Firmness, commodity, and delight

Last updated

Firmness, commodity, and delight (Latin : firmitas, utilitas et venustas) are the three aspects of good architecture declared by the Roman architect Vitruvius in his book "De architectura" ("On architecture", 1st century BC) and are also known as Vitruvian virtues, Vitruvian Triad. The literal meaning of the Latin phrase is closer to "durability, convenience, and beauty", but the more familiar version is derived from Henry Wotton's liberal translation of Vitruvius, "The Elements of Architecture" (1624): [1] "Well Building hath three Conditions; Commodity, Firmness, and Delight". [2] The theory of architecture has always been concerned with this interrelated triad of structural integrity, proper use of space, and attractiveness. However, the relative importance of each component varied in time, and new elements had been introduced into the mix from time to time (cf. John Ruskin's "The Seven Lamps of Architecture" that include "sacrifice" and "obedience"). [3]

Contents

Evolution

The order of words chosen by Vitruvius, with structural integrity coming before the utility, can be explained in two ways. Either the emphasis on firmness was driven by an understanding of architecture as an "art of building", or by the fact that buildings frequently outlive their initial purpose, so "functions, customs, ... and fashions ... are only transitory" (Auguste Perret), and architecture's true impression is in the construction. [3]

While popular again nowadays, the original order of words was modified in 15th century by Leon Battista Alberti who moved the commodity to the first place in the triad. This order was repeated in the 16th century by Andrea Palladio in his "I quattro libri dell'architettura" (Italian : l’utile o comodità, la perpetuità, e la bellezz) which was apparently the source for Wotton's translation. [3]

19th century brought the new materials and construction techniques that allowed architectural forms to be built seemingly defying the laws of gravity, and societal changes that forced a rethinking of proper spatial arrangements. This gave an additional momentum to the idea, first expressed in the late 18th century by Jacques-François Blondel, that beauty ("decoration") is the only worthy aspect of the architectural theory, while the space planning and structural analysis should be left to practitioners (and later, to other disciplines). These considerations had affected teaching of the architectural theory for a long time, but they eventually went out of fashion, and, since the 1960s, the education of architects returned to the synthesis of structural, spatial, and perceptual elements (postmodernism as envisioned by Robert Venturi) or architectural phenomenology of Christian Norberg-Schulz. [3]

Venustas

Latin : venustas (lit. "of goddess Venus") carries strong association with the erotic love, so Alberti changed it to Latin : amoenitas ("pleasure") in the 15th century. He also split the beauty into essential Latin : pulchritudo, the beauty of proportions, and superficial Latin : ornamentum that only goes skin-deep ("auxiliary brightness"). Much later Le Corbusier held the view that beauty in architecture stems essentially from good mathematical proportions. The distinction between the two sides of beauty was watered down in the early 20th century when ornament started to be thought of as an integral part of the building; both were completely fused together by Bauhaus with its explicit "goal, ... the great building, in which the old dividing-line between monumental and decorative elements would have disappeared for ever" (Walter Gropius, 1935). [3]

After introduction of aesthetics in the 18th century, the emotional impact of the buildings was thought to include not just the beauty, but sublimity, picturesqueness, even ugliness. The latter, for example, was proposed to express in architecture the virtue of manliness. [3]

Utilitas

The purpose of buildings is to provide space for some functions, so the notion of the utility ("commodity") is the least controversial of the triad. The architectural form is influenced by the building's purpose, so frequently "form follows function". However, in many cases it is impossible to predict that proper spatial allocation for the future function and, in the real world, the buildings are often more durable than the need for their original function. When repurposing the building for, say, a social institution, the structure of that institution not infrequently is influenced by the layout of the building, a case of "function follows form". For example, the system of seating used in the UK House of Commons (government and opposition facing each other) has roots in the constraints of the its original location, St Stephen's Chapel. French Legislative Assembly was originally seated in the Théâtre des Tuileries with audience addressed by orators. None of the two buildings was built for the democratic debates, instead, they had differently affected the legislative processes in the two countries. [3]

Firmitas

The primacy of structural integrity ("firmness") declared by Vitruvius came under scrutiny in the 20th century. Some theorists are arguing that due to rapid obsolescence of the modern building, the architects should design temporary buildings that are easy to demolish after a few years of use. Since the economic efficiency of such construction are unknown, many practitioners, like Vitruvius, believe in permanency of buildings. [3]

