Analogical Thinking in Architecture: Connecting Design and Theory in the Built Environment

The book explores the rich and persistent use of analogical thinking in the built environment, arguing that it has long been supported by "analogical thinking" and has permeated many fields outside of the design disciplines. It is organized into four case studies and explores the staying power of biological analogies, the paradoxical imaginary of analogous cities, and the critical and theoretical potential of linguistic metaphors and visual comparisons in architectural discourse.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 24 August 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The book delves into the extensive and enduring use of analogical thinking in the built environment, highlighting its significance in transcending disciplinary boundaries and fostering innovative thinking. It argues that analogical thinking, characterized by its ability to reason through the familiar to understand the unknown, has been a cornerstone of design thinking since the turn of the 21st century. The book presents four case studies that explore different aspects of analogical thinking in architecture and related disciplines. The first case study reviews analogical models that have been central to design thinking representations from the 1960s to the present day. The second case study investigates the enduring influence of biological analogies in design. The third case study explores the paradoxical imaginary of analogous cities as a means of integrating contemporary architecture with heritage contexts. Finally, the fourth case study unpacks the critical and theoretical potential of linguistic metaphors and visual comparisons in architectural discourse. By comparing views on the role of analogies and metaphors by prominent figures in architecture and related disciplines from the 17th century to the present, the book reveals the "analogical world of the project" as a vast and open field of creative and cognitive interactions. These interactions are illustrated through 36 analogical plates that can be read as an inter-text, demonstrating how analogy has the power to reconcile design and theories.

Weight: 662g
Dimension: 240 x 162 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350343627