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STONE ARCHITECTURE

THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL OF BARI TO
THE STUDY OF THE HISTORICAL HERITAGE OF THE COUNTRIES OF
EASTERN EUROPE
The cases of St. Gervais at Paris, Sinan’s Mosques and Armenian churches

Professor Claudio D’Amato Guerrieri
Faculty of Architecture – Polytechnic of Bari

THE CASE STUDY OF THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PEDIMENT OF
THE CHURCH OF ST. GERVAIS IN PARIS

Entreprise Chevalier SA – Paris
2002

The cases of St. Gervais at Paris, Sinan’s mosque and Armenian churches

Prof. Arch. Claudio D’Amato Guerrieri

The façade of the Church of Saint Gervais, a
building in the late gothic style, is the first
classical façade in Paris.
Built between 1616 and 1621 to a design by
Salomon de Brosse, it is characterised by
the superimposition of three architectural
orders (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian) and a
monumental curved pediment, originally
crowned laterally by two large sculptural
groups.

Façade of the Church of Saint Gervais:
original state (engraving by Marot)



The 48 metre high façade, built with blocks
of Saint-Maximin stone, is a challenge to
the laws of static.
Its pediment, weighing c. 400 tons, is
composed of a depressed arch, in the
central part, with a span of 6 metres, a
depth of 2.5 metres and a height (from the
springing line to the key stone) of only 70
centimetres; it exerts a strong lateral thrust
(of circa 25 tons).

Façade of the Church of Saint Gervais:
actual state before the reconstruction of 2002



The two sculptural groups not only had an aesthetic but also an important functional role:
they verticalized the lateral thrusts of the vault, according to the principle of the pinnacle,
thereby assuring the stability of the whole. The removal of the statues after the French
Revolution signalled the beginning of a process of dilapidation for the pediment due to the
structural instability caused by the new arrangement.

The static role of the sculptures: the “pinnacle effect”



In 1904 an initial intervention of static consolidation was carried out; but the bracing
structures in reinforced concrete (for the portal and the hood) behaved like foreign bodies
and further compromised the stability of the pediment.

Portal and hood in reinforced concrete carried out in the restoration of 1904



SURVEY AND FIRST DESIGN HYPOTHESIS



The measured drawing of the pediment was executed with manual and digital (3D scanner)
instruments. Its actual state is depicted both by traditional means (plan, section,
perspective) and by a three-dimensional digital model.

Measured drawing of the pediment using both manual and digital instruments, drawings, digital model



DISMANTLING THE PEDIMENT



4

3

2

1

Frontal view of the different layers of the vault of the pediment:
1-portal in concrete; 2-first course of the vault; 3-second course of the vault; 4-hood in concrete



Existing assemblage: plan of laying of the vault with metal clamps and tie-beams



DESIGN FOR THE NEW PEDIMENT



The design for the new pediment is based
both on [knowledge derived from] an in-
depth study of the original building – that
thus functions as a text – and on the
theoretical knowledge and technical know-
how of stereotomy.
For the abutments of the vault a horizontal
assemblage with internal joints in a radial
pattern are adopted (using the principle of
the original assemblage).
The masonry assemblage is held in place
through the use of steel clamps and nails,
while the vault is conceived as maxi-ashlars
fixed to the wall of the tympanum with
steels stays.
The design for the new pediment was
elaborated and tested in all its aspects with
digital modelling instruments.

Design of the abutments of the vault



Design for the abutments of the vault:
the existing solution (on the left) and the designed solution (on the right)

Design for the abutments of the vault: the Design for the central part of the vault: anchorage
disposition of the metallic clamps and nails of the maxi-ashlars to the tympanum



CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW PEDIMENT



Stone from the Saint-Maximin quarry is cut using both automated (CAM) and manual
workmanship (finishing and testing).
Moreover, using a digital model reduces the on-site time to only three weeks, thereby
considerably lowering costs.

Cut of stone: computer aided manufacturing and testing the shape of the voussoirs with the “panneaux”
drawn by 3-D model



Frontal view of the new pediment



The structural use of iron in Sinan’s
domed buildings.

Design and Restoration

Technical typologies

Theoretical model



The structural use of iron in
Sinan’s domed buildings.

During his long carreer, at first as main
general of Corps of Engineers’ and then as
chief-architect of the Ottoman Empire,
Mimar Sinan designes especially new
buildings, carring out more than 400 works,
but he also restores historical buildings
during his many travels all around Empire
lands.
Among his many architectural and
construction experiences the most original
technical innovation is the structural use of
iron.
Both in Sinan’s masterpieces for imperial
patrons- like Suleymaniye Mosque - and in
his main restoration works - like Haghia
Sophia – the iron is used in a similar
technical way.


Theoretical model



Sinan’s domed buildings.


