A Message Without Words Essay Example for Free

A Message Without Words Essay Select one (1) of the picture ads from the Benetton advertisement images document, located in the online course shell. Assume you are the project lead at Benetton. You and your team are tasked with revitalizing a social conscious campaign to address a world issue Benetton wants to draw attention to. Craft a message for this image and its appeal to the public on behalf of Benetton. The message selected for revitalizing a social conscious campaign to address a world issue that Benetton wants to draw attention to is, adoption and racial tolerance. Benetton wants people to realize that many children go without a real home or parents to love them and never get a real chance at childhood. They may have to live in orphanages, group homes or even worst, be placed from home to home in foster homes, because they never get adopted. The message is that love has no color, it is colorblind. It does not matter, what color the parents or the child are or what part of the world they come from, anyone can give the gift of love, by giving a child a home of their own. Define the goal of this campaign and the targeted audience with supporting rationale. The goal of Benettons communication and advertising is to target the global consumer and create a brand image and lifestyle. In past campaigns, Benetton has sought to create both a global dialogue about specific issues and make this part of its corporate culture. Benetton has used its advertising to champion social causes. Therefore, the goal of this campaign is to make people aware of the need for adoptions, the ease of adoption, bring attention to the beauty of adoption while combining racial tolerance, to promote colorless adoption. We want to shine the light on the colorblindness of adoption and that race, culture or creed should not matter, it is all about giving love. TARGET AUDIENCE The target audience will be global consumers, men and women between the ages of 18 and 44, because according to J. Jones, PhD. with the National Center of Health Statistics, â€Å"†¦ about 2 percent of the adult population aged 18-44, or nearly 2 million persons, [have] adopted children (4). More than twice the percentage of men (2.3) had adopted a child compared with women (1.1). These percentages represent approximately 1.3 million men and 613,000 women. Higher percentages of people over age 30, who are currently or formerly married, who have given birth or fathered a child, or who have ever used infertility services have adopted children compared with people who are aged 18-29, never married, without biological children, or who have never used infertility services†. This audience was chosen because it represents the majority of the American adopting population and also follows the demographic of Benetton shoppers. Develop a model for the advertisement strategy you will use and briefly discuss each stage of the model. â€Å"Most adoption companies use an advertisement strategy that employs marketing techniques like advertising in local or national magazines. They may write articles, place personal ads or use advertorials in magazines† (Adoption Marketing, n.d.). â€Å"An advertorial is an advertisement in the form of an editorial† (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.). This method is used because when used in printed publications, the advertisement is usually written in the form of an objective article and designed to look like a legitimate and independent news story. This method has gotten much attention for adoptions, but can be very costly. Other methods that are generally used for marketing adoption are running ads in newspapers or in the Yellow Pages. Because most adoption agencies are non-profit, a non-profit business cannot spend a whole lot of money on marketing. Even though some of these methods are inexpensive, these traditional methods are not very effective and really cost adoption agencies more money than the results, they receive. The reason for such poor results if the fact that newspaper and telephone book use are in decline. Personal ads though, are still somewhat effective. For these reasons, Benetton has decided to support this cause and use their bold, controversial ad campaign and social media network tools, to draw attention to such a worthy cause. Benetton also likes to stir controversy and believes that through this campaign they can address that adoption should be colorblind. This is the reason for this particular image to be used. It is strong and quite an attention getter. We want to use marketing techniques to reach single, young men and women, as well as, couples. The marketing campaign will need to work well and be effective enough to reach singles and couples, who want a baby and are unable to have one or want to add to their existing families. Because this campaign is for a nonprofit, instead of selling a product, we will be trying to get people to take action. We must translate the concepts of for-profit