Andrea Palladio was an influential Italian architect from the 16th century known for developing Palladian architecture. He apprenticed as a stonecutter and learned principles from Vitruvius and Alberti. His most famous works include the Villa Rotunda, Villa Barbaro, and Villa Cornaro. He designed buildings with dramatic exteriors, economic materials, and interior harmony. Palladio's work had lasting influence through his book The Four Books of Architecture and his integration of beauty and meaning suited to his clients' social status.

1. Theory of Architecture
IV Semester
Ar. Divya Sharma
Assistant Professor
School of Architecture
18AATC205
ANDREA PALLADIO

2. ANDREA PALLADIO (Andrea di Pietro della)
( 1508 – 1580 )
 Italian architect, considered as the most influential person in
the history of Western architecture.

3. Padua, Venice

4. ANDREA PALLADIO
( 1508 – 1580 )
Apprenticed as a stonecutter at the age of 13.

5. Fled to Vicenza, became the assistant in a
workshop of stonecutters and masons.
Learnt skills from Bartolomeo Cavazza

6. Pallas , Athene
His talents recognized in the early 30’s by
Count Gian Giorgio Trissino, who gave him the
name Palladio, an allusion to the Greek
goddess, Pallas Athene.

7. He learnt the principles of Vitruvius, the classical Roman architect & of Leon Battista Alberti.

8. Palladian Architecture
His Palladian style named after him adhered to the
principles of
 Roman architecture
 Styles of Early and High Renaissance.

9. His works became well known after the publication of
“I Quattro Libri ‘dell Architectura” (The Four Books
of Architecture).

10. LOGGIA or
PORCH
Rules mentioned in his book are:
Loggia or porch to allow visitors
space to gather before entering.

11. Smaller room flanking hall
Smaller rooms or chambers
should flank the hall.

12. Stairway
The stairway to the upper level should be
prominent with good lighting & a view to an
impressive space

13. Based upon the treatise of Vitruvius,
 Writings of Alberti & Serlio
 The works of Raphael, Falconetto & Sansovino,
Palladio devised a solution based on 3 principle Elements
Palladio’s 3 part Solutions
1) Dramatic Exterior Motifs
2) Economic Materials
3) Interior Harmony & Balance

14. 1) Dramatic Exterior Motifs
3 Primary types of exterior
elevation were developed as
the Palladian style
3 Exterior elevations

15.  a) Loggia Pierced by 3 Openings
3 Exterior elevations

16.  b)Double columned Loggia
3 Exterior elevations

17.  c) The pediments & columns adapted from the Greek temple front.
3 Exterior elevations

18.  Generally the Venetian palaces were built of
stone brought from distant, mainland quarries &
clad with marble from Istria.
2) Economic Materials
Economic Materials

19. 2) Economic Materials
Since Palladio had achieved his visual impact through his design motifs, he could
build Villas with
Bricks instead of stone and clad them with stucco instead of marble.
Economic Materials

20. The ornate capitals were made of terracotta
Economic Materials

21. The architraves supporting these pediments were made of Wood covered
with straw lathing & then stucco
Economic Materials

22. The walls decorated with frescoes replacing the tapestry.
Economic Materials

23. 3) Interior Harmony & Balance
Interior Harmony & Balance

24. Palladio has stated that the parts of a house correspond to the whole and to each other.
Interior Harmony & Balance

25. Palladio varied the volumetric sizes of his rooms
Interior Harmony & Balance

26. With respect to the shapes of individual rooms, he
provides a wide variety ranging from squares, circles
to rectangles in a variety of ratios of width to length
Interior Harmony & Balance

27. The aristocracy needed magnificent homes which reflected their magnificence and virtue.
It was not feasible to build a
Venetian palace at the
countryside.
The Need for Villas

28. It would not suite the supervision of an
agricultural establishment, storing of grains,
or facilitate communication with nature for
repose and contemplation
The Need for Villas

