source material for
ARMILLA: The Parts
I began my research into
armilla by looking at the
original description of
the city created by Italo
Calvino. I then picked out
key descriptions that I
wanted to focus on in my
interpretation of the city.
of Importance
‘Whether Armilla is like this because it is unfinished or because it has been demolished,
whether the cause is some enchantment or only a whim, I do not know. The fact remains
that it has no walls, no ceilings, no floors: it has nothing that makes it seem a city except the
water pipes that rise vertically where the houses should be and spread out horizontally
where the floors should be: a forest of pipes that end in taps, showers, spouts, overflows.
Against the sky a lavabo's white stands out, or a bathtub, or some other porcelain, like late
fruit still hanging from the boughs. You would think that the plumbers had finished their job
and gone away before the bricklayers arrived; or else their hydraulic systems, indestructible,
had survived a catastrophe, an earthquake, or the corrosion of termites.
Abandoned before or after it was inhabited, Armilla cannot be called deserted. At any hour,
raising your eyes among the pipes, you are likely to glimpse a young woman, or many
young women, slender, not tall of stature, luxuriating in the bathtubs or arching their
backs under the showers suspended in the void, washing or drying or perfuming themselves,
or combing their long hair at a mirror. In the sun, the threads of water fanning from the
showers glisten, the jets of the taps, the spurts, the splashes, the sponges' suds.
I have come to this explanation: the streams of water channeled in the pipes of Armilla have
remained in the possession of nymphs and naiads. Accustomed to traveling along
underground veins, they found it easy to enter the new aquatic realm, to burst from
multiple fountains, to find new mirrors, new games, new ways of enjoying the water.
Their invasion may have driven out the human beings, or Armilla may have been built by
humans as a votive offering to win the favour of the nymphs, offended at the misuse of the
waters. In any case, now they seem content, these maidens: in the morning you hear them
singing.’
ARMILLA: Nymphs Research
As nymphs populate the entirety of Armilla I decided to research into them to get an idea of what sort of
personality's would inhabit Armilla.
Nymphs derive from Greek mythology, they are nature spirits representing as typically young ‘beautiful’
women. Nymphs can be divided into various different types such as:
• Acheloids (from the river Achelous)
• Alseids (groves)
• Dryads (forests) • Meliads (ash trees)
• Hamadryads (trees) • Naiads (springs and rivers)
• Hydriads (water) • Napaea (valleys)
• Leimoniads (meadows) • Nereid (the Mediterranean)
• Oceanids (the sea)
So I think it would be suitable to • Oreads (mountains)
focus mainly on the water nymphs,
such as Hydraids, Naiads, and
Oceanids as Armilla centres around
that theme.
‘Italy had native divinities of springs
and streams and water goddesses
(called Lymphae) with whom the
Greek nymphs tended to become
identified.’ - The Editors of Encyclopaedia
Britannica, some could argue that
Calvino got his inspiration for the
inhabitants due to this (as the cities were
inspired by Italy).
ARMILLA: architecture Research
As Nymphs and Naiads derived from Greek mythology, I believe it best suited that the architecture of the city (although made from
pipes) has a similar look to the ancient Greek architecture as this is what may have been used during the myths of the nymphs.
Greek Architecture consists of structures such as temples, which were there to honour divinities, a prime example of this being the
Parthenon.
However, after looking at the different types of temples. I found that are temples are determined on how the columns within the
temple are set. I decided that a ‘tholos’ staged temple would best suit my city as it is circular similar to a pipe, with its round design.
The Greeks developed three architectural systems, called orders, each with their own distinctive proportions and detailing. The Greek
orders are: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian (http://www.ancientgreece.com) The Doric design was very simplistic and plain, the Ionic is
very elegant and thin detailed with curved shapes on the end, while the Corinthian design is very extravagant with lots of detail and
elaborate leaves. Along with this I learnt that Greeks like to include lots of patterns within
their architectural designs such as the meander.
The meander is one of the most basic linear patterns created. The pattern contains a
continuous line that repeats itself by folding back on its design. mimicking the ancient
Maeander River of Asia Minor with its many twists and turns. Homer mentions the river in The
Iliad, and it is believed that the meander motif symbolises infinity or the eternal flow of things.
(Elizabeth Mayhew)

As well as looking at Greek

architecture I also decided to look at
general buildings that were made
up of wire to get an idea of how a
building made out of just pipes may
look, as the building would be
almost hollow.
The Parthenon
ARMILLA: Atlantis Research
I then decided to look into Atlantis. Plato once wrote about a myth known as
Atlantis which was city submerged in water holding treasures of gold and silver.
Through time different interpretations of the city have been created.
I feel that by looking into these various
interpretations I can then gather
inspiration to visualise a city that consists
of water. Although Armilla may not be
underwater itself, the city still contains
areas that would include sea creatures
swimming through the various buildings
and structures, which in its self is an
interesting concept.
ARMILLA: Garden of Eden Research
I’ve also decided to base Armilla on the Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden is a
paradise in which God created for the first human beings to inhabit. I think this really
relates to idea of Armilla, as I view Armilla as more of a eutopia, a place where Nymphs
can just enjoy their surroundings, and just live in piece and harmony. Similar to how the
Garden of Eden was interpreted as a paradise for Adam and Eve (the first humans) to
explore Gods new wonderful creations such as nature and wildlife.
ARMILLA: Interior influence

For my interior piece, I decided I would show

the ‘Underwater’ of Armilla drawing inspiration
from London’s Underground. However, I wanted
it to consist of plants, and wildlife etc as
Nymphs not only surround themselves with
natural elements but also attract wildlife etc.
ARMILLA: Exterior influence

For the exterior influence, I really wanted to

focus on the different elements that would
be possibly seen within the city, for example
rainbows and suds will be seen due to the
mass amount of water, reflections etc.
ARMILLA: Style Influence
For the art style influence I looked to various concept art from
Disney's Peter Pan (1953), Disney’s Little Mermaid (1989)
background art, Disney’s Hercules (1997) background art,
Disney’s Tangled: The Series (2017-present) backgrounds, and
finally God’s School web series by Gaylord Cuvillier Libessart.
(which can be seen here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6FXRdC_UjQ ).
I noticed similar colours used within each piece of
art, which are usually colder tones such as, blues,
greens and purples, with hints of yellow for light
sources. This helps give me an idea of the sort of
colours, contrasts and styles I want to create within
Armillas concept pieces.
ARMILLA: Links To Research
Nymphs
http://www.theoi.com/Nymphe/Naiades.html
https://www.britannica.com/topic/nymph-Greek-mythology
https://www.thoughtco.com/nymphs-in-greek-mythology-118497

Atlantis
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology-and-
history/archaeology/atlantis/
Architecture
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-
art/beginners-guide-greece/a/introduction-to-greek-architecture
http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/Art/
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/design/ancient-greek-key-pattern-
motif-interior-design-older-meander-river-a8287076.html
http://blogs.iac.gatech.edu/yadystopia2017/2017/01/23/utopia-or-eutopia/

The Garden of Eden

https://www.ancient.eu/Garden_of_Eden/