In this lesson we have a representation of 10 books of Vitruvius in a more improved form.
Firstly, he divided it by chapters and what is more interesting is that in each one he put a subtitle and extend it further. For instance, he firstly started to talk about Edificies, which are important buildings like temples, skyscrapers and then he says that the whole art of building consist in design and structure, which consist in joining together lines and angles. so he talked about plans. He gives importance to the proportion and order too. He says that the whole art of building consists in a balanced interconnection between design and structure.
And it is exactly this unity which will dictate to the Edifice and all its parts their proper places with factors such as the surroundings, the ground on like walls, roofs and openings. He introduces in his book regarding a consideration of architecture is the region with its climate and air. He makes it clear that air plays an importing role in choosing the placement of building considering also sun and wind. For him, architecture appears to have been an eminently political activity, since he considered architects to be the providers and safe-keepers of culture, who could offer a civic community security and protection. His belief is also made clear when he talks about the importance of the Architect in times of war, as the general who needs lose no men but some stones in order to win a war. So, going back to the conditions of the region on which to build, Alberti emphasizes the importance of avoiding heavy thick vapors and powerful clouds as well as water which rots for want of motion. To observe the functionality of a building a starting point would be to look out at the good fruits the land produces, the number of men in a good old age as well as the natural births. If the trees are all being on one side, it does serve as a sign of high rough winds which are in no way desirable for a building location. Then he talks for platform which is described as a certain determinate part of the region taken up by the building. The work we are to take in hand requires certain consideration in order to have regard to the quality and use of every Edifice in the determining of its situation and form. Alberti than goes on to enlighten us on geometrical knowledge of lines and angles of different sorts and how they come to be. It is after such explanation has been made that he passes to a more specific use of this geometry in relation to the platforms and its types which are angular and circular. He classifies the platforms in detail, talking about attributes each of them are in possession of. The obtuse angles for instance have been thought very convenient while the circular platform is esteemed to be the least expensive. Alberti concludes that all the plains made which are under any covering, must be laid exactly level, while those which are to be left open, should have just slope enough for the rain to fall over.
Taking in consideration the origin of the building we can take the example of ancient people which used larger bricks in public buildings and in private they used smaller, this stays the same, and infinitely other similarities. Talking about the covering of the building, their function is to provide defensive arms for the building against the assaults and violence of storms and tempests and they are divided into the roof or ceiling and the areas which shall be modified according to the weather conditions of the region the building is placed in. When we talk about apertures of the building the two main functions are Admission of light and air as well as Entrance and Passage. Windows belong to the first one while doors, stairs and spaces between the column belong to the second one. The windows should be mad large if they are facing the north and low and small if they are facing the south to provide protection from the sun rays. As for the doors, they should always be more high than broad.
In the final part he talked about the stair cases their types, their placement, because they came in contact with door windows and openng in cielings, the number of them etc, for tunnels and their problem with drainage and how to carry out water and also about the placement of wells