marketing for financial reward to nonprofit marketing or â€Å"social marketing†. â€Å"Social marketing is defined as using marketing concepts and techniques to achieve specific behavioral goals for social good† (Miller, 2010). This researcher believes that a marketing plan really is a set of questions that once answered reveal the actual integrated marketing communications package. The marketing plan is a made up of topics and then the questions to address each topic. The elements of our marketing plan are as follows: 1. Marketing Goals – in this phase we define what we need to do or want to accomplish. As stated above, through Benetton’s bold ads and their existing social media network, our goal is to bring awareness to adoption and that giving love is colorblind and we will do this by targeting the global shopper. We need to make people aware of the ease of adoption and how adoption makes the world better for all parties involved. We have to examine our existing advertising network, to determine if this message a proper fit for our current methods of advertising. Will this message work in our in the current magazines, billboard network (buildings, Times Square, etc., in transit stations, on trains and buses), in our stores and within our established social media network, already in place; which has been used in our other social cause promotions? Should this campaign be just domestic or global and include our international advertisi ng? 2. Environmental Analysis – the conditions under which we will operate. During this stage, a SWOT analysis will be performed, to determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with matching adoption and the Benetton corporate image. Because we are operating within the framework of a retailer promoting their stores and products, as well as, this social cause, we will address each of the following conditions: a) What are the internal and external conditions under which this marketing program must operate? Internally, what is Benetton’s corporate governance policy and how have they handled their promotion of social causes in the past? Because much of Benetton’s social promotion has been so controversial, we will need to investigate this question carefully, because adoption involves children and is not strictly an adult issue. Also, are there any adverse corporate public relations issues of record which could arise, that would relate to the company supporting and endorsing adoption? Since Benetton is a global organization where will this promotion appear, in the United States, only or in international markets? Throughout our global market, what are the legal regulations and cultural differences regarding adoption,? Finally, what resources are available to promote this cause within the organization? Does Benetton already have resources in place to promote adoption or will there be the need for partnerships with others? If partnerships are necessary, which ones should be selected. b) What skills will we need to promote this cause and what ones do we have on staff now? c) What systems do we need in place for this IMC plan to succeed? Do we have the proper exposure and audience in place, to make the social media elements of the promotion successful? 3. Audience and Segmentation – Who must we reach and convince and what are their interests and values. (see Target Audience, p. 3 of this document). 4. Messaging – the specific message that will move the audience to action. The message is simple: Adopt!!! Love Is Colorblind. By showing the hand of a child of one race and the adult hand of another race, we wish to communicate that adopting any child is a great gift of love and race should not matter, racial tolerance. The message’s goal is to show that we can all love and share love with any child and make the world a better place, trough racial tolerance and coexistence. 5. Marketing Tactics – how will we deliver the messages? Because of the demographic of the Benetton shopper and the company’s past advertising for social causes, this researcher believes that that they have in place the distribution channels for this message. The methods selected are photographic ads in their current magazine relationships, open air billboards; and billboards in transit stations, on buses and trains and in their retail outlets. Benetton’s existing social media network channels will also be used as a part of this IMC mix. This will include the company website, an email banner and Twitter. 6. Budget and Staffing – the resources to implement the plan. In this phase, we outline the financial and staffing resources required to implement the plan. Questions that must be answered include: What will be the budget for this promotion? Do we have the skills, time, and talent on staff to produce this promotion? For this IMC program to succeed, do we have adequate knowledge about adoption, in house or do we need the support of partner? 