Pharos - Rational design in Hellenistic architecture

The transition from “Greek” ashlar masonry to “Roman” brick and concrete construction constitutes a momentous step in architectural history, entailing shifts in aesthetic ideals, spatial concepts and building economy. The results of this revolution have been described in previous research, but it is less clear how and why it came about. This project will address aspects of architectural evolution from the perspectives of rational design and diffusion of innovation, focusing on the Hellenistic and Augustan periods.