect should be versed in drawing, geometry,

optics (lighting), history, philosophy, music, theatre, medicine, and law.

In Book I, Chapter 3 (The Departments of Architecture),

Building; the construction of sundials and 

The design and use of machines in
water clocks construction and warfare.
I BOOK
EDUCATION OF ARCHITECTURE HISTORY MEDICINE JUSTICE AND ART.

Building

Public Private

1) City Planning

2) Public security structures – walls, gates & Towers

3) Convenient placing of public facilities-Theatres, Forums and Markets,Baths,

Roads & Pavings
4) Construction & position of shrines & temples for religious use.

 Later books are devoted to the understanding, design and construction of each
of these
 II BOOK
IT DEALS WITH THE ORIGIN OF DWELLINGS & HOUSES ,USE OF
MATEIRAL LIKE BRICK TIMBER, LIME, POZZOLONA CEMENT, STONE .WALL
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE
CHAPTER I :THE ORIGIN OF THE DWELLING HOUSE

CHAPTER II: ON THE PRIMORDIAL SUBSTANCE ACCORDING TO THE PHYSICISTS

CHAPTER III : BRICK
CHAPTER IV : SAND
CHAPTER V : LIME
CHAPTER VI :POZZOLANA
CHAPTER VII : STONE
CHAPTER VIII : METHODS OF BUILDING WALLS
CHAPTER IX : TIMBER
CHAPTER X: HIGHLAND AND LOWLAND FIR
III BOOK
SYMMETRY , CLASSIFICATION OF TEMPLES WRT TO THE PROPORTION ,FOUNDATION

IV BOOK
THE ORIGIN OF ORDERS IN ARCHITECTURE ,ORNAMENTATION OF THE ORDER, PROPORTION
OF THE ORDER,ORIENTATION OF THE TEMPLE,SHAPE OF THE TEMPLES

V BOOK : CIVIL BUILDINGS

Chapter 1 : FORUM & BASILICA
Chapter 2: TREASURY , PRISON & SENATE
Chapter 3: TYPES OF THEATRES
Chapter 4: BATH PLACES
Chapter 5 : SENATE HOUSES & THEATRES (Palaestra)
Chapter 6 : HARBOURS & SHIPYARDS
B = 2/3 L
L = 2 CD
6 . BOOK :DOMESTIC BUILDING