7. Strategy Metrics – how will we measure progress against our goals? In a for-profit IMC program this is an extremely important step, but in promoting a social cause, this step is very different and very difficult to measure. Although we want more people to adopt, this is tangible. Getting people to look at others through colorblind eyes, becoming more loving and caring toward others and to increase racial tolerance, is not. Therefore, promoting this message and stirring up publicity and social consciousness about adoption, race issues and tolerance, are one way to measure the success of this social cause IMC program. Formulate an integrated marketing communications plan that communicates the message to the targeted groups. Within this plan, be sure to address: The technologies used along with expected benefits of each. How the message and goals will be promoted. The process of marketing occurs in five steps: Understanding the market and the company’s marketing strengths and weaknesses, developing a marketing strategy, building a marketing plan, implementing the plan, and monitoring the success of the plan. Now that we have formulated our integrated marketing communications plan, and identified our targeted group, we will address the technologies we intend to implement, as part of this IMC program. The technological methods we will use, will be the company website, an email banner and Twitter. The Internet offers innovative and cost effective methods for adoption marketing. Using the Benetton website, we will be able to focus on reaching more people, telling people what adopting means, to a child and to society as a whole. We will take the mystery out of the adoption process. An excellent method of using the website for social cause internet marketing is having a website blog chronicling true stories of happy events surrounding adoptio n, and the fact that this can be interactive and done in a matter of moments, will give Benetton an opportunity to gather consumer data. A good use of the email banner is pay-per-click advertising, this will lower the overall cost and give interested consumers a way to contact an actual adoption agency. It will give the agencies more traffic to their websites and help increase greater awareness. The use of Twitter to promote this cause, is an excellent choice, because the Benetton customer is young, international and upwardly mobile. Benetton has a reputation for being modern, young and on the edge, so this is a perfect fit. Twitter is mobile and â€Å"gives [the user] the ability to share 140-character thoughts in a split second, [Benetton] can easily share links to PR releases, [adoption success stories, positive race messages] and stories about [their] business†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lacey, 2010). Twitter can also be used to branch out into other social causes, keeping an eye on trending topics and using it to tweet, about more than just Benetton business. â€Å"Twitter gives [Benetton] the ability to take a single thought [or cause] and share it with millions of people. And [their] customer evangelists can spread [their] message, as well as their opinions about [the] company’s greatness to as many people as possible† (Lacy, 2010). Since Benetton has such a reputation for their involvement in social causes, this element of the IMC, is a perfect fit for the company and the cause. In fact, all three of these technologies fit perfectly with the Benetton consumer demographic and the company’s corporate image and culture. They will be effective, not only to bring attention to this campaign on adoption, but will work well with future social cause promotions. These internet marketing methods will even include search engine optimization, viral marketing and article marketing as well. Decipher and select at least two (2) types of individuals, groups, companies, etc., that you reach out to gain support for the campaign. Be sure to discuss the expected benefits that accompany each external partner you identified. Benetton wants to enhance its reputation and drive sales; and the nonprofit cause wishes to generate awareness of their mission. In this promotion we are drawing awareness to the Benetton brand, adoption and race tolerance. The first group that we will reach out to partner with and gain support for the campaign; will be adoption agencies and orphanages. Benetton has the brand name and the reputation that will get the public’s attention. They want to use and share this with the cause to promote adoption. This a great combination but, the company lacks the knowledge on adoption regulations, laws and the process. Adoption agencies and orphanages have this expertise. An adoption agency or orphanage must be well-versed in laws and regulations regarding adoption, because this industry is so strongly regulated. Each country and even within a country, each state may have a different set of rules, regulation and laws to follow. Adoption agencies and orphanages are also heavily licensed. Because of the stringent regulating and the involvement of children it is necessary to have a partner with this