brick in venice
The stones which are made by the hand of man are commonly known as quadrelli because of their form; these have to be made from clay soil, which is... easily workable; gravelly or sandy soil should be left where it is found. The clay should be extracted in the Autumn, and worked in the winter, and thus the bricks may be well formed in the following spring. But if it becomes necessary to make them in Winter or Summer, in Winter they are to be covered with dry sand and in theww Summer with straw. To form them [well] it is necessary to allow [the clay] to dry for a considerable time, and it is best to dry it in the shade, so that not only the surface dries thoroughly, but also the inner parts as well, so thatall is equally dry; this cannot be done in less than two years. Palladio, Quattro Libri
E.Ashby and T.Teng University of Virginia November 2013 Venice , Italy
Composition Brick earth is derived by the disintegration of igneous rocks. Potash felspars, orthoclase or microline are mainly responsible for yielding clay minerals in the earth. These clay minerals decompose into a moist mass of kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite, and chlorite. Chemical composition: 1. Alumina or clay - 20-30% of the weight 2. Silica or sand - 35-50% of the weight 3. Silt - 20-25% by weight Clay readily absorbs water and expands because it has a fine, crystal layered structure. Clay should be as dry as possible before firing so sand is sometimes added to raise the temperature for successful firing. Crushed limestone may also be added to the mix to lower the melting points of the minerals in the clay. Brick can be underburnt (too soft) or overburnt (brittle) during firing.
Brick construction quickly overtook timber construction as the primary mode of construction in Venice because its lighter, smaller elements could be transported easily and withstand Venice’s shifting foundations. Brick does not retain water, but allows water to dry out - perfect for Venice’s humid and wet conditions Brick retains heat, withstands corrosion, and resists fire
Fragile Brickwork in Venice
Brickwork in Venice is under a constant state of destruction, almost entirely due to marine water Tidal exchange between the lagoon water and the sea gives canal water the same salt concentration as the sea Salt water repetitively enters the pores of the brick, and as the water dries, salt crystals are left behind to corrode the brickwork Motor boats splash waves above the water’s surface and creates suction in the water, degrading foundations and disturbing sediment which can clog sewage drains Winter – water-saturated bricks undergo a freeze/thaw process, which leads to eventual shattering
Conserve or Restore? Conservation
Restoration
No exact cleaning method; but must take into account its fragility, porosity, glazes, dyes, mortar, and washes (3) In conservation, water cleaning is often considered because of its gentle cleaning quality; only removes loose dirt High pressure water spraying improves the results but should not be used on fragile bricks (which is most of Venice)
A better solution than conservation
The way to remove salt from bricks: 1. Saturating bricks and rinsing with chemical cleaning solu tions Pre-wet the surface with an alkali-based agent (pH above 7) followed by cleaning with a hydrofluoric acid solution (pH below 7) and thorough rinsing 2. Wet-abrasive cleaning After either method, brick has to dry and the salts from the pores can be dry-brushed or vacuumed away Use of synthetic resins – simpler, less scientific
New mortar should be as dry as possible and is generally lime based
Plasterwork is spread on the surface of the brick so that the salts will degrade the plasterwork before they reach the brickwork
Carefully cut out the damaged areas and replace the areas with new bricks of similar size, color, and texture Needs to meet standards for water absorption, maximum saturation coefficient, and minimum compressive strength
History of Brick Chiesa di Santa Fosca 1100
First bricks in Turkey, Jericho, Ancient Rome 7000 BCE
San Giovanni e Paolo 1333
Brick Gothic Period 12th CE
The decline and fall of Rome halted the production of brickmaking in Europe until it was revived by the Dutch in the 1200s
Plague in Venice caused brick shortage 1348 CE
Quaranta Civil issues edicts to stimulate brick production 1350s CE
Chiesa di Santa Maria e San Donato
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari
7th, 9th century
1250 - 1338
Government loaned up to 2,000 lire to individuals who were willing to build and operate kilns in Mestre 1393
Padua became a permanent part of the Terraferma empire; gaveVenice access to the best clay 1405
Chiesa di San Zaccaria 1458
Piazza San Marco was first paved with brick 1493
Brick paving in Piazza San Marco was replaced with stone 1722
Chiesa di San Lorenzo 1598
Mortar Supply
Brick Supply
Hills of Carnia
Treviso Vicenza
Treviso Vicenza
Mestre
Mestre
Venice
Venice
Padua Verona
Verona
Ferrara
Eugaean Hills
Padua
Ferrara “…the lagoon itself offered no other natural building materials, and even brick, the most basic, essential material, had to be brought from the mainland.” Goy, Venetian Vernacular Architecture
“The bricks were always bedded in lime mortar, which had sufficient elasticity to allow for differential settlement, and a similar mixture was used on the facades” Goy, Venetian Vernacular Architecture
Brick Patterns
From Grass to Brick Paving in public spaces
The public campi and pampielli were originally not paved at all, but left grassed in their natural state.
