European Pattern Books
Selected List of Architectural Pattern Books in Britain & Europe
Andrea Palladio published his influential pattern book in 1570, adapting classical styles for villas built in the Italian Veneto region around Verona and Venice. Numerous British and European pattern books were published in the 16th Century. Some made their way to the New World with the early settlers to influence architectural styles of municipal and residential building design.
One of the earliest pattern books was published by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio shortly Before the Christian Era. This became a style guide for the construction of Roman classical orders. New translations of the book were published in England circa 1771. Famous for naming three attributes for buildings: firmitas, utilitas, and venustas (“strength”, “utility”, and “beauty”). His drawing inspired Leonardo de Vinci to create the “Vitruvian Man”.
| Author | Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Palladio, Andrea | 1570 | I quattro libri dell’architettura (The Four Books of Architecture) |
| Vignola, Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola | 1562 | Regola delli cinque ordini d'architettura (Canon of the five orders of architecture) Published in English as The Five Orders of Architecture |
| The “Grand Tour” | 1660 | British & European nobility vacation plan from 1660-1840s |
| Gibbs, James | 1728 | A Book of Architecture, containing designs of buildings and ornaments |
| Langley, Batty | 1729 | A sure guide to builders, or, The principles and practice of architecture, geometrically demonstrated, and made easy, for the use of workmen in general : wherein such geometrical definitions, theorems, problems, &c. as are basis of architecture, are render'd easy and intelligible to every capacity |
| Langley, Batty | 1730 | The Young Builder's Rudiments |
| Gibbs, James | 1732 | The Rules for Drawing the Several Parts of Architecture |
| Adam, Robert and James | 1733 | The Works in Architecture |
| Langley, Batty | 1736 | Ancient Masonry |
| Langley, Batty | 1740 | The City and Country Builder's and Workman's Treasury of Designs |
| Langley, Batty | 1741 | The Builder's Jewel |
| Stewart, James and Revett, Nicholas | 1763 | The Antiquities of Athens |
| Riou, Steven | 1768 | The Grecian Orders of Architecture...Delineated and Explained from the Antiquities of Athens |
| Vitruvius (c.80 BC–15 BC) | 1771 | De architectura (On architecture) published in English as The Ten Books on Architecture |
| Loudon, John Claudius | 1806 | A treatise on forming, improving, and managing country residences… |
| Loudon, John Claudius | 1846 | An Encyclopedia Of Cottage, Farm, And Villa Architecture And Furniture… |