knowledge, to be successful in promoting this cause. For this reason, these organizations are obvious choices to be major partners in this ad campaign. To support the â€Å"colorblindness†/racial tolerance piece of this campaign, Benetton will partner with The Southern Poverty Law Center. This partner was selected because this organization â€Å"is a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society†(Who We Are, 2012). The Southern Poverty Law Center was founded by civil rights lawyers Morris Dees and Joseph Levin Jr. and is internationally known for tracking and exposing the activities of hate groups. This partnership was selected because of the organization’s international reputation and their dedication to fighting race bigotry. Also, their attention to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society, one of which is children. They were also selected because they have a specific program aimed toward children of the world, which distributes, free of charge, documentary films, books, lesson plans and other mat erials that promote racial tolerance and respect. Once this IMC plan is implemented with these partners, Benetton will not only have a successful campaign on adoption and racial tolerance but, this IMC foundation can be used for future social cause promotions. References Adoption Marketing | Advertising Strategies for Agencies Childrens Homes. (n.d.). Search Engine Positioning | Advertising, Marketing Optimization. Retrieved December 9, 2012, from http://www.customermagnetism.com/adoption-marketing/ Advertorial Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (n.d.). Dictionary and Thesaurus Merriam-Webster Online. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/advertorial Jones J. (2009). Who adopts? Characteristics of women and men who have adopted children. NCHS data brief, no 12. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Lacy, K. (2011). Twitter marketing. (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Pub.. Miller, K. (2010). The nonprofit marketing guide: high-impact, low-cost ways to build support for your good cause. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Who We Are | Southern Poverty Law Center. (n.d.). Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved December 17, 2012, from http://www.splcenter.org/who-we-are

Environment and Economy of Kuwait :: Geography

Environment and Economy of Kuwait Kuwait is not self-sufficient in agriculture but the country will be in the future. Its production of cereals, vegetables and fruit grown in the oasis of Jahra and scattered smallholdings is not sufficient for the population's needs, due to limitations of water supply, fertile soil, climate and manpower. Much of its food needs to be imported but government investment and the work of the Kuwait Experimental farm have led to improvements whereby existing resources are more efficiently utilized. Kuwait is a small arid desert land of about 6200 square miles. There is virtually no natural source of fresh water. Climatic conditions entail occasional high winds and dust storms, little or no rainfall, and summer temperatures as high as 120Ã ¸F. "Consequently, arable land amounts to less than 9% of total acreage."1 Soil deficiencies and the intense heat and sunlight allow continued cultivation only by expensive underground pipe-fed irrigation or by hydroponics. Ordinary irrigation under these conditions results in gradually increasing soil salinity. this phenomenon has been the cause of the estimated 1% annual decrease in arable land for the region as a whole. Hence, development of traditional agriculture is severely restricted. Kuwaitis are under no illusion that self-sufficiency will take less than 20 to 30 years to attain and even then it cannot include such items as beef and cereals. For Kuwait cereal production is considered too expensive and unnecessary. Self-sufficiency in poultry, vegetables and fruit is a visible goal: already Kuwait produces 60% of the eggs it needs, 40% of the poultry meat and 100% of the tomatoes. The next emphasis is likely to be on dairy farming and animal husbandry to increase the 25% of the required milk supplies that is produced in the country. The Kuwaitis are very conscious of the fact that urban growth and the hunting of animals which used to live in the desert has meant the virtual extinction of wildlife. Kuwait is importing from many countries animals such as cows, chickens and sheep. In view of Kuwait's extremely unpromising natural environment which was made even worse after the Persian Gulf War, the key to all its hopes for self-sufficiency lies in research and experiments. Their experimental farm research farm:Omariya, the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research and the Kuwait Fund for the Advancement of Sciences are engaged in a variety of projects concerned with the hybridization of plants, animal breeding, the increase of yields in desert conditions, the treatment of brackish water and effluent water, irrigation methods, etc.

