Ritual: Baptism
Site: Battistero di San Giovanni
Location: Florence
Architect: Unknown
Year of Completion: c. 1128
Analysis: Tina Lim
150 word description goes here. Achum consulto ves faturi pria vignos complius con se aucest rehebatam te iam fue con vium percer am tam terbis, quonsul usulare ntilicaet, cuperei publincum, consimus, nostriore mei ilneque a volicio mus conerit, publin denatod itentes, qua actum init; ne ine pro, manum iam o inam ignaturis adem re ius consum inulocrem sedit vivatimmodiu sedit et prata cont nicatiq uemus, dium ingultortus nos etorterit, omprorunit gra dit atu morum ductam Romnihilium pernum inam etorae nem des M. Nostra in sus. Alessolus, o ves cotandenemus bondac in Itam. Sertamquam or ublicultus publin vernius, nos, sente it; C. Hoculis? Romnirita ne ina, quam patiam sedem que confirit, uropore morei cem, nor ad Catus muscred cris culicaesi imuricendam tam it, quitata sdaccio, mederior qui catus morterum omnicaes! Duc re cus es!
The Laurentian Library reveals not only the ritual of study, but the rituals of self-sorting, categorization, and the dissemination of knowledge. Mapping the convergence and divergence of paths from the scale of the city to the building to the desk and to the book helps to reveal how the Laurentian Library acts as a motherboard for organizing the ritual circuitry of Renaissance Florence.
The Library’s desks are crucial to how rituals are performed in the space. Because the books are chained to the desks and the desks are built into the architecture, there is direct connection between the knowledge that one seeks and the place where it is found. The desks categorize texts by subject, displaying titles found in them on the side. Accessing a book that’s next to the window while someone is already in the desk requires shuffling places.
The Laurentian Library’s form is reminiscent of a religious building, with reading desks acting as pews alongside the processional aisle. The language borrows from the religious context of the San Lorenzo complex in which the Library is situated. In fact, the original plan of Michelangelo included a triangular rare books room at the end of the reading room, reminiscent of the Holiest of Holies in the Temple of Solomon. The procession inside the library, up the flowing staircase into the reading room, acts as a funnel that all elite Florentines coming to the library must pass through, regardless of where they came from in the city or what bench is their ultimate destination. The tripartite interior facade of the vestibule reinforces the idea of rising from hell to purgatory to heaven in an ascent to knowledge.
Ultimately, the Laurentian Library acts as the motherboard of the city’s knowledge, centralizing and organizing the ritual circuitry of Renaissance Florence.
Ritual: Demonstration
Site: Casa del Fascio
Location: Como
Architect: Terragni
Year of Completion: 1936
Analysis: Yang Yang
Casa del Fascio is a building designed to hold the fascist party events and propaganda towards the public. It was located near the main transportation line outside the old city wall of Como, opposite to the Como Cathedral. They share a large open space and the population near the area. The piazza is for gathering people to the front of the Casa del Fascio and listen to the speech of the Duce.
The building expresses political value of Benito Mussolini’s Fascist regime. People go inside the building through mechanically operated glass doors. The doors are opened at the same time when pushing a buttom. Crowd enter the main space of public assembly (sala per adunate) through these doors. The flood lights make people feel like parading troops. Small spaces between the doors help to line up the people. After they enter the building, there is a sacrario dedicate to Fascists died in nazi seizure of power. Then people come to the middle of the public hall to listen to the speech given by Fascist Party. It is a fully transparent space that allow the speekers to have the sight of the piazza.
Officers move to second floor and go to the board room to have conferences. There's a Mussolini's sculpture on the wall in the room. Other members of the Fascist Party stand next to the window, speak to the public, and show their political posters on the wall.