CHAPTER I :ON CLIMATE AS DETERMINING THE STYLE OF THE HOUSE

CHAPTER II :SYMMETRY, AND MODIFICATIONS IN IT TO SUIT THE SITE

CHAPTER III : PROPORTIONS OF THE PRINCIPAL ROOMS

CHAPTER IV: THE PROPER EXPOSURES OF THE DIFFERENT ROOMS

CHAPTER V :HOW THE ROOMS SHOULD BE SUITED TO THE STATION OF THE

OWNER

CHAPTER VI :THE FARMHOUSE

CHAPTER VII : THE GREEK HOUSE

CHAPTER VIII : ON FOUNDATIONS AND SUBSTRUCTURES

7 . BOOK : FLOORS & DECORATIVE PLASTER WORKS

CHAPTER I : FLOORS

CHAPTER II : THE SLAKING OF LIME FOR STUCCO

CHAPTER III : VAULTINGS AND STUCCO WORK

CHAPTER IV :ON STUCCO WORK IN DAMP PLACES, AND ON THE

DECORATION OF DINING ROOMS

CHAPTER V : THE DECADENCE OF FRESCO PAINTING

CHAPTER VI: MARBLE FOR USE IN STUCCO

CHAPTER VII : NATURAL COLOURS

CHAPTER VIII: CINNABAR AND QUICKSILVER

CHAPTER IX: CINNABAR 

CHAPTER X: ARTIFICIAL COLOURS. BLACK

 8. BOOK : WATER

CHAPTER I : HOW TO FIND WATER

CHAPTER II : RAINWATER HARVESTING

CHAPTER III : VARIOUS PROPERTIES OF DIFFERENT WATERS

CHAPTER IV : TESTS OF GOOD WATER

CHAPTER V : LEVELLING AND LEVELLING INSTRUMENTS

CHAPTER VI : AQUEDUCTS, WELLS, AND CISTERNS

 9. BOOK : ZODIAC MOVEMENT

CHAPTER I : THE ZODIAC AND THE PLANETS

CHAPTER II : THE PHASES OF THE MOON

CHAPTER III : THE COURSE OF THE SUN THROUGH THE TWELVE SIGNS

CHAPTER IV : THE NORTHERN CONSTELLATIONS

CHAPTER V : THE SOUTHERN CONSTELLATIONS

CHAPTER VI : ASTROLOGY AND WEATHER PROGNOSTICS

CHAPTER VII : THE ANALEMMA AND ITS APPLICATIONS

CHAPTER VIII : SUNDIALS AND WATER CLOCKS
 10. BOOK : MACHINES

CHAPTER I : MACHINE & IMPLEMENTS

CHAPTER II : HOISTING MACHINES

CHAPTER III : THE ELEMENTS OF MOTION

CHAPTER IV : ENGINES FOR RAISING WATER

CHAPTER V : WATER WHEELS AND WATER MILLS

CHAPTER VI : THE WATER SCREW

SINGNIFICANCE OF LOCATIONAL VALUE OF CITY ELEMENTS

POMERIUS
 SINGNIFICANCE OF LOCATIONAL VALUE OF CITY ELEMENTS

FORUM
ROMAN BATHS BASILICA UMBILICUS CAPITOLIUM
SINGNIFICANCE OF LOCATIONAL VALUE
OF CITY ELEMENTS
 Also in the Ten Books, Vitruvius He also describes several other programs
recommends that that will aid the public urban life within the city.
cities establish a clear location for the
 “forum,” or outdoor commercial and religious  The “basilica,” a flexible building used for
zone, usually directly next to the city’s gatherings, commercial and legal
center. transactions.
 Since Vitruvius was born and lived in Rome,
he wrote his books in relation to Rome and  The “Capitolium,” which is the temple of
its surroundings. state religion.
 cities have a “pomerius,” a sacred line that
defines the edges of the cities.  Lastly “baths” are the last of the public
 The pomerius is a sacred boundary that “programs” that all Roman cities must have.
defines that which is inside, and therefore, They provide the important public service
part of the city. of offering hygiene as well as an important
 He also stated that all cities have a clear space for socializing, political brokering and
center, which is called an “umbilicus.” business transactions.
The long Narrow Entrance
ATRIUM
Living areas
Peristyle surrounded by rooms
Bedrooms on First Floor

Tile Hip Roof

 As in the original plans a shop (or other
1. This plan is based on information and drawings public/commercial space faces the street
found in the book Vitruvious, the ten books on with its own entrance. Mirror image
architecture staircases lead up to the three bedrooms,
The Roman city house with its large central atruim each with their own interior balcony (not in
and peristyle surrounded by rooms, with classicdesigns).
bedrooms upstairs was a very large house. 4. Two full baths, stacked, are located
2. The elements of this house, the long narrow between the utility room and the kitchen
entrance into a central (open) artium surrounded for plumbing efficiency. In Roman times
by the main living areas with the bedrooms up by the "utility" room would be used for food
exposed stairs, all covered by a beautiful tile hip (grain) storage. The kitchen is not part of a
roof, results in a very attractive classical structure larger multipurpose area but fully private
best suited to moderate "Mediterranean" climates. as in Roman houses
Straw bales are well suited to the thick wall 5. Two outside staircases lead up from the
design. atrium to the second level, one to the
3. Symmetryis an important design element with a master bedroom, one to the other
central and centered entry, atrium, fountain, and bedrooms. The master bedroom has a
exit/entry into the future peristyle.The first level large walk in closet, leading to the bath.
plan is mirror image symmetrical, with the same The street side bedroom must access the
size and shape of rooms on either side. upstairs bath through the "outside" portio.
Roman theatre Facade

Arch of Augustus,Aosta