ABSTRACT
A convent consists of both the community and the structures built for it. As the setting for daily life, work, and the divine office, the architecture of an individual convent is an important expression of the community’s goals. This chapter argues that San Domenico’s location is a reflection of Chiara Gambacorta’s family network, while the architecture of the convent-which is unusual among major Pisan institutions-is an expression of the community’s allegiance to the ideals of Dominican observance. The major issue of how to build to preserve cloister was addressed at the outset by this community, which had deliberately chosen a strict interpretation of enclosure. The solution to the problem the nuns of San Domenico chose became the preferred building plan for post-Tridentine convents.
