What was Francesco Borromini’s first independent architectural commission?

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Francesco Borromini’s first independent architectural commission was the church and monastery of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane in Rome, which he began in 1638.1

Following his appointment as university architect in 1632, Borromini sought to establish himself as an independent practitioner. The design for San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane was considered an extraordinary challenge to tradition, featuring an unusual floor plan based on geometric figures rather than the human body, which was the standard approach of his contemporaries. The small church, which was no larger than the dimensions of a single pier at St. Peter’s, gained significant fame throughout Europe for its innovative use of undulating walls and an oval dome.12