INTRODUCING

ARCHITECTURAL

THEORY

DEBATING A DISCIPLINE

EDITED BY KORYDON SMITH

Table of Contents

Preface: To Educators: The Impetus for this Book xi

Acknowledgments xv

List of Sources xvii

PART 1: DEBATE IN ARCHITECTURE 1

INTRODUCTION: TO STUDENTS: WHY ARCHITECTURAL THEORY

IS VITAL 3

Theory in Architectural Education 3

Defining Architectural Theory 4

The Structure of This Book 6

The Future of Architectural Theory 7

DEBATING A DISCIPLINE: ARCHITECTURE, ARGUMENT, AND

THE CONCEPT OF THE DIALECTIC 8

The Aspirations of Architects 8

The Concept of the Dialectic 9

Dialectics: A Few Examples 9

Dialectics in Architecture 10

The Chapters Ahead 11

PART 2: DIALECTICAL READINGS IN ARCHITECTURE 13

TECTONICS 13

CHAPTER 1: SIMPLICITY AND COMPLEXITY 15

Introductory Discussion 16

Introduction 17

Original Text: Marcel Breuer, "Where Do We Stand?" First Published in 1935 19

Reflective Text Robert Venturi, Excerpts from Complexity and Contradiction

in Architecture. First Published in 1966 27

Philosophical Text: Vittorio Gregotti, "On Simplicity." First Published in 1996 32

Writing and Discussion Questions 35

Other Readings on Simplicity and Complexity 37

CHAPTER 2: ORNAMENT AND AUSTERITY 38

Introductory Discussion 39

Introduction 40

Original Text: Adolf Loos, "Ornament and Crime." First Published In 1908 42

Reflective Text: Reyner Banham, "Ornament and Crime: The Decisive Contribution

ofAdolf Loos." First Published in 1957 48

Philosophical Text: Joseph Rykwert, "Ornament Is No Crime." First Published

in 1975 54

Writing and Discussion Questions 65

Other Readings on Ornament and Austerity 67

CHAPTER 3: HONESTY AND DECEPTION 69

Introductory Discussion 70

Introduction 71

Original Text: John Ruskin, "The Lamp of Truth." First Published in 1849 74

Reflective Text: Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, Excerpts from Discourses on

Architecture. First Published in 1863 84

Philosophical Text: Fil Hearn, "Truth to the Medium: Using Materials." First

Published in 1996 95

Writing and Discussion Questions 102

Other Readings on Honesty and Deception 104

CHAPTER k. MATERIAL AND IMMATERIAL 105

Introductory Discussion 106

Introduction 107

Original Text: Leon Battista Albert!, Excerpts from The Art of Building in Ten

Books. First Published in 1486 109

Reflective Text: Juhani Pallasmaa, Excerpts from The Eyes of the Skin. First

Published in 1996 125

Philosophical Text: Jonathan Hill, Excerpts from Immaterial Architecture.

First Published in 2006 132

Writing and Discussion Questions 138

Other Readings on Material and Immaterial 1 AO

USE 141

CHAPTER 5: FUNCTION AND FORM 1 43

Introductory Discussion 144

Introduction 145

Original Text: Louis Sullivan, "The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered."

First Published in 1896 147

Reflective Text: Bernard Tschumi, Excerpts from Architecture and Disjunction.

First Published in 1983 154

Philosophical Text: Adrian Forty, "Function." First Published in 2000 164

Writing and Discussion Questions 177

Other Readings on Function and Form 179

CHAPTER 6: FUNCTION AND FORM (PART 2) 180

Introductory Discussion 181

Introduction 182

Original Text: Frank L. Wright, Excerpts from An American Architecture.

First Published in 1955 184

Reflective Text: Peter Eisenman, "Post-Functionalism." First Published in 1976 189

Philosophical Text: Richard Hill, "Purpose, Function, Use." First Published In 1999 194

Writing and Discussion Questions 208

Other Readings on Function and Form 210

CHAPTER 7: BODY AND BUILDING 211

Introductory Discussion 212

Introduction 213

Original Text: Marcus Vitruvius, Excerpts from The Ten Books on Architecture.

