Synopses & Reviews
and#160;Many historians of architecture have viewed the villas of Andrea Palladio (1508andndash;1580) as physical manifestations of the classical architectural principles described in his treatise
The Four Books of Architecture (
I Quattro Libri dellandrsquo;Architettura). Written toward the end of his life,
The Four Books illustrate Palladioandrsquo;s built work, redrawn the way he wanted it to be. In this groundbreaking new study
, American architect and educator Peter Eisenman analyzes twenty of Palladioandrsquo;s villas, offering a radical interpretation of the Renaissance masterandrsquo;s work.
and#160;
Working from an architectandrsquo;s perspective, Eisenman, with Matt Roman, shows the evolution of Palladioandrsquo;s villas from those that exhibit classical symmetrical volumetric bodies to others that exhibit no bodies at all, just fragments in a landscape. This conclusion stands in stark contrast to studies that emphasize principles of ideal symmetry and proportion in Palladioandrsquo;s work. Featuring more than 300 new analytic drawings and models, this handsome book is an important addition to the corpus of Palladian studies and a testament to Palladioandrsquo;s lasting place in contemporary architectural thought.
and#160;
Review
andldquo;This close reading of Palladioandrsquo;s plans is significant not just for its provocation but because it comes from one of the best architectural minds today. It is a template for how to think through the question of architecture, and will becomeandmdash;without doubtandmdash;one of the great all-time books in the field.andrdquo;andmdash;Mark Jarzombek, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Synopsis
This long-awaited reassessment of Andrea Palladioandrsquo;s canonical villas by renowned architect and educator Peter Eisenman challenges widely accepted interpretations of the Renaissance architectandrsquo;s work.
Synopsis
In
Palladio Virtuel, renowned American architect and educator Peter Eisenman offers a new analysis of the architecture of Renaissance master Andrea Palladio (1508andndash;1580). Many historians have viewed Palladioandrsquo;s villas as physical manifestations of the classical architectural principles he described in his treatise,
The Four Books of Architecture. Written toward the end of his life,
The Four Books include illustrations of his built work, which Palladio redrew as he wanted them to be.
and#160;
In this groundbreaking new study, Eisenman, working from the point of view of an architect, analyzes these drawings to produce a radical interpretation of Palladioandrsquo;s work. The basis for this interpretation is found in 20 Palladian villas, which began from a classical symmetrical volumetric body and gradually became villas with no body at all, just fragments in a landscape. This handsomely designed book includes more than 300 new analytic drawings and a model of each villa. A classic addition to the corpus of Palladian studies, Palladio Virtuel is a testament to Palladioandrsquo;s lasting place in contemporary architectural thought.
About the Author
Peter Eisenman is an architect and the Louis I. Kahn Professor of Architecture at Yale University. His designs for the Wexner Center for the Arts at the Ohio State University and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin both received National Honor Awards for Design from the American Institute of Architects.