Brunelleschis Dome Influence Challenges Decorations Materials Mathematics Organization

Brunelleschi’s Dome: Influence, Challenges, Decorations, Materials, Mathematics, Organization Alyssa Millen, Michelle Jugovich, Brooke Blevins, Trenton Rust

Construction begins: August 7, 1420

The Dome ● 150 meters wide, 180 above existing walls ● Completed in 1436 after 16 years of construction ● The octagonal shape was inspired by the Baptistery

The Influence ● Provided the city with jobs for many years ● Brunelleschi's style was widely imitated ● He developed the single point linear system

Challenges and Construction ● ● ● First problem is the question of stability Filippo used a different method of centering Used a herringbone brick pattern

Challenges and construction ● ● Dome had to be built without wooden scaffolding support First problem was a technical problem Filippo invented a three speed hoist Hoist system was reversible

Construction and Challenges ● ● A crane called the stella used to be used The building of the cupola demanded for a better crane In 1422 Filippo made the castello- 65 ft crane The castello and ox-hoist worked together to deliver stone

Circumferential ties ● ● ● Sandstone chain ○ design consisting of two concentric rings Chain was the first of a system of four bands laid The second chain was more complex due to the transverse beams This second layer required the use of the castello Fifth chain made up of wood

Building the Cupola ● ● ● Filippo created a circular skeleton to help support outer shell Within the two shells a series of continuous circular rings were constructed With these rings Filippo created an illusion

Decoration Exterior Decorations: ● ● ● Most of church exterior built with white, green, and red marble The Bull of Santa Maria del Fiore - Gargoyle on the church depicting a bull’s head Said to be a tribute by the builders to the draft animals that were used during the building’s construction work Porta della Mandorla - Statues above the northern doors of the cathedral depicting the Virgin Mary among other biblical prophets

Decoration Exterior Decorations: ● - Cathedral Lantern - Commissioned to Filippo Brunelleschi in 1436 Underwent multiple changes after Antonio di Tuccio Manetti became capomaestro in 1452 Octagonal in shape, supported by a sandstone chain Topped with a bronze ball that can actually be entered Over 1 million pounds of stone were lifted to the top of the cathedral to build the lantern

Decoration Cathedral Interior Decorations: ● ● ● Gaddo Gaddi - Enthronement of Mary The stained-glass windows set in the facade were designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti Most of the stained glass throughout the entire cathedral was created by Multiple different artists Paolo frescoed the huge hora italica clock w/ four heads of Prophets in 1443 Interior walls were barren - correlated w/ the church beliefs against vanity

Decoration Dome Fresco: ● ● ● The Last Judgement - designed by Giorgio Vasari but painted mostly by his student Frederico Zuccari due to Vasari’s death Top to bottom: false lantern, 24 old men from Apocalypse, angelic chorus, saints and the Elect, and Hell and Sin Best known for its vibrant colors and gruesome depiction of Hell, demons, and the damned

Mathematics 1) Geometry of the Dome walls a) 8 segments b) quinto acuto curvature c) all 8 segments meet at the oculus d) Each corner of the octagon is 36 meters from the corresponding center e) Diagonal lines must intersect central vertical axis

Mathematics (continued) a) Each pair of adjacent diagonals intersects at a common center b) 45 meter iron diagonal chains c) Deviations from desired dome curvature *modern day analysis of standard deviation; he used trial and error in a way

Materials ● 3 different types of marble: greenish black stone known as verde di Prato, red stone known as marmum rubeum, and brittle white stone known as bianchi marmi ● Herringbone (“spinapesce”-italian) brick pattern ○ ○ ● spine of a fish Created by putting stepped lines of bricks vertically and horizontally placed 1) structural support (he did not need full centering and scaffolding) 2) locked the bricks together inner shell made of a lightweight material, and an outer shell of heavier wind-resistant materials

Organization -8 conchoids create a flower pattern TERMS -elliptic cylinder beneath the dome -manipulate light and dark with windows -helix: three-dimensional shape like that of a spiral staircase -catenary: a curve formed by a wire, rope, or chain hanging freely from two points and forming a U shape -nearly 150 feet wide and would begin 180 feet above the ground, atop the existing walls -self supported, built without scaffolding or flying buttresses -three-speed hoist: with a system of gears, pulleys, screws, and driveshafts *powered by oxen *castello: a 65 -foot-tall crane

References Brown, Jennifer. “Brunelleschi's Dome. ” Brunelleschi's Dome: Dome Construction, Obscure, 2002. “Brunelleschi's Dome of Florence Cathedral. ” Florence Inferno, 2 Mar. 2017. Generator, Metatags. “Filippo Brunelleschi. ” Introduction to Brunelleschi. “Giorgio Vasari's Last Judgement in Florence's Cathedral. ” Florence Inferno, 8 Mar. 2015. Hartwig, R. (2010). Inside Brunelleschi's Dome. The Iris. Jones , Barry, et al. “Building Burnelleschi's Dome. ” JSTOR, University of California Press, Mar. 2010. King, Ross. Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture. Penguin Books, 2001. “The Bull of Santa Maria Del Fiore. ” Atlas Obscura, 7 Jan. 2015. Vereycken, Karel. “The Secrets of the Florentine Dome. ” The Secrets of the Florentine Dome, Schiller Institute , 2013.