The city of Venice is built on layers of wood and sand over a lagoon. This unique situation limited and influenced the architecture; buildings could not be overly heavy and since travel was done via canals most buildings were long and narrow. For maximum light (and lightness) the Byzantine and Gothic style of the Ca d'Oro (1422) was desirable. The large openings let sunlight flood in and kept the weight down. Venetian architecture of this time had been influenced by trade with the East, some examples here are the use of quatrefoil shapes and tracery, crenellated cornices, and the disinterest in symmetry. As we saw some color in Verona, Venice also uses colored marble: for example light green and pinks.
Palazzo Grimani was designed by Sanmicheli, construction began in 1556 in Venice. Comparing this to the Ca d'Oro, the shift toward Renaissance architecture become noticeable. There is now an interest in symmetry, although this would effect the interior. Since the buildings are long and narrow, lighting is an important consideration. This new style, with its proportions and filled in facade, was not ideal for the facilitation of light. Some other details include:
- ground floor pilasters
- identical top two stories
- rhythmic columns designating main windows
- maintenance of decorative elements
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