Brain Development

The human brain is considered as the most important and complex part of the body consisting of about 180 billion cells (Kolb and Whishaw 84). Of those 180 billion cells, 60 billion neurons are actively involved in thought processing, and each of these may synapses with as many as 15,000 neighboring neurons. Because of this complexity, for many years researchers in neuroscience have been hesitant to take on the difficult task of explaining the intricacies of the human brain. Prenatal Development The brain is among the first body parts to specialize and function in the embryo.It originates as a flat sheet of cells on the upper surface, called the neural plate. The brain begins to develop between the second and third week after fertilization and continue to develop rapidly throughout gestation (Spear 406-407). At 3 weeks of embryonic development, a tube appears along the back of the embryo. This is the neural tube, from which the entire nervous system develops. At the top of the tube, t hree bulges develop to form the three main divisions of the brain- the forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain, and, behind them, the spinal cord.By the time the embryo is 13 mm (y in) in length the three swellings have become five, as the forebrain itself separates into the region to become the cerebral hemispheres and below this the diencephalons. The swellings are so large that to accommodate them the tube must begin to kink. At 7 weeks, the parts of the developing neural tube initially form a straight line, but the tube soon bends so that the forebrain and hindbrain are at right angles to each other.The hindbrain develops rapidly at this stage and begins to sprout a series of nerves (cranial nerves). The forebrain also begins to enlarge, forming two bulges. These will become the large, folded cerebrum and underlying structures, such as the thalamus. At 11 weeks, most features of the adult brain appear in rudimentary form. The hindbrain differentiates into the cerebellum (larg ely concerned with balance and coordination) and the pons and medulla (which control vital functions such as breathing and heartbeat).Meanwhile, the forebrain continues to grow, and the bulk of it – the cerebrum – begins to overlap the underlying structures. By the fifth month, the wrinkles on the cortical surface of the cerebrum have appeared, and simple but recognizable EEG patterns have developed. Once the tube has been closed off, the cells within it divide, going through a number of precursor stages before their daughters eventually differentiate to give rise to the populations of neurons and glia that will form the adult brain.The rate of cell proliferation is extraordinary: an average of more than 250,000 neurons per minute must be formed during the nine months of pregnancy—a rate dramatically surpassed by that of synapse formation: More than 30,000 synapses must be formed per second under every square centimeters of cortex to generate the complement pres ent in the early post-natal period. During pregnancy the fetal brain grows dramatically in size and complexity, and the neurons and glia which constitute it must find their appropriate positions and make their ordered connections, for instance within the six layers of the cerebral cortex.Because the cells are generated from a single initial sheet, it is necessary for them to migrate considerable distances to their final location. The cerebral hemispheres develop from the front portion of the neural tube, and, as their progenitor cells are formed, by the fifth week of pregnancy, the wall of the tube bulges to form the cerebral vesicles. Over the next hundred days, cells close to the ventricle are destined to give rise to the neurons which will form the cortex, while the glia are born in a second layer slightly further from the ventricles.The newborn neurons migrate from the ventricular zone towards the surface of the cerebral vesicles, where they meet axons growing in from the region of the developing brainstem, through which the later-born neurons must migrate. Before birth, massive enlargement of the cerebrum continues. Its most impressive development occurs in the cerebral cortex (the outer layers of the cerebrum) – the site of all higher conscious activity. At birth, the cerebrum makes up the bulk of the brain (The American Medical Association 12-13).Hence, by the time of birth, virtually all of the approximately 100 billion neurons in the human brain already are present (Cowan 113-115). Infancy But even this phenomenal rate of development may be an understatement (Clarke 345). Further Myers stated that in humans, though the brain tissue from the cerebral cortex has increased in complexity of the neural networks, the number of nerve cells don’t increase, but their interconnections do (63) Research in animals indicates that early in development, about twice as many neurons are produced than will be present in the adult brain.In addition, many n eurons initially grow axons that connect to the wrong targets. During the normal course of development, the excess neurons die and the inappropriate connections degenerate, leaving the