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How was the Campidoglio organized, what urban planning lessons can be gleamed from.

The Piazza del Campidoglio or a popularly known as the Capitoline Hill is the most sacred or sanctified and tallest hill in Rome. This Capitoline Hill is the smallest among the seven hills that is found in the boundaries of Rome. It is considered as one of the exquisite spots tourists visits in Rome today .

It was Pope Paul III who asked Michelangelo to renovate the area as a tribute to the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V of his victory over the North Africa. The muddy hill which used to have two gawky buildings forming 83° angle adjacent to each other was turned into the most important place in the country because there now lies the center of political, social, and religious life of Rome. The area being a trapezoidal in shape gives Michelangelo a tough challenge to preserve the existing structures such as Palazzo Senatorio and Palazzo dei Conservatori; and at the same time conceive a better line of perspective. At the rear part of the square stands the Palazzo Senatorio (Senator's Palace), which was modified by transferring the use to be side tower to the center of the building, then adding steps to elevate the main entrance giving a good view of the city. Facing this palace, there would be the Palazzo dei Conservatori at your right side, which used to be the Magistrates' Chambers and Halls. To give harmony between the structures Michelangelo built a third building that duplicates the inclination of the Palazzo dei Conservatori (Conservators' Palace) to its opposite side, the building is called the Pallazo Nuovo (the new palace). This scheme now unites the space between the structures which is one of todays objectives in urban planning. Completing the unification, the planner, Michelangelo symbolically placed at the center a bronze equestrian statue of the late Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius which seems to stand on the fascinating interplay of ellipse pavement thus making it as the focal point of the square. The intersection of the lines in six times created twelve rays split off into a linear pattern of multiple dimensions or twelve concentric fields.

Michelangelo's magnificent integration of sculptural and architectural works on this plaza does statically ends on this hill alone, it dynamically spreads to the Forum and other places in Rome with the help of his Cordonata. The Cordonata which is the popular ramp-stairs that connects the Capitoline Hill to the downtown of Rome, is another masterpiece of Michelangelo.

Ellipse represents the earthly correspondence to the divine sphere where the entire design of the plaza is fitted. The oval consists of two focal points due to dualism in the world. Michelangelo intentionally planned that the number seven is the key theme of the Capitol.

Michelangelo’s brilliant planning of this plaza inspires many urban planners up to these days. He successfully achieved a path that incorporates the city of Rome to its center or usually termed as the landmark by urban planners.

Since the Capitoline hill is one of the unique work of Michelangelo which he carefully designed in such a way that the existing structures would be protected and be a part of the design. Urban designers currently used this process. Like Michelangelo, urban planners of today also concentrate on improving the physical aspects of existing buildings and streets, some factors that they consider is the economic aspects of city living. The awareness on land use planning or zoning is very important in urban designing in order to classify areas from institutional, residential, commercial and industrial.

REFERENCE:

q HISTORY OF WESTERN ARCHITECTURE by Winand Klassen

q HISTORY OF WESTERN ARCHITECTURE by Kostoff

q http://factmonster.com/ce6/world/A0857359.html

q http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Piazza_del_Campidoglio.html

q http://www.novasoftsystems.com/newsite/ncampidoglio.html

q http://www.romaonlineguide.com/Pages/eng/rbarocca/sBMy1.htm

q http://www.uvm.edu/~dsbenson/rome/campidoglio.html

The Rivalry of Bernini and Borromini.

Both Gian Lorenzon Bernini and Francesco Borromini are considered great architects on the High Baroque period. They’ve competed on some projects that resulted to a deep rivalry.

Self Portrait Bernini, whose real name is Giovanni Lorenzo was a painter, poet, sculptor and architect at the same. Though this is not something to be surprised off because most masters of this era practiced a multiple profession. Personally I would consider him the father of Baroque Architecture because he did introduced this style through the baldacchino he made at St. Peter’s, Rome. He also did the Cathedra Petri ( The Saint Peter’s Chair) which he enshrined from the above oval window with an intense yellow glass having the image of the Holy Spirit. This gave a dramatic effect of this throne that it becomes the focal point of the basilica. Bernini also made a good use of the magnificent marble decorations in the chapel and in the nave.