Dogtooth
Herringbone
Chevron
Later, the chief routes across the campi were paved with brick
Later again, the entire surface was finished in brick, usually laid in herringbone pattern, in squares, the sections being divided by strips of Istrian Stone.
Running bond
Lozenge
Three Common Brick Sizes
1
Mortar Coatings Protects soft brickwork from weather and provided a plain surface for decor or frescoe
Oldest Handmade Bricks
2 60
300
Altinelle
(name from Roman city of Altino, near Torcello)
Rovigno (Istria)
400 mm 50
3
100
Universal Brick Size
Pastellone
200 mm
Marmorino 65
130
260 mm
Chiesa di Santa Maria e San Donato Murano, Venice, Italy 7th, 9th century Early example of finely elaborated brick decoration at its height in ecclesiastical works rather than private houses Some brick detailing is more complex than stonework Use of naked brick and terracotta Two-tiered blinded arcaded apse Latin cross plan Interior brick detailing around arches along the nave Fine brick detailing trim around the windows Use of dark, red-brown brick without the use of plaster Church is one of the oldest in the Venetian lagoon
Chiesa di Santa Fosca Torcello, Italy 1100
Fully brick structure, exposed, structural stilted arches, arches, blind arches, inscribed arches, and brick piers Protrusion and recession for ornamentation Dogtooth brickwork at a 45 degree angle for shadows Dentilization Brick proportion shift from 1.5 : 3 : 6 to 8.5 : 17 Roman bricks were much wider Geometrical patterning and zig zag patterning Mixture of influences references Roman and Byzantine architecture Octagonal construction with cylindrical roof volume for dome; five sides of a covered patio
Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari Venice, Italy 1250 - 1338
Longitudinal basilica plan with Latin cross typology Made with an entirely brick envelope with concrete columns and a stone entry portal Plain exterior Exposed soft orange-red brick interior showcases an honesty of materiality Posseses a structurally clear space with exposed brick and clear light; the structure does not compete with its artwork Exudes a humility of the Franciscan order
San Giovanni e Paolo Venice, Italy 1333
Italian Gothic style church; massive brick ediface that later served as a Gothic brickwork example Dominican order Exposed brickwork, concrete pillars, vaulted ceiling,s wooden beams Series of smal Gothic blind arches adorn the facade Elaborate stone portray in istrian stone and rosso di Verona Clarity of structure and light Contrast of rich detailing and expensive materials with the plain brick facade works seamlessly
Chiesa di San Zaccaria Venice, Italy 1458
Built later than many other churches; covered brick with more expensive stone Interior stuccoed Brick sandwiched in between as a structural envelope and place to attach - on an invisible tissue between layers of opulence Grandiose project of stones and marble Bricks supplied by the Corner Clan (Zane with sons Marco and Andrea); a family closely associated the project - most prominent patrician engaged in the field Unprecedented number of bricks supplied by the Corner family:
1483: 51,000 bricks in July 25,000 bricks in August 1485: 28,000 bricks
Gambello designed the interior while Codussi did the upper facade
Chiesa di San Lorenzo
Castello Region, Venice, Italy 9th century, 1598 First built in the 9th century Facade was never even started; the facade was intended to mask the exposed brick - seen as unfinished Became one of the wealthiest convents in Venice, but destroyed in fire in 1106 Dominican order Interior is a huge single space divided in half by threebay screen (Iconostasis) Set on plinth; interior references to Palladio would have been translated on the exterior facade had it been realized
Infrastructural use of Brick in the Venice BRICK IN WELLS
Section of a well that shows an excavation lined in clay and the shaft built in brick. Circular in plan
BRICK ON BRIDGES
Majority of bridges in Venice are simple arches of stone and brick, the stone used for copings and voussoirs of the arch, and brick for the parapets. Inclined in ramps with shallow steps for horse and foot traffic
Large, underground cisterns collect rainwater in public squares
Brick Foundations
Veneering Structural Brickwork
An illustration from Serlio’s Five Books showing the three methods of combining stone facades with structural brickwork. Serlio, however, did not approve of the veneering technique on the very right
A zattaron of timber built; a stepped footing of brick rose to the ground floor level to make adequate for modest loads
Example of brick and stucco
Sources
"Brick." Royal Institute of British Architects. RIBA, 2013. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. "CORDIOX." CORDIOX. Instituto Nacional De Bellas Artes, n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. Cotton, Jeff. "The Churches of Venice." The Churches of Venice. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. Goy, Richard J. Building Renaissance Venice: Patrons, Architects and Builders, C. 1430-1500. New Haven: Yale UP, 2006. Print. Goy, Richard J. Venetian Vernacular Architecture: Traditional Housing in the Venetian Lagoon. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1989. Print. M. E. Weaver, Conserving Buildings: A Manual of Techniques and Materials, Revised Edition (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1997), 99-100. N. Ashurst, Cleaning Historic Buildings, Vol 1 (London: Donhead, 1994, 105106.