This article presents a new hypothesis about the urban arrangement and function of the southeast ... more This article presents a new hypothesis about the urban arrangement and function of the southeast end of the Forum of Caesar, together with the Forum of Augustus, the Curia Julia and the present-day church of SS. Luca e Martina, when the area was finalized in 2 BCE. The analysis focuses on the geometric framework of the extant structures and the topography of the site and, in relation to them, a new interpretation of the historical records and the archaeological data. It demonstrates that Augustus and his architects authored the urban composition and architectural forms of the entire area, including making significant changes to the original design of the Forum of Caesar. The article also shows that the site of the church of SS. Luca e Martina was the location of the Augustan Chalcidicum, which served as the monumental entrance to the first two Imperial fora.
Studies of design principles of Roman temples typically have been based on Vitruvius, which inspi... more Studies of design principles of Roman temples typically have been based on Vitruvius, which inspired a belief that the colonnade was at the core of the geometric framework of every temple and that the lower column diameter (D) was used as a module to plan all other aspects, both horizontally and vertically. Archaeological evidence, however, shows that most extant temples do not match the Vitruvian model. Scholars have tried to explain the discrepancies in different ways: for example, by claiming that Vitruvius did not describe the actual state of Roman architecture but “what it should be”, that architects had to make “adjustments” to the “Vitruvian ideal” to create a particular effect, or that they had to make on-site corrections. (...)
The first part of the article discussed the geometric framework of the cavea in Roman theaters. T... more The first part of the article discussed the geometric framework of the cavea in Roman theaters. The second part presents the results of the investigation of the geometry of the scaenae building and the methods of planning the size of the structure based on the expected number of spectators.
The two-part article presents a new theory of the geometric methods used by architects to plan Ro... more The two-part article presents a new theory of the geometric methods used by architects to plan Roman theaters. The study is based on a systematic geometric analysis of the archaeological evidence. It showed that the designers did not follow Vitruvian guidelines, but rather a much more complex and flexible geometric system. The first part of the article covers the geometry of the cavea. The second part will present the analysis of the scaenae building and the geometric methods Roman architects could use to plan the size of the theater for the expected capacity of the auditorium. The article will demonstrate that the layout of the cunei in the cavea was designed based on central angles specific to a variety of regular polygons, including those which are geometrically non-constructible, like heptagon or nonagon. The plan of the scaenae was based on a square grid coordinated with the proportional system of the whole project including the location of the axes of the valvae hospitalia. The capacity of the theater was calculated based on the geometric approximation of the value of π. The plasticity of thus defined geometric design methodology, and its various parameters, resonates much better with our knowledge of the ancient theater structures: they are all similar, but each one is unique. The research offers also a new insight into the Roman design practices.
Velathri Volaterrae La città etrusca e il municipio romano a cura di Marisa Bonamici e Elena Sorge Biblioteca di «Studi Etruschi», 64 2021, XVIII-464 pp., 160 tavole f.t. Brossura, 17 x 24 cm ISBN: 9788876893292, 2021
The article presents the analysis of the geometric layout and architectural design of the Roman t... more The article presents the analysis of the geometric layout and architectural design of the Roman theater in Volterra. The study is based on the previous archaeological data as well as new measurements obtained through a three-dimensional laser scan of the structure. It is also a result of a more general survey of the geometric design methods used by the Roman architects in planning the theaters. It shows that the complete Vitruvian testimony regarding the principles of the Roman theater design can’t be applied to the contemporary analysis, as it is very fragmentary and simplified. The article describes the unique architectural and geometric features of the Roman theater in Volterra. It illustrates how the project was a very ambitious undertaking, for which its patron, Aulus Caecina Severus, selected an architect with significant prior experience. The quality of the project, and the structure, provide new significant evidence regarding the overall development of the Roman theater archetype, design methodology and architectural design practice in Roman antiquity as well as Volterra and its history.
LA PORTICUS POST SCAENAM EN LA ARQUITECTURA TEATRAL ROMANA Actas del Symposium Internacional celebrado en Cartagena entre los días 19 y 20 de octubre de 2018, 2020
The article presents a new theory of the geometric methods used by architects to plan Roman theat... more The article presents a new theory of the geometric methods used by architects to plan Roman theaters. It demonstrates that the layout of the cunei in the cavea was designed based on central angles specific to a variety of regular polygons, including those which are geometrically non-constructible, like heptagon or nonagon. The plan of the scaenae was based on a square grid coordinated with the proportional system of the whole project including the location of the axes of the valvae hospitalia. The capacity of the theater was calculated based on the geometric approximation of the value of π. The plasticity of thus defined geometric design methodology, and its various parameters, resonates much better with our knowledge of the ancient theater structures: they are all similar, but each one is unique. The research offers also a new insight into the Roman design practices.
This article presents a new hypothesis about the urban arrangement and function of the southeast ... more This article presents a new hypothesis about the urban arrangement and function of the southeast end of the Forum of Caesar, together with the Forum of Augustus, the Curia Julia and the present-day church of SS. Luca e Martina, when the area was finalized in 2 BCE. The analysis focuses on the geometric framework of the extant structures and the topography of the site and, in relation to them, a new interpretation of the historical records and the archaeological data. It demonstrates that Augustus and his architects authored the urban composition and architectural forms of the entire area, including making significant changes to the original design of the Forum of Caesar. The article also shows that the site of the church of SS. Luca e Martina was the location of the Augustan Chalcidicum, which served as the monumental entrance to the first two Imperial fora.
