Assignment 2

The word “renaissance” is known to mean rebirth and the way the Italians used this term was to completely revolutionize their culture. They did this by reviving old styles of architecture from the past and modernized them to be their own style that would be recognized for years.

The architecture of the middle ages was very massive and structurally sound, meaning they were build with the intent that their structures would last forever. The middle ages brought new techniques into the architects’ handbook, allowing them to create domes, vaults, groin vaults, arches and buttresses. With these new techniques the architects’ of the Middle Ages were able to produce some outstanding and mind boggling building that were both functional and aesthetically appealing. The use of the arch is widely used in their structures since they are self supporting and can be built as big and wide as the architect wants.

When the Italian renaissance came about the people of this period wanted their structures and sculptures to be as elegant and esthetically appealing as the forms were during the Middle Ages. They also wanted to take these techniques and make them work with the beliefs and lifestyle that the people of this time had. Three Italian renaissance architects that are most notable for their innovation and structures they created throughout this time period were Brunelleschi, Alberti, and Palladio.

Filippo Brunelleschi is one of the first architects of the Italian renaissance. He started his career as a gold smith but after traveling to Rome and studying their ancient architecture he turned his interests to becoming an architect himself. One of his greatest achievements was engineering the dome of the Florence Cathedral. Another thing he is noted for is bringing back the ancient doric, ionic and Corinthian orders and using them in ways that were appropriate to the Italians lifestyle. His structures seem simple but are very proportionate creating a sense of harmony throughout them.

Leon Battista Alberti was an artist who had many mediums under his belt. He was not only an architect but he was a sculpture and a painter. He had the understanding of the ancient principles of