How did medieval architecture influence Francesco Borromini’s designs?

Francesco Borromini’s designs were significantly influenced by medieval architecture, a connection that set him apart during an era that largely rejected medieval culture as corrupt. His approach to design, which he likely learned in Lombardy through building procedures handed down through generations, relied on geometric configurations and subunits rather than the anthropometric proportions of the human body favored by his contemporaries.1

Specific elements of Borromini’s work that originated in the medieval experience include:

• Structural and spatial techniques: His tendency toward the annulment of the wall, the use of structural ribwork to strengthen vaults, and the recognition that light could serve as a major compositional element.1
• Geometric methodology: His practice of establishing a primary geometric figure for a building or room and articulating it through smaller geometric subunits.1
• Decorative motifs: The integration of specific decorative elements derived from medieval traditions.1

By incorporating these historical roots, Borromini challenged the architectural inheritance of his time, treating space and light as primary architectonic components rather than merely following the orthodox interpretations of antiquity.12