Leonardo da Vinci’s architectural designs as thought experiments: the sources and influence of his ideas

Abstract

It is argued that Leonardo da Vinci’s architectural designs are uniquely original due to his ability to connect ideas derived from a wide range of sources and his own empirical researches. This attempt at understanding Leonardo’s visual thinking that is the basis of his architectural designs commences with a reference to his decorative knotted puzzle, entitled "Concatenation", that symbolises a map of the universe, reminiscent of Aristotle’s world view, as expressed by Dante Alighieri. Leonardo’s empiricist approach to scientific research and artistic creativity also relates to Aristotle’s insight into matter, form and growth patterns. His creative process in art and design was inspired by thought experiments in which his mastery of "disegno" enabled him to express the mutation of living forms into mechanical and architectural forms, and vice versa, to imbue the latter with a life force. His representation of fictive buildings in his paintings is surveyed, followed by a review of his architectural sketches of which his designs of centralised and longitudinal domed churches are evaluated in some detail, taking into account his varied sources as well as his influence. Emphasis is placed on Leonardo’s originality as an architectural designer, especially with reference to notable domed churches on octagonal plans with side chapels that approximate fractal designs.

Dit word aangevoer dat Leonardo da Vinci se argitektoniese ontwerpe op ’n unieke wyse oorspronklik is vanweë sy vermoë om idees wat van ’n wye verskeidenheid bronne en sy eie empiriese navorsing verwerf is, met mekaar in verband te bring. Hierdie poging om Leonardo se visuele denke wat die grondslag van sy argitektoniese ontwerpe is, te begryp, begin met ’n verwysing na sy dekoratiewe, geknoopte raaisel, genaamd "Samekoppeling", wat ’n kaart van die heelal simboliseer en herinner aan Aristoteles se wêreldbeeld, soos deur Dante Alighieri verwoord. Leonardo se empiriese benadering tot wetenskaplike navorsing en kunsskepping hou ook verband met Aristoteles se insig in materie, vorm en groeipatrone. Sy skeppingsproses in kuns en ontwerp is geïnspireer deur gedagte-eksperimente waarin sy meesterskap van "disegno" hom in staat gestel het om voorstellings te doen van die mutasie van lewensvorms in meganiese en argitektoniese vorms, en omgekeerd, ten einde laasgenoemde met ’n biologiese vormingskrag te vervul. Sy voorstellings van denkbeeldige geboue in sy skilderye word nagegaan, gevolg deur ’n oorsig van sy argitektuursketse, waaronder sy ontwerpe van gesentraliseerde en langwerpige koepelkerke meer gedetailleerd ontleed word, met inagneming van sy gevarieerde bronne sowel as sy invloed. Klem word geplaas op Leonardo se oorspronklikheid as ’n argitektoniese ontwerper, veral met verwysing na die uitsonderlike gesentraliseerde koepelkerke op agthoekige planne wat by benadering as fraktaalontwerpe bestempel kan word.