Studies for a central-plan domed church, with tree and timber notes

Central-plan domed church, upper study (M)

The upper design shows a central-plan church crowned by a great ribbed dome, ringed by smaller cupolas and lantern-topped chapels rising over an arcaded lower storey. It is marked M and drawn in a raised, near-aerial perspective.

Domed church sectioned at a b c d, lower study (A)

The lower church, marked A, repeats the multi-domed central scheme and is cut by a horizontal plane along the line a b c d. The note observes that this building, too, would look well if made from that line upward.

Pruning to thicken a chosen branch

Note a explains how to make branch n grow as thick as branch m: keep the branches of m trimmed away while leaving n its own branches, and it will grow like m. The observation treats how a tree's growth is redirected into the shoots left uncut.

Choosing and cutting timber so it will not warp

The timber notes advise: draw a lance that will not twist from the slender tree b; take the one good, never-bending lance from the north-facing part of the sawn tree c, since the other sides twist with humours that move with the sun; ring-bark tree d so the part above dries and the part below stays alive; and saw a beam lengthwise, reverse the halves head to foot and fasten them, so it will never twist.

Albero con grossi rami, e:

Albero sottile, diritto, con:

Albero segato, con

Albero scortecciato a metà, con:

Trave segato diagonalmente, con:

Figura di chiesa, con:

Chiesa divisa da un piano orizzontale, con:

Tree with thick branches, and:

Slender, upright tree, with:

Sawn tree, with:

Half-stripped tree, with:

Beam sawn diagonally, with:

Figure of a church, with:

Church divided by a horizontal plane, with:

Studies for a central-plan domed church, with tree and timber notes

On this page

Central-plan domed church, upper study (M)

Domed church sectioned at a b c d, lower study (A)

Pruning to thicken a chosen branch

Choosing and cutting timber so it will not warp