On Architecture: Volume I

by Vitruvius, Joseph Gwilt (Translation)

De Architectura is considered as the first book on architectural theory and as a major source on the canon of classical architecture as as it is the only treatise on architecture to survive from antiquity. It was written by the Roman architect and military engineer Marcus Vitruvius Pollio and dedicated to the emperor Caesar Augustus, as a guide for building projects.
It contains a variety of information on Greek and Roman buildings, as well as prescriptions for the planning and design of military camps, cities, and structures both large (aqueducts, buildings, baths, harbours) and small (machines, measuring devices, instruments).
De Architectura - Volume I goes into subjects such as town planning and general architecture, the qualifications required of an architect, the building materials, the Temples and the different orders of architecture (includes the section on body proportions that led to da Vinci's drawing) and civil buildings (baths, pal�stra, etc.)
The descriptions are completed with magnificient hand drawn illustrations by Andrea Palladio and S�bastien Leclerc.

Genres: Architecture, History, Classics, Nonfiction, Philosophy

188 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1931

About the author

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (born c. 80–70 BC, died after c. 15 BC) was a Roman military engineer under Julius Ceasar, generally attributed to be the sole author of the only extant major work from classical antiquity on architecture, De architectura, better known in English as The Ten Books on Architecture.

Reviews

[Bettie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bettie's Books

[Marcos Augusto · Rating 4 out of 5]

De architectura was based on his own experience, as well as on theoretical works by famous Greek architects such as Hermogenes. The treatise covers almost every aspect of architecture, but it is limited, since it is based primarily on Greek models, from which Roman architecture was soon decisively to depart in order to serve the new needs of proclaiming a world empire. De architectura is divided into 10 books dealing with city planning and architecture in general; building materials; temple construction and the use of the Greek orders; public buildings (theatres, baths); private buildings; floors and stucco decoration; hydraulics; clocks, mensuration, and astronomy; and civil and military engines. Vitruvius’ outlook is essentially Hellenistic. His wish was to preserve the classical tradition in the design of temples and public buildings, and his prefaces to the separate books of his treatise contain many pessimistic remarks about the contemporary architecture.

Since Vitruvius published before the development of cross vaulting, domes, concrete, and other innovations associated with Imperial Roman architecture, his ten books give no information on these hallmarks of Roman building.

Books 1-5, cover, Town planning, architecture or civil engineering in general, and the qualifications required of an architect or the civil engineer. Building materials. Ancient Roman temples, since their construction and maintenance was a major part of ancient Roman religion, and all towns of any importance had at least one main temple. Civil buildings architecture that adopted the external language of classical Greek architecture for the purposes of the ancient Romans, but was different from Greek buildings, becoming a new architectural style.

[Cyril · Rating 5 out of 5]

The breadth of knowledge that Vitruvius possessed is truly something to behold, we are all so much richer that this has been translated so skillfully for us to enjoy.