From Gothic to Renaissance Stereotomy: The Design Methods of Philibert de l’Orme and Alonso de Vandelvira
Sergio L. Sanabria
From Gothic to Renaissance Stereotomy: The Design Methods of Philibert de I’Orme and Alonso Vandelvira SERGIO LUIS SANABRIA Stereotomy is the art cutting solids precisely so their parts fit together tightly. Although stereotomic problems arise in all masonry or wood construction which a whole must be made various parts, calculations are needed only for precise compound-angle curved cuts. Cutting simple rectangular blocks demands no special knowl­ edge, even complex cuts often can determined empirically by approximation fitting, way traditional carpenters ancient Greek Inca masons adjusted joints sanding down trimming points contact until matching surfaces were obtained.1 Simple arches introduce trivial complication: voussoirs require adding adjustable angle protractors, bevels, masons’ tool kits. Even sloping barrel vaults Hellenistic temple Apollo at Didyma could have been constructed without resort geometric the­ ory. Complex curves based on conic sections appear structures after Roman development intersecting groin vaults. Treatises such as Conics Apollonius Perga its lost predecessor, Four Books Euclid, provided conceptual background this architectural innovation, although fact they probably superfluous. builders avoided com­ putations vault groins use mass concrete brick that Dr. Sanabria teaches Department Architecture Miami University. He began his work early stereotomy part Princeton University dissertation under direction David Coffin, Robert Mark, Michael Mahoney. His research interests include architecture France Spain, with strong technological bent inspired Carl Conclit. Since 1984 he has engaged survey Cathedral Metz isolate design campaigns between ca. 1215 1350, currently writing book theory Rodrigo (iil Hontanon. 'For discussions stonejoints temples, see Roland Martin, Manuel({'architecture grecque (Paris, 1965); J. Coulton, Ancient Architects Work (Ithaca, N.Y.; 1977), pp. 46—48. For work, Jean-Pierre Protzen, “Inca Quarrying Stonecutting ,” Journal Society oj Architectural Historians 44 (May 1985): 161—82.© 1989 History Technology. All rights reserved. 0040- 165X/89/3002-0007$01.00 266 From, 267 shaped temporary wooden formwork. Using thick mortar joints, one rely formwork definition cut stone Carolingian Early Romanesque examples, infill webs most rib vaults.2 Among earliest buildings exhibiting stéréotomie skills Theater Philippolis Syria, executed stone. Seven centuries later, a.d. 965, more stellar built expansion Friday Mosque Cordoba al-Hakim IE vaults, up three compound angles, exhibit bosses irregular polyhedra. These crisscrossing spread beyond Spain 12th century churches French Pyrenees far east Armenia. Still later famous 12th-century vis St. Gilles, hélicoïdal carrying spiral staircase north tran­ sept abbey church Gilles du Gard Pro­ vence. helicoidally warped individual ht smoothly against each other, creating surface extraordi­ nary elegance. Constructive Geometry Flow these opera mirabilia designed? Euclid had available Arabic translations since 10th century, but, given widespread illiteracy among Islamic Christian ma­ sons, necessary training exact compu­ tations seems unlikely. evidence craftsmen very late, it suggests an adherence rules learned rote shops rather than understanding mathematical structure problems.3 Thus, if mathema­ tician hired solve stereotomic...
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