Written by scholars of international stature, Aeolian Winds and the Spirit in Renaissance Architecture presents studies of Renaissance pneumatology exploring the relationship between architecture and the disciplines of art and science.

One of the principle goals of Renaissance architects was to augment the powers of pneuma so as to foster the art of well-being. Central to the study of pneumatic architecture are six Italian villas connected together by a ventilating system of caves and tunnels, including Eolia, in which Trento established an academic circle of scholars that...

"Aeolian Winds and the Spirit in Renaissance Architecture" introduces new dimensions of thinking about architectural theory. Investigating Renaissance pneumatic architecture with respect to other disciplines of arts and sciences, the collected essays substantiate the thesis that pneuma (air, wind, spirit, soul) is a fundamental link for establishing harmony among the human body, a building, and the cosmos. While much of sixteenth and seventeenth century scholarship has been devoted to the mathematics of ideal architecture, the book proves that essence, wind and ventilation are all part of the...