LAI TZEXIUAN (0318056) : Question 3 Church of Saint Vyes at La Sapienza, Rome i. What is the form, or shape of the building? The shapes of the building are rectangular shapes, equilateral triangles, circle, and hexagon while the form is circular forms. Shapes: Equilateral triangles, circle and hexagon Descriptions: The whole church is a rectangular shape building which consists of several rectangular shapes and six triangle shapes formed within a circle for the dome. The rectangular shape at the center of the building is the courtyard with a convex wall in front of the church. The architect of this building overlaps two superimposed equilateral triangles on a circle to form a hexagon shape in the center of the church. The hexagon shape of the dome also has concave and convex walls on it.
Transcript
LAI TZEXIUAN (0318056) : Question 3
Church of Saint Vyes at La Sapienza, Romei. What is the form, or shape of the building?
The shapes of the building are rectangular shapes, equilateral triangles, circle, and hexagon while the form is circular forms.
Shapes: Equilateral triangles, circle and hexagon
Descriptions:
The whole church is a rectangular shape building which consists of several rectangular shapes and six triangle shapes formed within a circle for the dome.
The rectangular shape at the center of the building is the courtyard with a convex wall in front of the church.
The architect of this building overlaps two superimposed equilateral triangles on a circle to form a hexagon shape in the center of the church.
The hexagon shape of the dome also has concave and convex walls on it.
Figure 1 & 2 - Plan drawings of the building
Figure 3 - 3D Model of Saint Vyes Church
Figure 4 - Dome of Saint Yves Church
Form: Circular
Descriptions:
On top of the exterior part of the church consists of a circular form below of the lantern of the dome. The spiral structure of the lantern leads the viewer's eye to look up and gives dynamism and lightness to
the lantern. On top of the lantern there is a supple metal which holds a globe and on top of the globe is a cross. The globe represents the world that we are living in while the cross represents the universal power of
the church. The lantern which was designed by the architect of this church, Francesco Boronimi was trying to show
the verticality of man that are trying to reach God.
Francesco's idea of the lantern had caused other scholars to speculate that the idea was based on the Tower of Babel which are mention in the bible where the people of the earth became skillful in construction decided to built a city with a tower that would reach heaven during long ago.
The lantern also symbolizes the Church's power to regulate chaos in the world.
Figure 5 Figure 6
Above the circular form of the church is a segmented stepped canopy convex-walled lantern. The lantern which are speculated that the design of the spire are based on a conch shell, the Towel of
Babel or the stinger of a bee which is the symbol of the Urban VIII's Barberini family.
Figure 7 -The Tower of Babel
Figure 8 -Symbol of Urban VIII's Barberini Family
ii. How the form or shape of the building contributes in making the building historically significant and meaningful?
The Shapes:
Comparison between Saint Vyes Church and San Giuseppe dei Falegnami
The architect choose a plan on resembling the superimposed equilateral triangles which overlap the circle and form a hexagon to form the Star of David.
The architect used the Star of David to represent wisdom which it had been recognized as a Star of Solomon symbolizing wisdom at that time.
Figure 9
The alternating points of the star are rounded off either concave or convex and form niches that slope upward to the dome.
The dome of the church is segmented into six sections which each of them are decorated with the Chigi family mountains or stars.
The lines intersect at a perfect circle at the apex of the dome that forms the base of the lantern.
San Giuseppe dei Falegnami
Figure 10
Figure 11
This church was dedicated to Saint Joseph by the Congregation of the Carpenters who rented the church of Saint Peter in Chains in 1540.
Before the church was built, there was the Mamertine Prison under the church. The Mamertine Prison were prison for state and place for execution for recent centuries and it was also
the prison where Saint Peter was imprisoned there. The church has a semi-dome which has the statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Between the floor and ceiling of the Mamertine Prison there is a room underneath which was the
"Chapel of the Crucified" of the sixteenth century.
Both Saint Vyes church and San Guiseppe dei Falegnami church has different significants and representations.
Circular Form:
Descriptions:
The exterior circular form of the church locates at below the lantern which there are three pillars symbolizing the Chigi family, the 'six mountains beneath a star'.
The decoration of 'six mountains beneath a star' in the interior of the church is to preserve the memory of Pope Alexander VII, Fabio Chigi.
Alexander VII was a person who was very interested in arts as he reviewed the possible solutions for the square which was to complete the Saint Peter's church with Bernini.
Alexander had his coat of arms all around Rome not only on the buildings that he build but also on many of them that he had just restored.
Alexander VII had artists who helped him developed decorations based on its own themes by belief that art would be respected.
The reason of it is that Alexander VII was afraid that his formal coat of arms would not survive through the dangers of history.
Therefore the two elements of his coat of arms which Alexander VII thought the six mountains with the star would represent him better.
The church was built under his predecessors and its shape took after the bee of Pope Urban VIII.
Figure 12 & 13
Referencing & Citation:
JOSEPH OF THE CARPENTERS IN ROMAN. BASILICA OF ST. MARK THE EVANGELIST PARISH. Retrieved 30th September 2015, from
