ITALIAN RENAISSANCE GARDENS

Period- 14th – 17th Century

ENVIRONMENT:
 Climate and topography was irregular
 To the north were the flat planes of Lombardy chilled by the Alps in the center
where river valley and planes that were mild in winter and hot in summer, and in
the south the climate was tropical
 Landscape design developed in the areas- Tuscany, Rome, and across the north
from Genoa to Venice
 Tuscan landscape was composed of
o Small hills and valley enriched farm buildings
o Textured irregular patterns of olive and vine plantation
o Punctuated with hardwood trees such as Ilex and Cypress
o Water was adequate

PHILOSOPHY
 Fundamental idea of renaissance was that man was the center of universe
 This leads to the concept of individuality applied to garden design

LANDSCAPE:
 The garden was made for man and dignified him, the proportion gave him peace,
the form therefore crucial
 The interior of the house thrust itself outward, leveled to the rising and falling
site. The shapes made more by intuition than by mathematical calculation
 The site was usually on the hillsides because of the views and the climate, the
descending terraces were carved out of the ground and harmonious with it.
 Contents were basically
- Evergreen trees and shrubs
- Stone
- Water

 Includes - box parterres

- dark cypress
- groves of Ilex
- Sculpture
- Stairways
- Pergolas, arbors
- Water in repose and fountains
 Natural landscape was integrated into the panorama of the villa, it is the setting to
which the villa in the foreground had to be linked perceptively.
 In Palladio’s agricultural villas the garden is a ceremonial introduction to the
steps.
GEOMETRY:
 All patterns and spaces were strictly geometrical and ordered.
 The major shapes that dominate the landscape are square and rectangular
shapes

SPATIAL CONCEPTS:
 As spaces were considered mostly as outdoor rooms and most of them related to
the human dimensions, all plans were worked out depicting the heavy hand of
man by strictly following geometry and symmetry.
 Most of the gardens were designed basically as “Intellectual retreats” for the
scholars and poets. Thus they were designed to induce contemplation
 The union of architecture with the contours of the land was achieved through
sculptural compositions.
 The transition between indoor and outdoor spaces was very gradual. Villa was
always projected against the backdrop of landscape
 Most of the garden spaces were considered as extensions of the house itself.
Hence the concept of ‘OUTDOOR ROOM’ became famous. The garden was
considered as a salon with plenty of air and light.
 Axial planning formed another important aspect of the special articulation. About
the axis, the design was equally balanced between the character of man and the
character of the country.
 The spaces were clearly delineated and articulated by way of levels, trees,
sculpture or water.
 In some places water divide the space clearly into two halves creating either for
movement or entertainment.

Example: VILLA LANTE, BAGNAIA

 Designed by Vignolia in 1566
 This masterpiece of Italian garden art is also called as WATER GARDEN

SITING: Gently sloping hillside with a wooded forest. The villa is located along the
slope.
AXIAL PLANNING: There is a clear cut axis extending beyond the front gate. The
planning is along an axis with various features as ‘PUNCTUATION’ along the axis.
There is a clear cut ‘TRANSITION’ at every stage or at change in level. The axis finally
culminates and comes to rest in the arch water parterre.
HIERARCHY: A clear hierarchical setup can be seen along the axial-planning
Space 1 is the largest beyond which there is a narrowing down of space because of
clearing in the groves
Space 3 & 4 are the second in line in terms of hierarchy
Space 5 narrows down to meet the wooded forest beyond

The design is a COMPOSITION IN PROGRESSION with punctuation along the axis in

the form of events.
These events in the form of water, sculpture etc have been well placed responding to the
topography and the mood of the place maintaining interest along progression.
The rectangular shape induces linear progression
The transition between the garden and their surroundings was rudder. The garden did not
seem harmonious with the surrounding.
The garden was laid on the basis of formal shapes and patterns. ‘PATTERN’ was an
architectural prototype of the formality of life modified by the circumstances of the
movement.

The lower parterre with Quadrato and the Fountain of the Moors
A feature of Italian gardens is the lack of flowers and the dominant 'chiaroscuro'
effects created by sculpted trees and shrubbery. The pines and cypress from the
adjacent, less formal hunting park add a contrasting backdrop.

One of two matching 'Palazzinas' The Cardinal's Table