a historical window prototype

7/30/2019 A Historical Window Prototype

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A Historical Window Prototype

During the Renaissance period architects developed different types of

design concepts because some of them had a contrasting idea of what

architecture should look like, but at the end they all meet the standards of the

Renaissance. Alberti as well as Michelangelo were greatest exhibitors of this

period in architecture. What will we have if we asked them to design an office

window? Without a doubt the result would be really interesting because they

were two completely different architects with different approach and ideas of

beauty. Compare both projects following their principles would be an enriching

experience for students in this area.

Alberti was an architect considered a classical theorist and really

concerned about proportions in his designs. For this project he would have

begun with the proportions using the golden section to find the correct area to

place the window. As follower of classical order he would put the correct

columns according to the importance and location of the window. He would

not concern about the interior space, he focused about proportions and the

beauty in it, and he too would have cared too much about adding different

planes. For him flat was fine. The type of the materials can vary but always using

it and a clean way.

The design of this window, according to Alberti, should be rectangular

divided into two long rectangles at the top of each of this rectangles will be

placed a semicircle pediment with the same diameter of each rectangle. At


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the same time the two semicircle pediments will be part of another semicircle

pediment with the diameter of the whole rectangle, it means both rectangles.

The remaining space between the two semicircle pediments and the bigger

semicircle pediment will be filled with a centered circle which diameter is equal

to the ratio of one of the two semicircle pediments, it means a quarter of the

biggest pediment.

In contrast, Michelangelo was part of another period of the Renaissance

called Mannerism. He wanted to induce different emotions through his

architecture. In this project he would include the tension factor that he always

used in his projects in order to catch the attention of people and caused them

different emotions. Michelangelo uses classical forms but reanalyzing them one

by one changing shapes, scale and function. The structural logic was not that

important, for him, as compositional logic.

For this project Michelangelo would be more interested in designing

something which the interior have more importance than the exterior. He would

design a rectangular window with a column in each side and a pediment. Each

column should be bigger at the top that at the bottom, but very subtle. Bellow

each column should be a corresponding console, going smaller too. He would

include a column in both sides of the window going all way top to bottom of the

wall. The pediment will touch the columns on its side and the reversed

tabernacle would project out getting the feeling that it is too big for the space,


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and also creating different textures and shadows. The material would be Pietra

Serena, which was his favorite material.

In conclusion, the result for this project would have been totally different in

a lot of ways. On one hand Alberti is more concerned with proportions based on

the square and following the classical order which results in a an interesting

composition but very plain. On the other hand, Michelangelo, who was a

sculpture, was more careful with the play of light and shadows, textures and

logic in his compositions which results in at first sign a tensioned composition that

makes think twice to who would come admire.

a historical window prototype

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