Crabs and Beer!

Today is the birthday (November 30, 1508) of Andrea Palladio whom many think is one of the most influential individuals in the history or architecture. He designed churches and palaces but is best known for his country houses and villas such as the Villa Foscari above. His father was a miller and, when Palladio was 13 he was apprenticed to a stone cutter. When his apprenticeship was finished he moved to Vicenza and began working as a stone mason.

When he reached the age of 30 he was engaged by Gian Giorgio Tressini to rebuild his villa. Tressini was very interested in ancient Roman architecture and brought Palladio to Rome to study some of the monuments there. Trissino also gave him his name – Palladio – an allusion to the Greek goddess of wisdom, Pallas Athena.

the Palladian style was very popular and widely imitated. Paladio employed classical elements clearly expressing the function of each part of the building by its form. As much as possible he simplified the forms and particularly elevated the ‘main floor’, often outlining it with rows of a different color as above. His villas had a main, ceremonial section often dominated by a strong center and symmetrical wings. He also included utilitarian portions and portions for family use.

Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home in Virginia is a good American example of the Palladian style

He also added his name to a particular architectural feature called the ‘Palladian Window’. It consists of a large, arched central window symmetrically flanked by two shorter windows. Here is an example of a palladian window in the White House.

Palladio died in 1580 but his influence lives on.