Final answer:
The church of Sant'Andrea, designed by Alberti in Mantua, skillfully integrates a central plan church design with classical elements, including a large interior barrel vault and a façade displaying monumental arches and pilasters, reminiscent of Roman architecture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alberti's work on the church of Sant'Andrea in Mantua represents a significant architectural contribution to Renaissance buildings, blending the central plan church design with classical elements.
The centrally-planned church, according to Alberti, embodies a design that can accommodate large numbers of worshippers while adhering to symmetrical and geometric principles revered in classical architecture. Sant'Andrea’s design integrates the central plan layout inspired by ancient structures such as the Pantheon, with a large central space and structural components such as pilasters and a nave, harking back to the ancient basilica form.
Sant'Andrea is particularly noted for its majestic interior barrel vault, which was the largest constructed since ancient Rome, emphasizing the desire to recreate the grandiosity of past architectural accomplishments. Elements drawn from the classical world in Sant'Andrea's structural design include the use of a colossal order, barrel vaults, and arches reminiscent of Roman engineering. The façade exhibits classical themes with its monumental arch and implementation of pilasters, capturing the magnificence and proportionality evident in ancient Roman architecture.