Introduction
The assumption behind this paper is that the Milan Cathedral is about to be established. From an architectural point of view, the purpose of the paper is to provide an in-depth analysis of the Cathedral’s design. The details provided in the design analysis seek to use the superiority of the structure to persuade the patron and the archbishop of Milan to accept the proposal and commence the work. Details are given for the exterior, interior, the roof and floor of the building.
The Exterior Design
The plan for the proposed cathedral aims at making the building one of the largest and most aesthetic Cathedral in the world. The building will have a nave running from the main door towards the altar. The nave will be 45 meters in height. It will also have four side-aisles. The aisles are designed in such a way that a transept will cross them1. In addition, it will be decorated with an additional apse.
The Cathedral will be 158 meters long, making it the second largest Gothic Church of its kind in the modern world2. Each of the 52 columns for the nave will be 25m high. Above the building, some 135 spires will rise above the structure, making it visible from great distances. The idea is to make the building resemble a marble forest, which will be decorated with marbles of various colors and reflective capacity.
The walls of the cathedral will primarily be made of curved stones of various shapes and sizes. Marbles of various reflective indices and colors will be used to decorate the top parts. Some 40 pillars will be constructed to divide the naves3. They will form the five broad openings of the façade reflected in a hierarchical way. In addition, five broad doors will be placed as the only points of entry to the cathedral. Each door will be broad, measuring 6 meters wide and seven meters high.
Outside the building, there will be different statues to symbolize a number of religious themes, objects and figures. Although donors will bring most of these statutes during the expected lifetime of the building, the idea is to design the cathedral in such a way that each donated statute will find accommodation in the compound.
The cathedral will also have a large compound with a square area of 3 hectares on the front side in order to accommodate large numbers of viewers and congregations. In addition, the area on the left, right and back of the church will be about 5 hectares. On the front side, the floor will be entirely made of decorated marbles fixed on strong ground. The ground will be made of rocks, ballast and nil mortar in that order, rising 3 meters above the ground.
Interior Design
While the exterior parts of the cathedral are much attractive than other buildings in the city and the world in general, the interior will be made for the purpose of worship. After all, the building is a sacred area. Therefore, we propose that the interior be almost ascetic and relatively dark when compared with the exterior parts. However, the altar will be light, inspiring and ornate. Unlike the exterior parts, the floor will be decorated with three varieties of marble- the Arzo red, white Candoglia and Veranna black.
There will be five large naves dividend by 52 pillars. The reason for choosing number 52 is to represent the 52 weeks of the Roman Year. The pillars will provide support to a cross-vaulted ceiling. On the front, three altars will be developed. Each altar will be 10 square meters in order to allow placement of a number of religious works of art in future.
The roof
The roof will be one of the most attractive aspects of the building. A group of aspires as well as pinnacles will feature the top of the roof. The will be set on delicately built flying buttresses. Stairs will be made to allow viewers and worshippers access the top of the building. The top of the roof will be decorated with shinny marbles of various colors in order to give it a deep aesthetic value. The spires and pinnacles will have different sizes and heights to make them resemble a forest. In addition, each will have a small platform on its top, on which a certain sculpture or religious symbol will be placed. The largest spires will rise 15 meters above the roof and at random positions.
Conclusion
This design provides an analysis of the plan for the new building. With the dimensions provided above, the Cathedral will be one of the largest churches in the world. In addition, the decorations inside and outside the church will make it the most famous and admired Gothic Cathedral in the modern world. Moreover, the forest of spires and pinnacles on the roof, their reflective indices and diversity in color will make the building the most aesthetic in the world. Therefore, it is recommended that the plan be implemented and the work begins as soon as possible.
Bibliography
Gardner, Helen and Fred Kleiner. Gardner’s Art through the Ages: The Western Perspective, Volume II: The Western Perspective. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2010.
Watkins, David. A history of western architecture. London: OUP, 2011.
Wood, Kim. Making Renaissance Art. Washington, DC: Yale University Press, 2009.
Footnotes
- David, Watkins, A history of western architecture (London: OUP, 2011), 36.
- Helen Gardner and Fred Kleiner, Gardner’s Art through the Ages: The Western Perspective, Volume II: The Western Perspective (Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2010), 147.
- Kim Wood, Making Renaissance Art (Washington, DC: Yale University Press, 2009), 87.