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| The Duomo's Dome, Florence (From Wikipedia) |
After Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral church in Florence, Italy, announced Neri di Fioravanti as the winner of the dome initial design competition, the design amazed architects and builders and directly provoked constructability questions. It was no wonder. The dome design introduced a number of difficulties due the dome’s height and span. Therefore, when the competition for constructing the dome was announced on August 19, 1418, a huge number of interested architects, masons, and builders pursued this job to solve the perplexing design that people of Florence kept looking at for decades as a mystery (King, 2000). Everyone had to come up with a detailed plan of how the dome is going to be built.
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| Sculpture of Brunelleschi (From Wikipedia) |
Brunelleschi, who was well known for people, sent his model to the competition, and later he won the competition and got the chance to show his creativity in constructing the new dome using an innovative double shell dome. In fact, the double shell may be considered the most innovative aspect of Brunelleschi’s design that included sixteen ribs between the two shells and a staircase leading the dome’s top (Kent, 2010). Furthermore, Brunelleschi made small openings that penetrate the outer dome to reduce wind’s effect; in addition, he presented some safety practices for labor using stairs, such as, allowing light to come through the stairs (King, 2000).
One of the interesting methods Brunelleschi used to win the competition is secrecy. After he proposed constructing the dome without centering which was almost impossible at that time, he refused to explain how he was going to exactly build the high, wide span dome (King, 2000). The challenge was that the dome has unusual setting than commonly used in Florence and its surrounding. The dome will be vaulted at 170 feet (51.8 meters) height, and it has an inner 143 feet (43.7 meters) diameter (King, 2000). Brunelleschi’s attitude of course provoked some questions, whether it is acceptable to propose in such a way. And more importantly, it was a courageous act of Brunelleschi that shows his over-confidence in his abilities, or at least his chance to win the competition. However, Brunelleschi’s rationale of keeping his approaches to constructing the dome secret is that other competitors would have benefited from knowing Brunelleschi’s innovative, apparently on that phase and obviously later, approaches and machines (King, 2000). Building a dome without an inner carrying structure, armature, indeed something needs to be explained.
Brunelleschi used a new technique to support the dome while constructing. Instead of using ties and supporters, he used “ribs, stone rings, wood chain, and segmental arches” (Prager and Scaglia, 1970). Brunelleschi used inner scaffolding without armature, which was on the contrary to the common method that used inner armature and outside scaffolding, known to be his own invention (Prager and Scaglia, 1970). After couple of years of starting the construction, Brunelleschi made some amendments to the design of the outer shell of the copula that he used 8-foot arches to encircle the dome (King, 2000). Such a change in design should have perceived by Brunelleschi as an enhancement to the safety and ability to support the outer shell after the actual construction began. A self-supporting dome, anyway, is not structurally easy to build, especially in that century.
One of the challenges of building Santa Maria del Fiore’s dome would be the heavy weight materials: how to lift them in site. Brunelleschi invented an extraordinary hoist that later became something engineers and architects such as, Leonardo Da Vinci were studying (King, 2000). The invention was an ox-hoist was exceptional for its “sheer size and power and for the complexity of its design, especially its reversible gear” (King, 2000). The setting of this huge hoist enables lifting heavier weights per ox, which saved time and cost. Brunelleschi built another hoist for lifting the lantern that is run by men. The breaking system was the most fascinating thing in the hoist, which helps men to handle loads and counterweights of marble in the same strength the ox-hoist provided (King, 2000). Also, he built a crane that is positioned up the copula to place the marble pieces.
With regard to today’s design-build projects, Brunelleschi’s history in his prominent accomplishment can give many lessons. His self-assurance for his work and confidence are inspiring elements of his personality, which deals with how a design-builder needs to be confident about his or her qualifications and able to convince clients that he or she is definitely a winner. No matter how exaggerated or reasonable was Brunelleschi’s manner in keeping his means and methods after submitting his model secret, keeping the fine details of means and methods secret during proposal phase is very important for both a design-build team and an owner committee that receives proposals.
Although the church officers awarded Brunelleschi the job, they did not know how exactly he was going to build the dome. Nevertheless, they awarded the job to the one that promised to use unprecedented methods to construct the dome that appeared attractive with its double shell idea. As a very similar to design-build project delivery method, the church’s approach particularly signifies the innovative aspect of design-build projects, where many of these projects initially call for projects that need special technical solutions. Needless to say, some owners want to see innovations in facility. Hence, design-build projects can be considered as a good practice to employ innovation in the interest of individuals who want to start a construction project.
In the same way, choosing a winner proposer relies heavily on the proposers qualities and potentiality to carry the job. When the church appointed Brunelleschi, he came up with several inventions that were inspiring architects and engineers, such as, self-supporting the dome construction and the ox-hoist. In other words, innovative design-builders are more likely to develop successful means and methods to overcome design difficulties putting in mind that they are the same entity that designed the job initially. A good indicator to this point will be the history and achievements of design-builders.
In summary, Brunelleschi’s story, design, techniques, and inventions have built a great experience and introduction to today’s construction practices. In design-build projects, there are many lessons learned from Brunelleschi such as confidence, sensitivity to design and techniques privacy, and developing innovative solutions.
Works Cited
Kent, Adrielle. “Santa Maria del Fiore: A Philosophical Context for Understanding Dome Construction During the Italian Renaissance.” Edging: (Spring 2010). Published by the California State University Stanislaus University Honors Program. Retrieved on 10/09/12 from: http://www.csustan.edu/honors/documents/journals/Edgings/SantaMariadelFiore.pdf
Prager, Fran D. and Scaglia, Gustina. Brunelleschi: Studies of His Technology and Inventions. Cambidge, Mass.:MIT Press, 1970.
King, Ross. Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2000.
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