The principal technical typologies in Sinan’s
structural use of iron are four:
•clamps and pins
•beams
•chains
•reinforcement ring

Theoretical model



Sinan’s domed buildings



- clamps and pins: Clamps and pins in stone
masonry construction are used in ottoman
architecture even before Sinan in order to Kara Ahmed Pasa mosque, Istanbul – Iron pins of the porch
stiffen the building system especially in case ashlars (photo – Nicola Parisi) I

of seismic actions, even if some scholars
think they were used as a auxiliary element
in structural assemblage; the pins are used
to connect, in vertical, the ashlars of the
several rows, both in masonries and pillars.
On the contrary, the clamps are used to
connect, in horizontal, the ashlars of the
same row or to vice structurals elements;
this is the case of the anchorage between
arch and masonry.

- beams
- chains
- reinforcement ring
Kara Ahmed Pasa mosque, Istanbul – Pre-arrangement for
clamps (photo – Nicola Parisi) I



Microsystems of iron anchorage (pins and clamps) are Selimiye Mosque, Edirne – The reconstruction of
generally used to build minarets. Selim II Mosque minaret shows that the old
All the stone ashlars are connected both in vertical and techniques used in Sinan’s construction site are
horizontal, like the jutting parts usually ornamented with the same of Restoration.
muqarnas.
(photo - Vakiflar Genel Mudurlugu, Edirne)
(photo – Amir Pasic)



(photo - Vakiflar Genel Mudurlugu, Edirne)






- clamps and pins
- beams: beams in wrought iron and bricks
are often used to build ceiling whit level
intrados.
This technology was applied to the
secondaries roofings of marginals openings.
Sometimes the beams wasn’t load-bearing
but built a redundant reinforcement strutting
in case of earthquake.

- chains

Theoretical model

Selimiye, Edirne – Photo by Vakiflar Genel Mudurlugu





- clamps and pins
- beams
- chains: the firsts chains used by Ottoman
architecture from 1450 was in wood. Only
during the XVI century the iron was used.
The chain is a structural element utilized to
force back the horizontals thrusts in the
vaults. Mostly it is used in the barrel vault
not much emploied in the Ottoman
architecture. In Kara Ahmet Paşa (1558)
Mosque, the chains of the laterals gallery,
barrel vaulted, are one of the firsts
examples.

Theoretical model

Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, Edirnekapi Istanbul – Original info-ghraphic model by Nicola Parisi
I





- clamps and pins
- beams
chains: In Selimiye’s quadriportico, the
whole chains system can’t be supposed for
a classical restraint of the horizontals
thrusts; in fact, the thrusts are often
balanced by supported arch.
It is necessary to think at a reticular
complex system of spatials bars assuring a
global rigidness for structures stressed by
earthquakes.

Theoretical model

Selimiye Mosque, Edirne – Quadriportico (photo di Nicola Parisi)





- clamps and pins
- beams
- chains
-reinforcement ring: the reinforcements
through the iron ring are used beginning
from half of the XVI century. The works of
Sinan are the first buildings built with similar
techniques. The technique of the iron
reinforcment ring is employed by the
Ottoman architect both in the new projects
and in the structural improvements of
ancient buildings.

Theoretical model

Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, Edirnekapi Istanbul – Original info-ghraphic model by Nicola Parisi
I



The turbe of “the Magnificent” Solimano and of
Selims II introduce iron ring on different levels; some
are broadly visible, others are totally concealed.
The iron ring aim to contain the radial horizontal
pushes produced by the domed structures, avoiding
the break-ups along the meridian lines.



The technique of the metallic
reinforcement ring postpones the
commune employment of the
chains. In the Selimiye mosque in
Edirne the system of chains that
connect the vertexes of the central
octagon reconstructs a discreet ring
that contain the horizontal pushes
during the normal state of
gravitation of the weights and
guarantees the mutual distance of
the vertexes during a seismic
event.

Selimiye Mosque, Edirne
(photo by Nicola Parisi)



Among the most important restorations of Sinan it
needs to remember that for the Saint Sophia
basilica. Sinan in this restoration ordered the
construction of buttresses set to the masonries for a
great balancing of the pushes and put a
reinforcement ring of the dome that introduced
problems of equilibrium since her first construction.



ARMENIAN MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE – FORM AND CONSTRUCTION



DOMED CHURCHES IN AYRARAT, 6th – 13th century: some case studies

Kat‘ołikē , T‘alin - Surp Hovhannēs church at Mastara - Surp Grigor church at Aragats, 7th century a.D.
The use of three-dimensional modelling for damaged buildings and for the konwledge of the built architectural forms



CROSSED ARCHES IN MEDIEVAL MONASTERIES: architectural types



RESEARCH OUTCOMES: 1. final synthesis studios

Medieval monasteries of northern Armenia: valorisation and design for the reconstruction of lost or damaged buildings



RESEARCH OUTCOMES: 2. projects (with CSDCA, Milano)

Ereruk ‘, 5th century (?): survey; real and ipothetical three-dimensional reconstruction of the monument



RESEARCH OUTCOMES: 3. publications

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The Contribution of the Architecture School of Bari to the Study of the Historical Heritage of the Countries of Eastern Europe

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