vasari was very good at directing important artistic jobs, but he was not really as good a painter as he was architect. one of his most important architectural jobs was to begin the building of the uffizi (offices) in florence. these are two long buildings that face each other across a long narrow courtyard with one end opening on the town square, and the other end opening onto the arno river. at the end where the river is, vasari designed a beautiful "loggia" which is a sort of two-storey veranda that joins the two buildings. it makes the narrow courtyard and the view of the river look like a stage set where wonderful things might happen. the uffizi is now one of the most famous art galleries in the world.