Vitruvius

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio was a Roman architect and engineer whose treatise 'De architectura' is the foundation of Western architectural theory. He established the principles of 'firmitas, utilitas, and venustas'strength, utility, and beautywhich remain the benchmark for architectural quality. His work on the proportions of the human body, famously illustrated by Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, has influenced centuries of design. While his specific buildings are largely lost, his theoretical framework is the bedrock of the profession.