Studies of design principles of Roman temples typically have been based on Vitruvius, which inspi... more Studies of design principles of Roman temples typically have been based on Vitruvius, which inspired a belief that the colonnade was at the core of the geometric framework of every temple and that the lower column diameter (D) was used as a module to plan all other aspects, both horizontally and vertically. Archaeological evidence, however, shows that most extant temples do not match the Vitruvian model. Scholars have tried to explain the discrepancies in different ways: for example, by claiming that Vitruvius did not describe the actual state of Roman architecture but “what it should be”, that architects had to make “adjustments” to the “Vitruvian ideal” to create a particular effect, or that they had to make on-site corrections. (...)
The first part of the article discussed the geometric framework of the cavea in Roman theaters. T... more The first part of the article discussed the geometric framework of the cavea in Roman theaters. The second part presents the results of the investigation of the geometry of the scaenae building and the methods of planning the size of the structure based on the expected number of spectators.
The two-part article presents a new theory of the geometric methods used by architects to plan Ro... more The two-part article presents a new theory of the geometric methods used by architects to plan Roman theaters. The study is based on a systematic geometric analysis of the archaeological evidence. It showed that the designers did not follow Vitruvian guidelines, but rather a much more complex and flexible geometric system. The first part of the article covers the geometry of the cavea. The second part will present the analysis of the scaenae building and the geometric methods Roman architects could use to plan the size of the theater for the expected capacity of the auditorium. The article will demonstrate that the layout of the cunei in the cavea was designed based on central angles specific to a variety of regular polygons, including those which are geometrically non-constructible, like heptagon or nonagon. The plan of the scaenae was based on a square grid coordinated with the proportional system of the whole project including the location of the axes of the valvae hospitalia. The capacity of the theater was calculated based on the geometric approximation of the value of π. The plasticity of thus defined geometric design methodology, and its various parameters, resonates much better with our knowledge of the ancient theater structures: they are all similar, but each one is unique. The research offers also a new insight into the Roman design practices.
Velathri Volaterrae La città etrusca e il municipio romano a cura di Marisa Bonamici e Elena Sorge Biblioteca di «Studi Etruschi», 64 2021, XVIII-464 pp., 160 tavole f.t. Brossura, 17 x 24 cm ISBN: 9788876893292, 2021
The article presents the analysis of the geometric layout and architectural design of the Roman t... more The article presents the analysis of the geometric layout and architectural design of the Roman theater in Volterra. The study is based on the previous archaeological data as well as new measurements obtained through a three-dimensional laser scan of the structure. It is also a result of a more general survey of the geometric design methods used by the Roman architects in planning the theaters. It shows that the complete Vitruvian testimony regarding the principles of the Roman theater design can’t be applied to the contemporary analysis, as it is very fragmentary and simplified. The article describes the unique architectural and geometric features of the Roman theater in Volterra. It illustrates how the project was a very ambitious undertaking, for which its patron, Aulus Caecina Severus, selected an architect with significant prior experience. The quality of the project, and the structure, provide new significant evidence regarding the overall development of the Roman theater archetype, design methodology and architectural design practice in Roman antiquity as well as Volterra and its history.
LA PORTICUS POST SCAENAM EN LA ARQUITECTURA TEATRAL ROMANA Actas del Symposium Internacional celebrado en Cartagena entre los días 19 y 20 de octubre de 2018, 2020
The article presents a new theory of the geometric methods used by architects to plan Roman theat... more The article presents a new theory of the geometric methods used by architects to plan Roman theaters. It demonstrates that the layout of the cunei in the cavea was designed based on central angles specific to a variety of regular polygons, including those which are geometrically non-constructible, like heptagon or nonagon. The plan of the scaenae was based on a square grid coordinated with the proportional system of the whole project including the location of the axes of the valvae hospitalia. The capacity of the theater was calculated based on the geometric approximation of the value of π. The plasticity of thus defined geometric design methodology, and its various parameters, resonates much better with our knowledge of the ancient theater structures: they are all similar, but each one is unique. The research offers also a new insight into the Roman design practices.
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“adjustments” to the “Vitruvian ideal” to create a particular effect, or that they had to make on-site corrections. (...)
Conference Presentations by Wladek Fuchs
The article describes the unique architectural and geometric features of the Roman theater in Volterra. It illustrates how the project was a very ambitious undertaking, for which its patron, Aulus Caecina Severus, selected an architect with significant prior experience. The quality of the project, and the structure, provide new significant evidence regarding the overall development of the Roman theater archetype, design methodology and architectural design practice in Roman antiquity as well as Volterra and its history.
based on a square grid coordinated with the proportional system of the whole project including the location of the axes of the valvae hospitalia. The capacity of the theater was calculated based on the geometric approximation of the value of π.
The plasticity of thus defined geometric design methodology, and its various parameters, resonates much better with our knowledge of the ancient theater structures: they are all similar, but each one is unique. The research offers also a new insight into the Roman design practices.
“adjustments” to the “Vitruvian ideal” to create a particular effect, or that they had to make on-site corrections. (...)
The article describes the unique architectural and geometric features of the Roman theater in Volterra. It illustrates how the project was a very ambitious undertaking, for which its patron, Aulus Caecina Severus, selected an architect with significant prior experience. The quality of the project, and the structure, provide new significant evidence regarding the overall development of the Roman theater archetype, design methodology and architectural design practice in Roman antiquity as well as Volterra and its history.
based on a square grid coordinated with the proportional system of the whole project including the location of the axes of the valvae hospitalia. The capacity of the theater was calculated based on the geometric approximation of the value of π.
The plasticity of thus defined geometric design methodology, and its various parameters, resonates much better with our knowledge of the ancient theater structures: they are all similar, but each one is unique. The research offers also a new insight into the Roman design practices.