THE VITRUVIAN
TRIAD
AR 11141 THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE 1
THE VITRUVIAN
TRIAD
AR 11141 THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE 1
THE VITRUVIAN TRIAD
Architects base their practice on many standards. But there is one shared by most that
have been unshakable for millennia. During the height of the Ancient Roman
civilization, Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, otherwise known as Vitruvius, wrote his thoughts on
architecture.
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FIRMITAS
Firmitas (solidity/strength) is a
building’s ability to remain durable
after extended use and exposure to
the natural elements.
Over time, architects have
been able to calculate with greater
levels of exactitude the expected
life spans of their buildings.
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FIRMITAS
Certain materials have greater
durability – as well as the illusion of
durabilities – such as marble,
concrete, and brick. One can also
gauge the extent of Firmitas by
examining the age of a building.
If a building has lasted
several decades without major
renovations, it has proven itself to
be a reliable and credible structure.
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UTILITAS
Utilitas (usefulness) is a building’s
ability to appropriately predict and
respond to the needs of its
intended inhabitants.
Of course, you can gauge the
importance of usefulness by
witnessing all the program types
buildings can acquire – hospital,
school, house, office. Each of these
programs requires a unique
relationship to the site, as well as
specifically sized rooms and
conditions.
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VENUSTAS
Venustas (beauty) is a building’s
relationship to its context’s
standard of aesthetics.
This element can be made
apparent in the use of an
attractive building or flooring
materials. Other aspects you can
consider are — the level of
craftsmanship and the attention
to detail (how a wall meets a
floor, for example, has been a
serious concern for architects
concerned with beauty).
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VENUSTAS
• Venustas used to be a
requirement for the majority of
newly constructed buildings
prior to the 20th century.
However, it became less of a
focus on building design after
that point. Some say this is due
to the increase in mass
production – which requires
easy-to-reproduce building
elements.
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