ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the architectural setting of the illusionistic pergolas, porticoes, and loggias. It discusses etymology and usage, ambiguity between inside and outside, intersection between architecture and garden, the tectonic and the organic, various cultural traditions (classical, medieval, and early Renaissance), aristocratic identity, and the ideology of views and visibility to achieve a broad understanding of these in-between spaces. Examination of terminology reveals an interesting intersection between the architectonic feature, portico/loggia, and the garden structure, pergola. The pergula could be a space used for various purposes, for mercantile activity, such as banker's or money-exchanger's shops, and for artists' studios and showrooms, classrooms for young pupils, or dining spaces in front of an inn. Loggias with painted decoration evocative of the outdoors would become a popular feature in aristocratic residential architecture.
