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Republic of the Philippines
BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
MAIN CAMPUS
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
Vision : A premiere S&T university for the formation of world class and virtuous human resources for sustainable development in Bohol and the country. Mission : BISU is committed to provide quality higher education in the arts and sciences, as well as in the professional and technological fields. undertake research and development, and extension services for the sustainable development of Bohol and the country.
Assignment 7 (Research):
RENAISSANCE
ARCHITECTURE
(Building Example)
SUBMITTED BY:
GALESTE, CHRISTINE NIÑA M.
SUBMITTED TO:
AR. JANEFARR MARI A. DIVINO, UAP
INSTRUCTOR
THE FLORENCE CATHEDRAL ORIGIN
The typical Italian Gothic building, the Cathedral of Florence, is dedicated to
"Santa Maria del Fiore". The church was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio (c1245-1302)
who considerably enlarged the existing religious structure. Finished around 1367, the
Cathedral was completely covered by coloured marbles like the earlier Baptistery,
except for the faça de that
remained unfinished and was terminated only in the 19th century.
The project left unfinished also the Dome, since in 1421 only the frame (polygonal base)
had been erected. Two architects, Lorenzo Ghiberti (1368-1445) and Filippo
Brunelleschi (1377-1446) won the competition although it was the latter who actually
built the dome, showing a great mastery of technical knowledge, in 1436. French Gothic
architecture was the result of the emergence in the 12th century of a powerful French state centered in the Ile-de-France. King Louis Vl of France (1081–1137), had succeeded, after a long struggle, in bringing the barons of northern France under his control, and successfully defended his domain against attacks by the English King, Henry I of England (1100–1135). Under Louis and his successors, cathedrals were the most visible symbol of the unity of the French church and state. During the reign of Louis Vl of France (1081–1137), Paris was the principal residence of the Kings of France, the Carolingian era Reims Cathedral the place of coronation, and the Abbey of Saint Denis became the ceremonial burial place. The King and his successors lavishly supported the construction and enlargement of abbeys and cathedrals. The Abbot of Saint-Denis, Sugar, was not only a prominent religious figure but also the first minister to Louis VI and Louis VII. He oversaw the royal administration when the King was absent on the Crusades. He commissioned the reconstruction of the Basilica of Saint Denis, making it the first and most influential example of the new style in France. BASILICA OF SAINT- DENIS The earliest surviving Gothic structure is the Abbey of Saint-Denis in Paris, begun Basilique Saint Denis, France
Elevations At the time of the early Gothic, the flying buttress was not yet in common use, and buttresses were placed directly close to or directly against the walls. The walls had to be reinforced by additional width. The early Gothic churches in France typically had four elevations or levels in the nave: the aisle arcade on the ground floor; the gallery arcade, a passageway, above it; the blind triforium, a narrower passageway, and the clerestory, a wall with larger windows, just under the vaults. These multiple levels added to the width and thus the stability of the walls, before the flying buttress was commonly used. This was the system used at Sens Cathedral, Noyon Cathedral and originally at Notre Dame de Paris. At Notre-Dame the triforium had small rose windows, rather than a passageway. The introduction of a simpler four-part rib vault and especially the flying buttress meant that the walls could be thinner and higher, with more room for windows. By the end of the period, the triforium level was usually eliminated, and larger windows filled the space. Vaults The rib vault was a characteristic feature of Gothic architecture from the beginning. It was the result of a search for a way to build stone roofs on churches that could not catch fire but would not be too heavy. Variations of rib vaults had been used in Islamic and Romanesque architecture, often to support domes. The rib vault had thin stone ribs which carried the vaulted surface of thin panels. Unlike the earlier barrel vault, where the weight of the vault pressed down directly onto the walls, the arched ribs of a rib vault had a pointed arch, a rib which directed the weight outwards and downwards to specific points, usually piers and columns in the nave below, or outward to the walls, where it was countered by buttresses. The panels between the ribs were made of small pieces of stone and were much lighter than the earlier barrel vaults. A primitive form, a ribbed groin vault, with round arches, was used at Durham Cathedral, and then, while building, was improved with pointed arches in about 1096. Other variations had been used at Lessay Abbey in Normandy at about the same time.
The first Gothic rib vaults were divided by the ribs into six compartments. A six-part vault could cover two sections of the nave. Two pointed arches crossed diagonally and were supported by an intermediate arch, which crossed the nave from side to side. The weight was carried downward by thin columns from the corners of the vault to the alternating heavy piers and thinner columns in the nave below. The weight was distributed unevenly; the piers received the greater weight from diagonal arches, while the columns took the lesser weight from the intermediate arch. This system was used successfully at the Basilica of Saint-Denis, Noyon Cathedral, Laon Cathedral, and Notre-Dame de Paris. A simpler and stronger vault with just four compartments was developed at the end of the period by eliminating the intermediate arch. As a result, the piers or columns below all received an equal load, and could have the same size and appearance, giving greater harmony to the nave. This system was used increasingly at the end of the Early Gothic period. Flying Buttress Variations of the flying buttress existed before the Gothic period, but Gothic architects developed them to a high degree of sophistication. By counterbalancing the thrust against the upper walls from the rib vaults, they made possible the great height, thin walls and large upper windows of the Gothic cathedrals. The early Gothic buttresses were placed close to the walls and were columns of stone with a short arch to the upper level, between the windows. They were often topped by stone pinnacles both for decoration, and to make them even heavier. Sculptures The most important sculptural decoration of early Gothic cathedrals was found over and around the portals, or doorways, on the tympanum and sometimes also on the columns. Following the model of Romanesque churches, these depicted the Holy Family and Saints. Following the tradition of Romanesque sculpture, the figures were usually stiff, straight, simple forms, and often elongated. As the period advanced, sculpture became more naturalistic. The floral and vegetal sculpture of the capitals of columns in the nave was more realistic, showing a close observation of nature.
