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Why did Francesco Borromini study ancient Roman architecture even though he rejected copying it?

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Rome: Piazza Navona — Francesco Borromini Piazza Navona, Rome, with the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, designed by Francesco Borromini, and (foreground) the Fountain of the Moor, originally designed by Giacomo della Porta and revised by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Francesco Borromini studied ancient Roman architecture extensively, yet he rejected the role of a mere "copyist." His approach was driven by the belief that it was possible to use the achievements of antiquity as a foundation to progress beyond them, a philosophy he shared with Michelangelo.1

Rather than following orthodox compositional motifs, Borromini used his critical study of the ancient world to inform his own novel and "marvelous" interpretations. He specifically drew inspiration from Roman structural achievements—such as their brickwork and the use of bevelled corners for vault supports—and looked to unconventional examples like Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli for creative direction. By treating antiquity and nature as points of departure rather than rigid rules, he was able to respond to the past with greater freedom, employing only those elements that suited his radical, geometric architectural vision.1