29. The aristocracy needed magnificent homes which reflected their magnificence and virtue.
Thus there was a need for a structure that is
 Magnificient
 Inexpensive
 Comfortable
 Functional
The Need for Villas

30. Architectural work
Villa Rotunda (1566-67)
Location : Vicenza , Italy
Date : 1566 - 1567
Construction system: Bearing Masonry
Style : Italian Renaissance

31. Architectural work
Villa Rotunda (1566-67)
 Situated on top of the hill just outside the town of
Vicenza.

32. Plan for Villa Rotunda
 It is called the Villa Rotunda because of its
completely symmetrical plan with a central
circular hall.

33. Plan for Villa Rotunda
 Square plan with loggias on all 4 sides

34. Cross section for Villa Rotunda
 The 2 storey circular hall with overlooking
balconies was intended to be roofed with a semi
circular dome

35. Double storey hall
 The proportions of the rooms are
mathematically precise according to the rules
described in the ‘Quatro Libri’.

36. Landscape
 The building is rotated 45
degrees to the south on the hill top,
enabling all rooms to receive
sunshine.
It is asymmetrically sited in the
topography.

37.  The NW loggia is recessed into the hill above
an axial entry from the front gate

38. Plan for Villa Rotunda
Each loggia although identical in design,
relates to the landscape in the front
through variation of
Wide steps
Retaining walls
Embankments

39. Villa Barbaro
 Also known as Villa de Maser.
 It was built for his patrons Barbaro who were
an old Venetian family documented as holding
high office in the republic.
 Planned the Villa on low lines extending to a
large park.

40. Villa Barbaro
 Complex ground floor plan: rectangular with
perpendicular rooms on the long axis
 Central block projects and contains the
principle reception room

41. Villa Barbaro
Central block resembles the portico of a roman
temple & is decorated by 4 Ionic columns
Inspired by temple Fortuna of Virilis.

42. Villa Barbaro
Central block surmounted by a large pediment
with heraldic symbols of Barbaro family in relief.

43. Villa Barbaro
The central block is flanked by 2 symmetrical
wings of 2 floors recessed being an open
arcade.

44. Villa Barbaro
The interior of the central block is painted with frescoes.

45. Villa Barbaro

46. Villa Barbaro

47. Villa Cornaro

48. Villa Cornaro
Square: the preferred shape for the
central core.

49. Villa Cornaro
Fugal variations of Room sizes achieved by modulating their heights.
The ratio of length to width in the long rectangular rooms is 3:5, ratio of 2 perfect numbers.

50. Villa Cornaro
The central living area is 6 repetition of the
module of perfect room. Thus achieving
harmony & balance

51. Villa Cornaro

52. Villa Cornaro

53. SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE
Gloriously situated on the island of San Giorgio, gleaming white
façade faces across the basin of San Marco to the great piazza.

54. SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE

55. SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE
Build as part of the Benedicitine monastery on the island , the church’s
façade is scaled to present a public face to the town of Venice.

56. His Success
 His success as an architect is not only based on the beauty of his work but also for its harmony
with the culture of his time.
 His works are an integration of extraordinary aesthetic quality with expressive
characteristics that resonated with his client’s social aspirations
 His buildings served to visually communicate their place in the social order of their culture.
 This integration of beauty and deep meaning is apparent in three major building
types:
the urban palazzo
the agricultural villa
the church.

57. His Success
 The Villa configuration: centralized block raised on an elevated podium, accessed by grand
steps & flanked by lower service wings.
 The configuration of the roman catholic church: two interlocking architectural orders, each
clearly articulated, yet delineating a hierarchy of a larger order overriding a lesser order.
 The rustication of exposed basement walls of Victorian residences are a remnant of the
Palladian podium.
 Palladio, through his works & books has made an impact on architecture that is almost
eternal

58. References:
1) Andrea Palladio : The Architect in his Time :
Bruce Boucher
2) Andrea Palladio : Unbuilt Venice
THANK YOU…