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—quadrangled, adj./kwod"rang'geuhl/, n.1. a plane figure having four angles and four sides, as a square.2. a square or quadrangular space or court that is surrounded by a building or buildings, as on a college campus.3. the building or buildings around such a space or court.4. the area shown on one of the standard topographic map sheets published by the U.S. Geological Survey: approximately 17 mi. (27 km) north to south and from 11 to 15 mi. (17 to 24 km) east to west.[1400-50; late ME < LL quadrangulum, n. use of neut. of L quadrangulus, quadriangulus four-cornered. See QUADR-, ANGLE]
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Rectangular open space completely or partially enclosed by buildings of an academic or civic character.The grounds of a quadrangle are often grassy or landscaped. Such an area, intended as an environment for contemplation, study, or relaxation, was a feature of monastic establishments and the colleges that evolved from them. The quadrangular layout at New College in Oxford University (completed 1386), with its partially connected buildings, was enormously influential in subsequent collegiate building.* * *
in architecture, rectangular open space completely or partially enclosed by buildings of an academic or civic character. The grounds of a quadrangle are often grassy or landscaped. Such a quadrangular area, intended as an environment for contemplation, study, or relaxation, was a feature of monastic establishments and thus of the colleges that evolved from them. The term is also used to describe the building or building complex that contains a quadrangular area.The most celebrated quadrangles, extensively imitated in university and college architecture in English-speaking countries, are those of Oxford and Cambridge, in Great Britain. The buildings of New College, Oxford (1380–86), are connected to form a unified mass. This layout was enormously influential in subsequent collegiate building. One of the best-known quadrangles is that of Gonville and Caius, Cambridge (begun 1565), built by John Caius (Caius, John) partly to display the new Renaissance architecture he had seen while journeying in Italy. He created an allegorical “progress” in the quadrangle: one passed in succession through the Gate of Humility, the Gate of Virtue, and finally the Gate of Honour, which led toward the schools, where degrees are conferred.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