The subject of interplay between the external beauty of the building and its structural system is also a subject of debate. Since the Classic antiquity and until 18th century, the question on whether it is better to provide visual clues to the structural elements underlying an architectural form ("emphasize the structure") or "hide the structure" was considered unimportant, although Alberti in the 15th century recommended the building exterior to reflect the trabeated system regardless of the actual structural elements used. In general, in Italy the construction practice frequently involved building the structure with bricks and then covering it in marble or plaster for appearance, and the architects accepted the independence of the structure and appearance of the forms. In French Île-de-France, with its abundance of high-quality stone that did not need covering, the architectural theory suggested that the structural elements should stay visible. The architects were still expected to manifest the structural integrity of the building in its exterior, creating "apparent stability". [3]

Gothic Revival architecture in the middle of 19th century upended this agreement and stated that flying buttress with its exposed structure is a much better expression of firmitas than the westwork that hides its structural role behind the bulky appearance. The Revivalist architects also declared the need for "truthfulness" in the buildings, both in the use of materials (foreboding the "truth to materials") and the use of structural elements. This new doctrine stimulated the rapid changes in architectural forms in the 20th century, when rapid progress in structural materials (like steel frame) made old architecture forms unusable. [3]

Triad as a slogan

Firmness, commodity, and delight is one of the "great slogans" of architecture, along with form follows function , truth to materials , less is more , emphasize the structure. [4] The triad is listed on the reverse side of the Pritzker Architecture Prize medal.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon Battista Alberti</span> Italian architect and author (1404-1472)

Leon Battista Alberti was an Italian Renaissance humanist author, artist, architect, poet, priest, linguist, philosopher, and cryptographer; he epitomised the nature of those identified now as polymaths. He is considered the founder of Western cryptography, a claim he shares with Johannes Trithemius.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vitruvius</span> Roman architect and engineer

Vitruvius was a Roman architect and engineer during the 1st century BC, known for his multi-volume work titled De architectura. As the only treatise on architecture to survive from antiquity, it has been regarded since the Renaissance as the first book on architectural theory, as well as a major source on the canon of classical architecture. It is not clear to what extent his contemporaries regarded his book as original or important.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Structural engineering</span> Sub-discipline of civil engineering dealing with the creation of man made structures

Structural engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering in which structural engineers are trained to design the 'bones and joints' that create the form and shape of human-made structures. Structural engineers also must understand and calculate the stability, strength, rigidity and earthquake-susceptibility of built structures for buildings and nonbuilding structures. The structural designs are integrated with those of other designers such as architects and building services engineer and often supervise the construction of projects by contractors on site. They can also be involved in the design of machinery, medical equipment, and vehicles where structural integrity affects functioning and safety. See glossary of structural engineering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mathematics and architecture</span> Relationship between mathematics and architecture

Mathematics and architecture are related, since, as with other arts, architects use mathematics for several reasons. Apart from the mathematics needed when engineering buildings, architects use geometry: to define the spatial form of a building; from the Pythagoreans of the sixth century BC onwards, to create forms considered harmonious, and thus to lay out buildings and their surroundings according to mathematical, aesthetic and sometimes religious principles; to decorate buildings with mathematical objects such as tessellations; and to meet environmental goals, such as to minimise wind speeds around the bases of tall buildings.

<i>Vitruvian Man</i> Drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1490

The Vitruvian Man is a drawing by the Italian Renaissance artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci, dated to c. 1490. Inspired by the writings of the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius, the drawing depicts a nude man in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart and inscribed in both a circle and square. It was described by the art historian Carmen C. Bambach as "justly ranked among the all-time iconic images of Western civilization". Although not the only known drawing of a man inspired by the writings of Vitruvius, the work is a unique synthesis of artistic and scientific ideals and often considered an archetypal representation of the High Renaissance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Functionalism (architecture)</span> Principle that defines a type of architecture

In architecture, functionalism is the principle that buildings should be designed based solely on their purpose and function. An international functionalist architecture movement emerged in the wake of World War I, as part of the wave of Modernism. Its ideas were largely inspired by a desire to build a new and better world for the people, as broadly and strongly expressed by the social and political movements of Europe after the extremely devastating world war. In this respect, functionalist architecture is often linked with the ideas of socialism and modern humanism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Form follows function</span> Design philosophy of 19th–20th centuries

Form follows function is a principle of design associated with late 19th- and early 20th-century architecture and industrial design in general, which states that the shape of a building or object should primarily relate to its intended function or purpose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Proportion (architecture)</span> Principle of architectural theory that describes the relationships between elements of a design

Proportion is a central principle of architectural theory and an important connection between mathematics and art. It is the visual effect of the relationship of the various objects and spaces that make up a structure to one another and to the whole. These relationships are often governed by multiples of a standard unit of length known as a "module".

