Florentine Domestic Architecture and the Birth of Modern Living

Catalog description

The Florentine palazzo, as conceived during the Renaissance, represents one of the most enduring architectural typologies for both domestic and public settings. It embodied the social and political status, wealth, intellectual ambitions, and religious values of its owners. This course examines the formative decades of the early Renaissance, during which transformations in domestic space paralleled broader changes in patterns of domestic life. Through the study of accessible Florentine palaces and suburban villas, students will investigate how evolving lifestyles, perceptions of wealth, and expressions of power reshaped domestic architecture in early modern Florence. The course also considers the long-term legacy of Florentine palatial architecture, exploring how its key features persisted as symbols of luxury and authority and influenced architecture well beyond Florence, contributing to models adopted worldwide. Limited enrollment.