Vol. 2 No. 4 (2025): To Shape: Order and Measure
Articles

The Search for Reason. Proportions and Measures in the Surveying of Medieval Religious Architecture

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  • Stefano Brusaporci
Stefano Brusaporci
University of L'Aquila
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/tribelon-3671

Published 2025-12-23

Keywords

  • Metrology,
  • Proportioning,
  • Medieval Architecture,
  • Architectural Survey,
  • Medieval Measures

How to Cite

Brusaporci, S. (2025). The Search for Reason. Proportions and Measures in the Surveying of Medieval Religious Architecture. TRIBELON Journal of Drawing and Representation of Architecture, Landscape and Environment, 2(4), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.36253/tribelon-3671

Copyright (c) 2025 Stefano Brusaporci

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Historical architecture is characterised by deep phenomena of modification and stratification occurred over time, witnessing historical events, players, architectural values, traditions and cultures. Design models become tangible through processes rooted in good practice and construction experience, where proportions and measures correspond to ideal values. If the proportional and metrological studies seem to pertain to two independent analyses, in practice they are integrated into a complex knowledge process. In medieval times, architectural systems or construction phases can be based on specific modules and units, with measures that coexist and change, mostly according to local situations. Experience shows that in various cases some measurements appear to be revealing, elsewhere it is appropriate to search for recurring quantities, even considering proportional analysis, always in relation to the construction cultures to which the architectural artifact refers. Metrology manuals can provide useful indications to study specific rules and references, and to understand buildings construction phases. The paper aims to propose a methodological reflection on metrological and proportional study of medieval architecture, rising from experiences conducted in the Italian territory of Abruzzo.

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