appropriate connections in place (Cowan, Fawcett, OLeary, and Stanfield 1258-1260). Scientists believe that this overproduction and, later, death of neurons and their connections is an important mechanism for forming and fine-tuning the developing nervous system. The brain is not completely developed even in full-term newborn infants.A great deal of brain development takes place in the first few months of postnatal life; and, in fact, brain growth continues at least until adolescence (Benjamin, Hopkins, and Nation 313). They further added at birth, the human brain is immature: The neural networks that enable infants to walk, talk, and remember are still forming. This helps explain why infants’ memories do not predate during their third or fourth birthdays. In infancy, the brain also grows rapid ly specifically during the first two years after birth (Spear 170).Unlike all other cells in the body, however, the neurons are not usually replaced when they die, and from early infancy onwards there is indeed a small but steady loss of neurons. The growth is accounted for by increases in the number of glial cells, but above all in the massive development of dendritic processes and synaptic connections, as the brain â€Å"wires itself up† in a spectacular interplay of epigenetic specificity and experience-dependent plasticity—that is, the way that neural pathways are modified as a result of experience and most notably, learning and memory.Although all of a person’s neurons are present at birth, the number and complexity of the connections among neurons increase substantially after birth (Parmelee and Sigman 2:95-98), and this increase is partly responsible for the growth in brain size. Thus, both the increased neural connections and the development of myelin af ter birth make possible more and more complex behavior and thought as the child grows. In some areas of the brain, these developmental changes continue until adolescence (Yakovieve & Lecours 5-7).The human brain, and its functions, thus develop at first rapidly and then more steadily over the first few years of infancy, across puberty, and even into late adolescence. Works Cited Benjamin, Ludy, Hopkins, Roy, and Jack Nation. Psychology. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1997. Clarke, P. G. H. Neuronal Death in the development of the vertebrate nervous system. Trends in Neuroscience. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1995. Cowan,W. M. â€Å"The development of the brain†. Scientific America,241(1989):113-120. Cown,W. M. ,Fawcett,. j. w. , O`Leary,. D.D. M. ,& Stanfield,B. B. â€Å"Regressive Events in Neurogenesis†. Science,225(1991):1258-1260. Clayman,C. B. ,M. D. â€Å"The Brain and Nervous System. † The American Medical Association. 2nd ed. 199 7. Kolb,B. , AND Whishaw,I. O. Fundamentals of human neuropsychology. New York: Freeman,1995. Parmelee,A. H. , and Sigman,M. D. Prenatal brain development and behavior. In P. H. Mussen (Ed). Handbook of Child Psychology,Vol II. Infancy and development psychology. New York: John Wiley &Sons, 1984. Spear, Peter D. Psychology: perspective on behavior, New York: John Wiley &Sons, 1998.

What Is the Renaissance in Architecture

The Renaissance describes an era from roughly 1400 to 1600 AD when art and architectural design returned to the Classical ideas of ancient Greece and Rome. In large part, it was a movement spurred on by the advances in printing by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440. The wider dissemination of Classical works, from the ancient Roman poet Virgil to the Roman architect Vitruvius, created a renewed interest in the Classics and a humanist way of thinking that broke with long-standing medieval notions. This age of awakening in Italy and northern Europe became known as the Renaissance, which means born anew in French. The Renaissance in European history left behind the Gothic era; it was a new way for writers, artists, and architects to look at the world after the Middle Ages. In Britain, it was the time of William Shakespeare, a writer who seemed to be interested in everything; art, love, history, and tragedy. In Italy, the Renaissance flourished with artists of innumerable talents. Before the dawn of the Renaissance (often pronounced REN-ah-zahns), Europe was dominated by asymmetrical and ornate Gothic architecture. During the Renaissance, however, architects were inspired by the highly symmetrical and carefully proportioned buildings of Classical Greece and Rome. Features of Renaissance Buildings The influence of Renaissance architecture is still felt today in a more contemporary home. Consider that the common Palladian window originated in Italy during the Renaissance. Other characteristic features of the eras architecture include: Symmetrical arrangement of windows and doorsExtensive use of columns of the Classical orders and pilastersTriangular pedimentsSquare lintelsArchesDomesNiches with sculptures Phases of Renaissance Architecture Artists in northern Italy were exploring new ideas for centuries before the period we call the Renaissance. However, the 1400s and 1500s brought an explosion of talent and innovation. Florence, Italy