Die vier Elemente der Architekturtheorie des Francesco di Giorgio: spirienza, dottrina, ingegno und scienzia

Abstract Four central concepts of the writings of Francesco di Giorgio (1439 –1501) are discussed: spirienza, dottrina, ingegno, and scienzia. The spirienza can be both »autoptic study« and »experimentation«. It is rooted in Francesco di Giorgio’s original training and has had a lasting influence on his method. The dottrina, »erudition«, serves both Francesco di Giorgio personally and architects in general to move from practitioner to learned architect. The ingegno, talent, is interpreted as the innate creativity and ability to find innovative solutions, it thus plays a central role as a counterpart to the dottrina. Finally, scienzia means a systematic method in the practice of architecture. This gains great importance, especially in the later Treatise, when Francesco di Giorgio emphasizes that in architecture two methods must complement each other: archaeological investigation and the study of (ancient) literature.