Building Theories: For a New Ethics of Architecture

Building Theories explores the value of words in architecture, discussing the content of treatises, essays, articles, and letters by those committed to the art of building. It argues for the return of a practice of architectural theory that is set amongst building, buildings, and builders, reinterpreting the words of Vitruvius, Alberti, de L'Orme, Le Camus de Mézières, Boullée, Laugier, Rondelet, Semper, Viollet-le-Duc, Hübsch, Bötticher, Berlage, Muthesius, Wagner, Behrendt, Gropius, and Arup. It also argues for a realignment of architecture with the concept of techné, with a dual commitment to fabrica e ratio, with a productive return to lart de bien bastir, with the accurate translation of the term Baukunst, and with an appeal to the architects' composite mind.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 01 January 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Building Theories delves into the profound significance of words in the realm of architecture. It explores the author's fascination with the voices of architects, engineers, builders, and craftspeople, whose ideas about building have been documented in written text. The book discusses the content of treatises, essays, articles, and letters written by individuals who have dedicated their lives to the art of building throughout history. In this exploration, Building Theories advocates for the revival of an architectural theory that is deeply intertwined with buildings, buildings, and builders. This close reading reinterprets the words of renowned architects such as Vitruvius, Alberti, de L'Orme, Le Camus de Mézières, Boullée, Laugier, Rondelet, Semper, Viollet-le-Duc, Hübsch, Bötticher, Berlage, Muthesius, Wagner, Behrendt, Gropius, and Arup. The book is organized into chapters dedicated to texts from antiquity, the Renaissance, and the nineteenth century, with a critical eye on architectural theory popularized in the Anglo-Saxon world post-1968. Through its comprehensive approach, readers are introduced to a broader and more inclusive definition of architectural ideas.

Building Theories also examines how contemporary scholarship has tended to overlook the centrality of building in its pursuit of knowledge. It argues for a realignment of architecture with the concept of techné, which encompasses both the art of fabrication and the science of rationality. The book advocates for a dual commitment to fabrica e ratio, which emphasizes the productive integration of design and construction. It also calls for a return to the art of bien bastir, which emphasizes the accurate translation of the term Baukunst. Furthermore, Building Theories appeals to the architects' composite mind, urging them to think beyond the boundaries of individual disciplines and embrace a holistic approach to architectural practice.

This book is a valuable resource for students, practitioners, and educators alike. It offers ways of thinking that strive for the integration of design with construction, reject the notion that design should be prioritized over construction, recognize the limitations of aesthetics in subtending the subject of architectural e, and encourage architects to embrace a multidisciplinary approach to their work. By delving into the profound relationship between words and architecture, Building Theories provides a fresh perspective on the art and science of building, offering insights that will inspire and inform future generations of architects and builders.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781138859036