Product Description

Vitruvius (Marcus V. Pollio), Roman architect and engineer, studied Greek philosophy and science and gained experience in the course of professional work. He was one of those appointed to be overseers of imperial artillery or military engines, and was architect of at least one unit of buildings for Augustus in the reconstruction of Rome. Late in life and in ill health he completed, sometime before 27 BCE, De Architectura which, after its rediscovery in the fifteenth century, was influential enough to be studied by architects from the early Renaissance to recent times.

In On Architecture Vitruvius adds to the tradition of Greek theory and practice the results of his own experience. The contents of this treatise in ten books are as follows. Book 1: Requirements for an architect; town planning; design, cities, aspects; temples. 2: Materials and their treatment. Greek systems. 3: Styles. Forms of Greek temples. Ionic. 4: Styles. Corinthian, Ionic, Doric; Tuscan; altars. 5: Other public buildings (fora, basilicae, theatres, colonnades, baths, harbours). 6: Sites and planning, especially of houses. 7: Construction of pavements, roads, mosaic floors, vaults. Decoration (stucco, wall painting, colours). 8: Hydraulic engineering; water supply; aqueducts. 9: Astronomy. Greek and Roman discoveries; signs of the zodiac, planets, moon phases, constellations, astrology, gnomon, sundials. 10: Machines for war and other purposes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #107601 in Books
• Published on: 1934-01-01
• Original language: Latin
• Binding: Hardcover
• 448 pages

Customer Reviews

The Foundation of Architecture in The West
Vitruvius is the most important architect in the history of western civilization. Though his theories and practices may seem simple or out of date considering modern techiniques, Vitruvius' influence throughout the past 2000 years since his time is immesurable. The great architects of Roman times pointed to Vitruvius as irrefutable source for their architecture. Throughout the Renaissance the architects built upon Vitruvius' Ten Books and wrote a few updates, though no revisions. Bramante, the architect of St. Peters in Rome relied upon Vitruvius for the proportions for this masterpiece. Today only a few architecture schools refer back to this work of genius, notable among these is U. of Notre Dame, an island in the stormy seas of modernity.

The latest translation of Vitruvius
This book is the latest in a long line of translations of one of the worlds most important architectural treaties. It is a careful and thorough translation, in comparison to the former by Hickey Morgen, which misses many points due to the author's minimal knowledge of architectural parctice in the age of vitruvius, and before. I do recommend this book to all architects, and students interested in this pivotal book.