It is obvious in his works that he is fond of curves and dramatic lightings. He again shows this through his Scala Regla (the Royal Staircase), a ceremonial staircase that connects to the papal apartments. He conceived the dramatic effects by the concealed light sources to the progressive diminishing height of the columns. In all his works, he tries to

integrate the theological beliefs to his structures and on the way he defend his projects, that gave him favorable appreciation from the Jesuits and the Pope. Like in his plan for the Piazza of St. Peter’s, Rome, there is a mention in the internet that there is a single surviving sketch that has been found which describes the plan the west façade is like the crowned head of Christ with his body or breast as the center of piazza and stretching its arms somewhat like embracing the whole piazza. He is much knowledgeable on this belief, the Jesuits theological view of the church buildings because he had been a student trained and educated by the Jesuits. But at some angle he had also this notion of the ellipse or oval form plan,

bernini which some art historians claimed that it’s hardly the reflection of the exclusive influence of Michelangelo, which Bernini uses the name when he wanted to give a extreme force on his arguments.

Bernini’s masterpiece is the San Andrea Al Quirinale. In here he made use of curvesform to create a new spatial arrangement. Though the first plan of this church was turned down by the pope, he successfully got the approval when he presented it in elliptical form. There is a rumor that Bernini intentionally made the first plan as bad as it could be so as to get the pope suggest the elliptical solution he had wanted all along. Again the passion of his concealed lights sources illuminated the altar-painting of St. Andrew's martyrdom that seems to float in the real space of the structure. The whole scheme ended the stillness character of the building and gave way to dynamism.

While, on the other hand Bernini's rival Borromini, whose real name is Francesco Castelli, was just his assistant during his St. Peter's project. The later become a threat to Bernini's career in the middle of 16th century. To his disgrace of Borromini's different approach in architecture he quoted in the book of Watkin that, "Borromini was sent to destroy architecture."

If we consider Bernini's works as dramatic then we can note that Borromini was of eccentric. Borromini rejected the most accepted idea that architecture is a reflection of the proportion of the human body. In the book of Klassen he quoted: "I would not have joined this profession with the aim of being merely an imitator.", this gives us the impression that he prefers to make a mark of his own works. If Bernini was a creator and a trendsetter who played by the rules, Borromini present extraordinary original element that challenged the traditional practice of architecture.

When Borromini worked as a stonecutter under his uncle Carlo Maderno at St. Peter's, Rome, he at the same time studied the works of Michelangelo, whom he idolized, and the centrally-planned antique buildings mostly such of the Pavillon of the Piazza d'oro at Hadrians Villa, Tivoli. On his works he claimed that it is all based on antiques, Michelangelo, and nature.

Unlike Bernini, he was unfavored by the Pope that his commissions are taken over by other architects, as mentioned in an article in the internet. It seems that the appointing of Bernini as the one to finish the St. Peter's project, after the death of Maderno came a shock to Borromini. Though he was kept an assistant, he publicly shows his ungratefulness. The rivalry between the two goes biiter when Borromini accused Bernini taking advantage of his skills and ideas that had gained the later to be the most patronized architect in Rome. In the article, it said that Bernini finally voted Borromini to do the church of San Carlo Alle Quatro Fontane to keep-off of him at St. Peter's project, which seems to contradict the idea that the San Carlo was really supposed to be Borromini's because this project was for the Discalced Trinitarian whom which

borromini Francesco_Borromini is one of the orders that commissions his works. With this first building, the San Carlo, he introduced his three sources of his architecture. The church was centrally planned obviously from the antique buildings he had studied, he also applies Michelangelo's plastic handling of architectural members and the brilliant application of geometry, which seems to be his interpretation of nature. Though the church was built in 1641, it was not until 25 years later that the building of the façade made it complete. This marks the first curve façade in Rome. It made a full movement act that sways in rhythm by the use of

concave and convex units. This little church, teasingly called as 'Carlino' because of its smallness, gives the Trinitarian community a place in Rome.

