the Republic of Venice [1400CE]
Ca'd'Oro, Venice
the Ca'd'Oro, as well as almost all other structures in Venice, is set upon oak piles driven into the city's lagoon. this city of floating stone had many trading posts along the Mediterranean around the 14th century, and had a state budget that was close to that of France and England combined.
the building was build from 1428 to 1430 and named after the gold leaf that the exterior detail was influenced from. the exterior uses stone from Istra, which may not have been too difficult to transport since Venice is mainly connected by waterways.
- the facade consists of "three superimposed galleries"
- the piano nobile clearly has a more classical style than the other two floors due to its more traditional shaped arches
- uses a quatrefoil shape, which is a four-lobed design in architecture that may represent flowers or a leaf
- the source of this design is unknown, although "the form was used on the Doge's Palace next to the Basilica di San Marco and was clearly meant to make known its owner's status as a member of the merchant elite."
the building was build from 1428 to 1430 and named after the gold leaf that the exterior detail was influenced from. the exterior uses stone from Istra, which may not have been too difficult to transport since Venice is mainly connected by waterways.
http://www.bestourism.com/items/di/879?title=Ca-d-Oro&b=146
- the facade consists of "three superimposed galleries"
- the piano nobile clearly has a more classical style than the other two floors due to its more traditional shaped arches
- uses a quatrefoil shape, which is a four-lobed design in architecture that may represent flowers or a leaf
- the source of this design is unknown, although "the form was used on the Doge's Palace next to the Basilica di San Marco and was clearly meant to make known its owner's status as a member of the merchant elite."
http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/veneto/venice/cadoro.html
http://mappery.com/Venice-Aerial-Map
the city plan of Venice is very disorderly, mainly due to the waterways that weave throughout the city. since there is water in place of concrete or brick roads, there appears to be two cities: one above the level of water and one that is reflected upon it. the grand canal is used as the main "highway" and has all other waterways leading to it. it weaves in a s-like shape through the city; although this may not be the most direct route through Venice, it is very scenic and might show that the city is proud of all its buildings. just by looking at pictures of the Ca'd'Ore, the change of design on the facade for each level is very different. the piano nobile had simple rounded and pointed arches that are also the widest out of all three levels of arches. the second level had much smaller and more decorative arches, along with a railing and balconies. the third level has shorter arches that have a much lighter and delicate appearance. these changes in the facade could represent that each level is used for a different purpose. the lowest floor with sets of columns might be the least important to the owners of the building. if you go even further down, the columns in the sand and mud, although structurally the most important, have no design and serve no purpose to the appearance of the building. as you move farther up, the exterior becomes more refined and detailed, possibly showing that the highest level is the most important. this idea is also shown in the Plazzo Medici in Florence, Italy. in this building, the three layers move from rough to smooth and show the wealth of the family that lives within it. both the Plazzo Medici and the Ca'd'Ore have a cap on them so your eye doesn't keep going up. the first floor of the Plazzo Medici holds its offices, the second is the entertainment floor, and the third is the living and private space. each level serves a different purpose, which is then reflected upon the exterior design. the living area is the furthers away from the street, which was very dirty and unsanitary.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g187895-d242857-Palazzo_Medici_Riccardi-Florence_Tuscany.html
information from:
ching and roth
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quatrefoil
ching and roth
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quatrefoil
