The architectural orders’ parametric representation for the conservation, restoration and diagnosis

The Architectural Orders have always occupied a key role in architectural doctrine. During the Renaissance, after the rediscovery of the Vitruvian text, all of the most famous architects gave their own interpretation about the Orders composition and proportion. Via a careful analysis of some of the main Orders treaties, especially the works of Vitruvius, Alberti, Vignola and Palladio, it was necessary to determine a unified interpretation of the Orders genesis and to create a digital single model that could be declinable in various versions. By the most advanced digital techniques, it was possible generating a representative algorithm as basic structure that could be modified using different parameters. Therefore, the Classical Order can be analyzed studying the geometry and the measures, then the symmetry in the classical meaning of proportion relations. The results achieved are aimed to improve both measurements and knowledge, they are also important due to the direct comparison between authors. The algorithms may also support accurate representations and interpretation of the actual artifacts shape, allowing us to hypothesize the author's style by comparing it with the classical manuals and, in case of restoration, to operate in a consistent way. The applications of the results are many and open to the field of virtual reconstructions that could be very useful for the archaeological study: the theme could be extended to the constructional and architectural rules of classical offices, to create possible digital versions of classic building from the remains.