<i>De architectura</i> Treatise on architecture by Vitruvius

De architectura is a treatise on architecture written by the Roman architect and military engineer Marcus Vitruvius Pollio and dedicated to his patron, the emperor Caesar Augustus, as a guide for building projects. As the only treatise on architecture to survive from antiquity, it has been regarded since the Renaissance as the first known book on architectural theory, as well as a major source on the canon of classical architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architectural theory</span> The act of thinking, discussing, and writing about architecture

Architectural theory is the act of thinking, discussing, and writing about architecture. Architectural theory is taught in all architecture schools and is practiced by the world's leading architects. Some forms that architecture theory takes are the lecture or dialogue, the treatise or book, and the paper project or competition entry. Architectural theory is often didactic, and theorists tend to stay close to or work from within schools. It has existed in some form since antiquity, and as publishing became more common, architectural theory gained an increased richness. Books, magazines, and journals published an unprecedented number of works by architects and critics in the 20th century. As a result, styles and movements formed and dissolved much more quickly than the relatively enduring modes in earlier history. It is to be expected that the use of the internet will further the discourse on architecture in the 21st century.

<i>De re aedificatoria</i> Classic architectural treatise

De re aedificatoria is a classic architectural treatise written by Leon Battista Alberti between 1443 and 1452. Although largely dependent on Vitruvius's De architectura, it was the first theoretical book on the subject written in the Italian Renaissance, and in 1485 it became the first printed book on architecture. It was followed in 1486 with the first printed edition of Vitruvius.

Architecture – the process and the product of designing and constructing buildings. Architectural works with a certain indefinable combination of design quality and external circumstances may become cultural symbols and / or be considered works of art.

The Design Quality Indicator (DQI) is a toolkit to measure, evaluate and improve the design quality of buildings.

Architectural design values make up an important part of what influences architects and designers when they make their design decisions. However, architects and designers are not always influenced by the same values and intentions. Value and intentions differ between different architectural movements. It also differs between different schools of architecture and schools of design as well as among individual architects and designers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture</span> Product and process of planning, designing and constructing buildings and other structures

Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings or other structures. The term comes from Latin architectura; from Ancient Greek ἀρχιτέκτων (arkhitéktōn) 'architect'; from ἀρχι- (arkhi-) 'chief' and τέκτων (téktōn) 'creator'. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural symbols and as works of art. Historical civilisations are often identified with their surviving architectural achievements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architectural technology</span> Application of technology to the design and architecture of buildings

Architectural technology, or building technology, is the application of technology to the design of buildings. It is a component of architecture and building engineering and is sometimes viewed as a distinct discipline or sub-category. New materials and technologies generated new design challenges and construction methods throughout the evolution of building, especially since the advent of industrialisation in the 19th century. Architectural technology is related to the different elements of a building and their interactions; it is closely aligned with advances in building science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architectural style</span> Specific method of construction

An architectural style is a classification of buildings based on a set of characteristics and features, including overall appearance, arrangement of the components, method of construction, building materials used, form, size, structural design, and regional character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morphology (architecture and engineering)</span> Study of the evolution of form within the built environment

Morphology in architecture is the study of the evolution of form within the built environment. Often used in reference to a particular vernacular language of building, this concept describes changes in the formal syntax of buildings and cities as their relationship to people evolves and changes. Often morphology describes processes, such as in the evolution of a design concept from first conception to production, but can also be understood as the categorical study in the change of buildings and their use from a historical perspective. Similar to genres of music, morphology concertizes 'movements' and arrives at definitions of architectural 'styles' or typologies. Paradoxically morphology can also be understood to be the qualities of a built space which are style-less or irreducible in quality.

Complementary architecture is a movement in contemporary architecture promoting architectural practice rooted in comprehensive understanding of context, aiming to contribute to the environment in such a way as to continue and improve or emphasise its preexisting qualities. Indispensable features of complementary architecture include sustainability, altruism, contextualism, endemism and continuity of specific regional design language.

In architecture, form refers to a combination of external appearance, internal structure, and the unity of the design as a whole, an order created by the architect using space and mass.

References

Sources