First Published ca. 25 B.C.E. 215

Reflective Text: Le Corbusler, Excerpts from Le Modulor. First Published in 1948 219

Philosophical Text: Lance Hosey, "Hidden Lines: Gender, Race, and the Body."

First Published in 2001 224

Writing and Discussion Questions 237

Other Readings on Body and Building 239

CHAPTER 8: PROPORTION AND ORGANIZATION 240

Introductory Discussion 241

Introduction 242

Original Text: Andrea Palladio, Excerpts from The Four Books on Architecture.

First Published in 1570 244

Reflective Text: Le Corbusier, "The Plan of the Modern House." First Published

in 1930 249

Philosophical Text: Colin Rowe, "The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa." First

Published in 1947 256

Writing and Discussion Questions 268

Other Readings on Proportion and Organization 270

SITE 271

CHAPTER 9: CONTEXT AND BUILDING 273

Introductory Discussion 274

Introduction 275

Original Text: Le Corbusier, Excerpts from The Radiant City. First Published in

1935 278

Reflective Text: lane Jacobs, Excerpts from The Death and Life ofGreat

American Cities. First Published in 1961 287

Philosophical Text: Tom Schumacher, "Contextualism: Urban Ideals and

Deformations." First Published in 1971 298

Writing and Discussion Questions 306

Other Readings on Context and Building 308

CHAPTER 10: CONTEXT AND BUILDING (PART 2) 309

Introductory Discussion 310

Introduction 311

Original Text: Marcus Vitruvius, Excerpts from The Ten Books on Architecture.

First Published ca. 25 B.C.E. 313

Reflective Text: Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour,

Excerpts from Learning from Las Vegas. First Published in 1972 319

Philosophical Text: Adrian Forty, "Context." First Published In 2000 323

Writing and Discussion Questions 328

Other Readings on Context and Building 330

CHAPTER 11: NATURAL AND CONSTRUCTED 331

Introductory Discussion 332

Introduction 333

Original Text: Marc-Antolne Laugier, Excerpts from An Essay on Architecture.

First Published 1753 335

Reflective Text: Vittorio Gregotti, "Territory and Architecture." First Published in

1985 341

Philosophical Text: Carol Burns, "On Site: Architectural Preoccupations." First

Published in 1991 345

Writing and Discussion Questions 357

Other Readings on Natural and Constructed 359

CHAPTER 12: NATURAL AND CONSTRUCTED (PART 2) 360

Introductory Discussion 361

Introduction 362

Original Text: Christian Norburg-Shulz, Excerpts from Genius Loci: Towards a

Phenomenology ofArchitecture. First Published 1979 364

Reflective Text: E. Relph, Excerpts from Place and Placelessness. First Published

in 1976 373

Philosophical Text: Kathryn Moore, "Genius Loci: Hidden Truth or Hidden Agenda?"First Published in 2003 387

Writing and Discussion Questions 393

Other Readings on Natural and Constructed 397

APPENDICES (FOR STUDENTS)

APPENDIX 1: GUIDE TO READING COMPREHENSION 398

Right Time 398

Right Place 399

Right Way 399

Tips for Reading this Book 400

Useful Resources 400

APPENDIX 2: GUIDE TO DESCRIPTIVE, ANALYTICAL, AND

DISPUTATIONAL WRITING 401

Descriptive Writing 401

Criticism and Analytical Writing 402

Persuasion and Disputation 403

Conclusion 404

Useful Resources 404

APPENDIX 3: GUIDE TO CITATION STYLES 405

Why Citations are Necessary 405

Citation Styles: The Main Three 406

Dealing with the Tedium, Efficiently 408

Useful Resources 408

APPENDIX 4: GUIDE TO LIBRARY-BASED RESEARCH 409

A Cyclic Process 409

Finding Sources 409

Index