Another work of Borromini is the San't Ivo Alla Sappienza whom he considered as his masterpiece. Again he shows his integration of geometry and symbolism on his chapel attached to the Rome University. The plan shows a centrally-six pointed star form, a symbol of wisdom, which is a produced using two equilateral triangles. The triangular space of the interior gives a silhouetted effect to the cornice from the dome above it. The magnificent creation of Bernini goes out from his antiquity-styles and produces new techniques that is never before seen in any architectural works.

The life-long rivalry of Borromini and Bernini continues when they fought for the project of S. Agnese in Piazza Navona. They were both great architects that they have to use trickeries to get the commissions. Eventually Bernini was chosen because of his aristocratic manners. Besides Borromini was not really a friendly man, he is a depressed bachelor who eventually committed suicide.

REFERRENCES:

q HISTORY OF WESTERN ARCHITECTURE Winand Klassen

q HAND OUTS Watkin

q http://www.borromini.at/e/

q http://www.arthistory.su.se/bernini.htm

q http://www.ragz-international.com

q http://belluzzi.scuole.bo.it./it is/attivita/restauro2000/borromini/english/borromini/

q http://www.encyclopedia.com

Tadao Ando, the elder one of a twin born, is a native of Osaka Japan. Unlike other great architects he is a self-educated professional. Though he wasn’t able to formally study in school, he equally and more gained knowledge about architecture than those of who are regularly going to classes. An evident of this is his being successful in the field. He has gained a lot of awards on his works. His very first award came from the Architectural Institute of Japan, through his very first work the Row House in Sumiyoshi, also called as the Azuma house. He was not really fond of learning things in an institute. In an article in the internet, he says he learns more of things by his own ways. He used to work as apprentice to a carpenter in his native land learning the craftsmanship of woods, that even though he mostly use cement i
His comprehension on architecture, started when he was about seventeen years old. He visited shrines, temples, tea houses and other traditional architecture in his area. Eventually his interest grows big that he decided to do study trips to Europe, United States and other countries to actually experience and understand the architectural works of the famous and even non-famous architects. Among the great architects he admired are Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe, Alvar Aalto, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Kahn and Le Corbusier, from which he got the name of his pet dog. But his greatest inspiration of his works comes from his own point of view about life.
On his works, he usually gives importance to the relation on the person in the space and the surrounding itself. He believes that the chaos of the world and problems of life can be lessen and bearable by integrating the feelings of the believer to the structure he is in. It seems to him, that one can find peace and serenity through his achieved works. He somehow called this the Architecture of Silence.
Ando’s works are great examples of Modern Minimalism. He sensibly eliminate things that seem to him not needed in his designs. He has this principle of balancing architecture and nature by reducing his design to its simplest form, space and detail. But even tough he never failed to give meaning to his buildings. It was to him to build a functional and symbolical structure.
Most of his masterpiece is situated in his native land, which is a great reflection of their culture and tradition. In the book of Francesco Del Co, it mentioned there the essence of tea-drinking break in their culture. It somehow gives pause from the tiring whole day works. Similarly, to Tadao Ando’s architecture, because of its effective composition, its simplicity produces a relaxing state of feeling to the occupant of the space.
A different approach of using concrete, on his buildings, is also the one thing that enables him to achieve the life of his creation. It’s not the magic mix of the material but the precise form work of which it is being cast produces his trademark. He greatly demands to achieve a smooth, clean and perfect results. It is famously referred as smooth and silky.
Although he uses cement as the primary material of his buildings, he still hasn’t forgotten the charisma of wood works he had learned during his apprenticeship to a carpenter in his native land. Which in fact had made his most famous structure, the Japanese Pavilion for Expo ’92 in Spain.
At 61 he has achieved and done many things in his life. He was once a boxer, but his passion in architecture direct him to who is today. Currently, he is the most awarded architect, though considered as one even he hasn’t got a degree. He has continued to receive prestigious international awards since he won the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1995. In 1997, he was awarded the Royal Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres France. Most recently, he was honored with the American Institute of Architects 2002 Gold Medal Award for lifetime achievement and significant contributions made to the field of architecture. In 2000, He was made an Honorary Fellow of the National Association of Architects in the Republic of China (Taiwan), and the following year he was given honorary membership to the American Academy of Arts and Letters.