S. Maria Novella, Florence, 1279-1310

• Dominican order
• similar to Cistercian plan
• square plan, 4 square chapels

Interior

• plain walls, simple, polychrome and stained glass but no elaborate sculptures
• ribbed, domed vaults to minimize lateral thrust, no need for flying buttresses, support system is concealed under aisle roof
• narrow and open between aisles and nave, making it bright and airy
• good for preaching to congregation, smaller scale church

Windows

• aisle windows are small and punch-out style
• clerestory windows are small and circular
• no need for huge windows in this area
• 3 stained glass windows in the choir

SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Venice, 1333-1430

• Dominican Order
• finished late... into the start of the Renaissance
• dome vaults over square bay, similar to s. Maria Novella
• minimized building weight, foundation wooded, built with b rick, wooden vaults, and stone ribbs for support

Interior

• transverse arches, rinns
• tie-rods
• small circular windows in clerestory
• minimalist rose window
• minimal decoration
• choir built in 1390, polygonal aspe w/ 3 tiers of windows that start at the floor and reach cieling, emphasis on vertical, hierarchy - brightest space 

Milan Cathedral, 1387-1572

• largest, most ambitious italian gothic church
• no flying buttresses
• emphasis on the vertical
• lots of sculpture and elaborate decoration
• 5 part entrance
• front motif wraps all the way around cathedral,not just a western front
• high nave (157') that steps down
• shallow transept
• ambulatory
• square aisle bays (squares considered perfect and used only in important places
• domed vaults in aisles, reinforced with tie-rods
• interior lacks openness, dark
• small clerestory windows
• tiered down aisles
• elaborate floortiles, super intricate exterior

Master Builder Controvery

• Simone Orsengo was orig. master builder
• second guessed 2 years after start, project reassigned to a new builder twice
• Gabe Stornoloco's idea used, nave 3x height of outermost aisle (triangular)
• consultation continued forover a decade and was recorded