An Abridgment of the Architecture of Vitruvius Containing a System of the Whole Works of that Author

This clear‑sounding guide condenses the ancient Roman master’s twelve‑book treatise into a single, easy‑to‑follow narrative. It opens with a practical inventory of materials—stone, brick, a dozen woods, lime and sand—then walks the listener through the basics of foundations, wall construction, flooring and roofing, all illustrated by finely engraved copper plates. The early sections also lay out the eleven disciplines an architect was expected to master, from geometry and arithmetic to law and music, giving a vivid sense of the breadth of knowledge valued in classical building practice.

The work is organized around the three timeless pillars Vitruvius identified: solidity, convenience and beauty. Listeners will hear detailed explanations of how to choose a site, arrange rooms for their intended uses, and achieve harmonious proportions through the classic orders and five “genders” of column spacing. By the end of the first act, the listener gains a solid grounding in the principles that still inform modern design, presented in a friendly, scholarly voice that brings centuries‑old wisdom to life.