Undergraduate study

1. Villa Lante :
Design Principles
of
Bagnaia, Italy

2. Sacred & Profane
rules
Topography
Era of Design
Elements of a city
Synthesis

3. “ [ … ] It is obvious that spaces are
what humans do their living in ;
space must therefore be
comprehended as the major medium
of design . ”
- Norman T. Newton Design on the Land

4. Sacred & Profane image

5. Sacred & Profane
Design Principles
Sacred
•main center axis
•foci on main axis
•secondary axis
almost all bilateral
Profane
• unorganized main axis
•foci off the main axis
•unorganized secondary
axis
•chaotic and wild
planting scheme

6. Topography

7. Topography

8. Era of Design
Town squares
•developed during the Middle Ages as a
central gathering space for local citizens.
•town squares are often an interruption or
terminus to entering sightlines.
•multiple streets sliding in at each corner of
square are known as “windmill” or “whirling
square”.
Sightlines
•the traveler’s eye rests upon a building or
other large object within the village.
Architecture
•high walls, castles, structures built from
stone mark this period of architecture.
Orientation
• the town of Bagnaia is located on a north/south
axis easily identifying time of day.

9. Era of Design

10. Elements of a city
A predominant element in the landscape that channels the observer to
Path move through other arranged and related elements in the city.
Walkways, canals, railroads, streets.
A linear boundary within the landscape. An important organizing role
Edge of a city, holding together generalized areas. A wall, water, edges of
development.
District The medium-to-large sections of the city in which the observer
mentally enters “inside of,” recognizable as having common identifying
character.
Strategic points or junctions, concentration of some use or physical
Node character related with the observers travels along the path and
through the node. Street-corner, enclosed square.
An external point-of-reference, singling out one defined physical
Landmark object. Towers, drumlins, sculpture.
- Kevin Lynch The Image of City

11. Elements of a city
Path

12. Elements of a city
Edge

13. Elements of a city
District

14. Elements of a city
Node

15. Elements of a city
Landmark

16. Elements of a city
New City
“citta di fuori”
Outside city walls
Old City
“citta di dentro”
Inside city walls
Villa Lante
Garden Proper
Forest
“Parco inglese”
English park

17. Synthesis
•town of Bagnaia established late 1400’s – 1500’s
•park established around1475
•Villa Lante established 1566

18. Thank You!