Unit Summary-Alternatives

          This unit was focused on the changing and growing world. After a primary set of building rules had been set in place, it was only natural that people would try to change and add to it. Changes occurred not only in function but also in method and style. No longer was the main goal to build a religious structure, but inst ead the focus of building was about people.

               One of the first changes that took place was a mass building of churches and cathedrals. However, these churches served more than just a religious purpose. They were a gathering spot of the city, and they showed what type of people lived in that city. Amiens Cathedral for example shows regionalism, and how the church was what set one region apart from the other in either method or style . One of the greatest examples of the time was the Florence Cathedral, the duomo. This cathedral was all about appearance both on the exterior and the interior. Image was often disregarded in the 13th centuries, but alternatively it was a main reason for building in the 14th and 15th.It was built to serve as the central point of the city, and It projected a voice of transformation and strength. The reason these cathedrals are so impressive was because they showed such strength in building techniques. No longer was the city run by the clergy of the church , but by the merchants who built them. Building and symbolism was the new alternative of religion, and the new function of architecture.

The method of building also found alternative ways to be done. During the Renaissance that same merchant class began to rise higher, and there control of the city was broader. The new form of the city were palazzos and villas that were built for some of the most predominant merchant families and patrons of the city. However they were unlike any houses that had been built before. They were separated into three levels that showed what kept the family alive. The bottom level was the workshop which symbolizes their wealth, the second level was for entertaining which symbolizes networking and friends, and the third level was sleeping quarters which was about family. What capped off these pallazos was a large cornice at the top. This cornice brought all three of the levels together as a unified home. Buildings themselves were showing alternative ways of building, but in a grander scale cities were as well. The city of Venice was built on a swampy marsh showing that architecture can arise anywhere. The city celebrated water and what it did for the region, and also what it did for commerce abroad. Alternative ways of building and locations where such was done arose more in the Renaissance. People began to think out of the box in new and successful ways.
While all these changes were taking place, alternative styles of architecture also arose. One of the most notable styles was that of Baroque. It was characterized by its theatrical appearance and curved lines. Pieces seemed to be way overdone yet beautiful at the same time. Just like in the Sistine Chapel, the walls seemed to blend with the ceilings and floors. The S. Carlo Alle Quatro Fontane shows the way that curved pieces were used together so that the eye never rests and is moving constantly in all directions. This period was much more about emotion raher than trying to achieve the ideal.
In conclusion, this unit showed how alternative functions, methods, and styles arose after the foundation was set. People began to try new things and experiment with design. The buildings also were a representation of the people and their views on life and society at the time.

St. Peters Cathedral

I think that St Peters Cathedral is the Perfect Example of the Alternatives unit because it had alternative functions, methods, and styles. Over time the cathedral was added onto to fit what was happening in the world of design.