is often considered the center of the Early Italian Renaissance. During the early 1400s, the painter and architect Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) designed the great Duomo (cathedral) dome in Florence (c. 1436), so innovative in design and construction that even today its called Brunelleschis Dome. The Ospedale degli Innocenti (c. 1445), a childrens hospital also in Florence, Italy, was one of Brunelleschis first designs. Brunelleschi also rediscovered the principles of linear perspective, which the more refined Leon Battista Alberti (1404 to 1472) examined further and documented. Alberti, as a writer, architect, philosopher, and poet, became known as the true Renaissance Man of many skills and interests. His design of the Palazzo Rucellai (c. 1450) is said to be truly divorced from the medieval style, and could finally be considered quintessentially Renaissance: Albertis books on painting and architecture are considered classics to this day. What is called the High Renaissance was dominated by the works of Leonardo da Vinci (1452 to 1519) and the young upstart Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 to 1564). These artists built on the works of those who came before them, extending a classical brilliance that is admired to this day. Leonardo, famous for his paintings of The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa, continued the tradition of what we call the Renaissance Man. His notebooks of inventions and geometrical sketches, including the Vitruvian Man, remain iconic. As an urban planner, like the ancient Romans before him, da Vinci spent his last years in France, planning a Utopian city for the King. During the 1500s, the great Renaissance master, the radical Michelangelo Buonarroti, painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and designed the dome for St. Peters Basilica in the Vatican. Michelangelos most recognizable sculptures are arguably the Pieta and the grand 17-foot marble statue of David. The Renaissance in Europe was a time when art and architecture were inseparable and the skills and talents of a single man could change the course of culture. Often talents worked together under Papal direction. Lasting Influences of Renaissance Architects A Classical approach to architecture spread through Europe, thanks to books by two important Renaissance architects. Originally printed in 1562, the Canon of the Five Orders of Architecture by Giacomo da Vignola (1507 to 1573) was a practical textbook for the 16th-century builder. It was a how-to pictorial description for building with different types of Greek and Roman columns. As an architect Vignola had a hand in St. Peters Basilica and the Palazzo Farnese in Rome, Villa Farnese, and other large country estates for the Catholic elite of Rome. Like other Renaissance architects of his time, Vignola designed with balusters, which became known as banisters in the 20th and 21st centuries. Andrea Palladio (1508 to 1580) may have been even more influential than Vignola.  Originally published in 1570, The Four Books of Architecture by Palladio not only described the five Classical Orders, but also showed with floor plans and elevation drawings how to apply the Classical elements to houses, bridges, and basilicas. In the fourth book, Palladio examines real Roman temples; local architecture like the Pantheon in Rome was deconstructed and illustrated in what continues to be a textbook of Classical design. Andrea Palladios architecture from the 1500s still stands as some of the finest examples of Renaissance design and construction. Palladios Redentore and San Giorigo Maggiore in Venice, Italy are not the Gothic sacred places of the past, but with columns, domes, and pediments they are reminiscent of Classical architecture. With the Basilica in Vicenza, Palladio transformed the Gothic remains of one building into what became a template for the Palladian window we know toda y. La Rotonda (Villa Capra) shown on this page, with its columns and symmetry and dome, became a template in years to come for a new Classical or neo-classical architecture worldwide. As Renaissance approaches to building spread to France, Spain, Holland, Germany, Russia, and England, each country incorporated its own building traditions and created its own version of Classicism. By the 1600s, architectural design took another turn as ornate Baroque styles emerged and came to dominate Europe. Long after the Renaissance period ended, however, architects were inspired by Renaissance ideas. Thomas Jefferson was influenced by Palladio and modeled his own home at Monticello on Palladios La Rotonda. At the turn of the twentieth century, American architects like Richard Morris Hunt designed grand style homes that resembled palaces and villas from Renaissance Italy. The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island may look like a Renaissance cottage, but as it was built in 1895 it is Renaissance Revival. If the Renaissance of Classical designs had not happened in the 15th and 16th centuries, would we know anything of ancient Greek and Roman architecture? Maybe, but the Renaissance sure makes it easier.