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Front page of a Ist Edition: I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura

I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura (The Four Books of Architecture) was published in 1570, in four volumes written by the architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580), whose name is identified with an architectural movement named after him, Palladianism.

I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura is a treatise on architecture. It contains Palladio's own designs publicising the purity and simplicity of classical architecture, illustrated by the architect himself. The books clarity inspired numerous patrons and other architects. Palladian architecture grew in popularity across Europe and, by the end of the 18th century, had extended as far as North America.

I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura provided, among others, systematic rules and plans for buildings which were unseen at that age. Palladio’s villa style is based on details applied to a structural system built of bricks. He offers two types of general rules in the corpus: design rules – those based on appearance, and construction rules – those based on the logic of villa construction. Here rules of the two types are identified in sets from which sub sets of identifiers and rules can be written. Each of the nine rule sets contains many sub identities of components and procedures for physical construction. A rule set such as “Walls,” that identifies five sub rules based on wall thickness only needs construction rules; there is no need for rules based on style. In contrast, rules for “Frames” are based on a geometric style of curves and shape proportions. The results will yield clear identities for a shape grammar composition that can be based on physical construction and visual style. These identities are taken from the first book of architecture and a survey of built villas. These are the nine rulesets that define identity:

1. Walls - parametric formula
2. Ceilings - parametric formula
3. Stairs - parametric formula
4. Columns - parametric object
5. Doors - parametric formula
6. Windows - parametric formula
7. Frames - parametric object
8. Roof - parametric formula
9. Details - parametric object and formula

Thomas Jefferson, president of the United States was a keen admirer of Palladio and once referred to the book as "the Bible". The four books were used to inform his own work as the architect of Monticello and the University of Virginia.

• Andrea Palladio
• Palladian Villas of the Veneto
• Palladian architecture

• I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura