Mathieu Boret Describing & Representing Architecture Judging Architecture. On the Role of Beauty in

165 Pages·2014·39.49 MB·English

Judging Architecture. On the Role of Beauty in
Describing & Representing Architecture
Mathieu Boret
Supervisors: Prof. dr. ir.-arch. Maarten Delbeke, Prof. dr. Bart Verschaffel
Master's dissertation submitted in order to obtain the academic degree of
Master of Science in de ingenieurswetenschappen: architectuur
Department of Architecture and Urban Planning
Chairman: Prof. dr. Pieter Uyttenhove
Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
Academic year 2013-2014

On the role of Beauty in Architecture
Judging
Architecture
Mathieu Boret

Judging Architecture
Table of Content
Introduction
p. 2.
Chapter 1
Classic Ideals.
p. xx.
Chapter 2
Particularly Vernacular.
p. xx.
Chapter 3
Sensorial Experiences.
p. xx.
Chapter 4
Emotional Character.
p. xx.
Conclusion
p. xx.
Bibliography
p. xx.
Acknowledgements

Introduction
Process &
Methodology
2
Figure 1
Title page, William Hogarth, The
analysis of Beauty, 1753
Although he was a writer,
Hogarth wrote one of the most
lucid pleas for a functionalistic
approach. The book was im-
mediately translated in German
and Italian and probably
influenced the most rigorous
architecture theoreticians.
Source: Alexander, Tzonis.
Towards a Non-Oppressive
Environment. 1972. p. 85.
Preface: Stepping into the Unknown.
In front of you lies a book on beauty in architecture, that is the short answer when
people asked me what I was working on. Now the longer explanation. It all started
when I was looking for a subject to write
This dissertation has come a long way. Curious was that the very first idea was to
find about what is not done or taboo in architecture. Even more curious was that
quite soon the theme of beauty in architecture came up as a more specific theme
being taboo in architecture. Also, the more that I read about it and went searching
for beauty in architecture, the more I became sure it was not as much a marginal
phenomenon as was first thought. However, it also became clear that -as following
two quotes point out- the concept, word Beauty lost its weight, especially when it
is compared to Vitruvius’ Venustas, probably one of the first notions of beauty in
Architecture.
... The concept of beauty, however, is not easy to improve. And indeed one sel-
dom finds it used in twentieth-century writings on aesthetics. Its place has been
taken by other words less weighed down by equivocation (notably the word
aesthetic) -- though they Win turn, by taking the place of beauty, acquire some
of the same difficulties. The word and concept beauty have been retained in
colloquial speech, however; they are used in practice rather than in theory. ... re-
duced to the status of a mere colloquialism. The concept of beauty has existed
in the history of European aesthetics not much longer than the great Theory.
: Tatarkiewicz -The Great Theory of Beauty and Its Decline (1972)
... A building ought to be able to lighten the work and life of complex human
beings in many different ways. It can do this only by satisfying many different
conceptions of beauty; conceptions which do not compete but complement one
another and which, in the most favourable case, are harmonised by a vigorous
and mature tradition.
: William Charlton - Concepts of beauty in architecture (1993)
Both Charlton & Tatarkiewicz talk about multiple beauties in their texts, sketch a
history and conclude quite differently. Tatarkiewicz with saying that beauty is now
reduced from a theoretical concept to nothing more than a practical term, due to its
elusive, intangible character. This reduction involves a rise of new concepts, words
taking its place, concepts on which Tatarkiewicz does not elaborate upon. For Char-
lton beauty still is seen as a tool lighten our lives. Though it should be achieved by
using different kinds of beauty, since buildings & humans are complex and full of
variety, in a complementing, harmonious way with the harmony being tradition.
Acknowledging the existence of multiple beauties - regardless if these are different
natures existing because of the complexity of humanity (cf. Charlton) or substitutes
replacing the ungraspable concept of beauty (cf. Tatarkiewicz) - leads to the main
questions this dissertation:
What are these different kinds of beauty in architecture, what do they entail?
What role do they play in architecture and thus, what role does beauty play?
Is there a hierarchy (cf. Charlton’s harmonising tradition) between these themes?
The structure of the thesis is based on the relation between the act of judging and
beauty.
The Taste of Pleasure
Architecture is Beautiful,