LOOK UP! An Investigation Through Lens into Renaissance Palazzi and Their Context in the Urban Fabric
Photographs by Tim Yuming Qi
For the final project, eight important Renaissance Palazzi located in Field of Mars will be presented through a series of photographs oriented towards the sky. Along with texts, they will focus on the architectural elements of the palazzi and the urban fabric that surrounds them. These subjects are often underappreciated as one walks with their vision occupied by the busy and distracting street level. With sky as the canvases, architects’ thoughtful compositions align harmoniously with the white space of the sky; photographs in this book will give the deserving attention to details of these buildings and the ever-changing Roman urban fabric; view towards the sky could be interpreted as a “counter plan� to the Nolli Plan of Rome that architects often rely on to understand the context of the eternal city.
Index - Palazzo Venezia - Palazzo della Cancelleria - Palazzo Caffarelli-Vidoni - Palazzo Baldassini - Palazzo Maccarani - Palazzo Leroy - Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne - Palazzo Farnese - Palazzo Spada
Palazzo Venezia Palazzo Venezia was built during the early Renaissance when Rome’s buildings did not have their architects’ plates. With its solid construction quality, the palazzo housed many different institutional buildings over the centuries. 4
North-west corner of the palazzo showing the context; Palazzo Venezia is located at 903 on the Nolli map below.
Garden located at the southeast corner of the palazzo was moved to the southwest corner during the expansion of Piazza Venezia as a part of the modern-day urban intervention.
5
Two-story loggia facade
Basilica di San Marco
Similar motif between the Colosseum and the entrance loggia; the lower level is more three-dimensional than the upper level.
The church was built in 336 by the order of Pope Mark. Palazzo Venezia developed around this basilica which serves as the national church of Venice in Rome today.
6
Interior logge partially surrounds the garden.
7
Palazzo della Cancelleria (Riario) With its construction beginning in 1485, Palazzo Cancelleria is among one of the most influential exmaples of 15th century Roman architecture. Design of the palazzo reflects influences from Alberti’s Palazzo Rucellai, Florence, and Urbino. The Cancelleria was the first Roman palazzo to revive the ancient Roman tradition of incorporating shops on the ground floor of its side flank.
8
The harmonious courtyard has open logge and a closed second storey decoated with pilasters.
The palazzo incorporated the use of spolia columns.
9
Southeast corner of the palazzo with its facade undergoing construction work.
Palazzo della Cancelleria is located at 645 on the Nolli Map.
10
Palazzo Caffarelli-Vidoni|Raphael & Lorenzetto Built between 1515 to 1525, Palazzo Caffarelli was designed by one of Raphael’s pupils, Lorenzeo Lotti. He had the nickname “il Lorenzetto”. The building drew inspiration from classic Renaissance design, particulary from the now destroyed Palazzo Caprini developed by Bramante. 11
Northern facade. The building now houses the Ministry of Public Functions.
The palazzo is located on the bottom of number 779.
12
Palazzo Baldassini
Antonio da Sangallo the Younger Built between 1510 to 1520. 13
The palazzo is placed in a tightly spaced urban fabric (indicated at number 822 on Nolli Map) . Sangalo used quoins for decorative purposes. A symbolic relationship betwee structure and wall decor started to develop in his design, i.e., the indication of the piano nobile by using different facade materials. 14
Palazzo Maccarani|Giulio Romano The palazzo was built in 1520. It has a five-bay arrangment. Romano took an adventurous approach to the facade design.
15
Combination of architrave and captial and the adventurous facade design. 16
The palazzo is located at 792 on Nolli Map.
Northeast corner of the palazzo and its context. 17
Palazzo Leroy|Antonio Sangallo the Younger Construction of the palazzo begun in 1523. The building is currently the home to Museum Barracco.
18
A view towards the sky shows the urban context of building’s southwest corner. Viewers can interpret it as the reversal of the Nolli Map. Location of the shot is indicated by number 646.
19
Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne|Baldassare Peruzzi The palazzo was designed by Peruzzi in 1532-1536.
A forced symmetry. 20
21
A curved facade conforming to the context of the city. See 627 on Nolli Map.
22
Finely preserved sculpture partially in the shade.
Bicycles casually leaning against historical artifacts.
23
24
Upward view including the corner conditions of several buildings showing the context of palazzo’s northern facade. The palazzo is located at number 627 on the map.
25
Palazzo Farnese|Antonio Sangallo the Younger Palazzo Farnese has arguably the most perfect plan of a Renaissance Roman palace. Architectural features of the main façade include the alternating triangular and segmental pediments that cap the windows of the piano nobile, the central rusticated portal, and Michelangelo’s projecting cornice which throws a deep shadow on the top of the facade.
26
27
The context of Palazzo Farnese allowed more flexibility with its planning. See 705 and 706 on Nolli Map.
28
Palazzo Spada|Giulio Merisi da Caravaggio Palazzo Spada was built in 1540 for Cardinal Girolamo Capodiferro; later, it was purchased by Cardinal Spada in 1632. The beautiful stuccos on the faรงade were done by Giulio Mazzoni.
29
30
Borromini’s forced perspective.
31
The palazzo is located at 715.
32
33