Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture NorbergSchulz Phil 314

Towards a Phenomenology of Architecture: Norberg-Schulz Phil 314 Philosophy and the City

some terminology n n n Dwelling: gaining an existential foothold (5) Genius loci: the spirit of the place (5, Place: the concrete manifestation of human’s dwelling Concretize: to make the general “visible” as a concrete, local situation Cultural landscape: “an environment where man has found his meaningful place within the totality. ” (40)

3 steps towards a phenomenology of place Distinguish between natural (landscape) and human-made phenomena (settlement) (p. 10) 2. Categories of earth/sky, outside/inside 3. Character: “the basic mode in which the world is ‘given’” (p. 14) 1.

Possible relationships between natural and human-made places: gathering 1. 2. 3. Visualize: building demonstrates human understanding of nature by replicating what is seen in nature Complement: building adds what is perceived to be lacking in nature Symbolize: building demonstrates human understanding of nature and self by translating that understanding onto built form (Genius Loci, p. 17)

Genius Loci Socio-economic factors are not the most important in shaping genius loci: “The existential meanings have deeper roots. They are determined by the structure of our being-in-the-world. ” (6) n “if the settlements are organically related to their environment, it implies that they serve as foci where the environment is condensed and ‘explained. ’” (10) n Protecting and conserving the genius loci means interpreting it in ever new ways (18) n

Cultural Landscapes “Through the interaction of surface relief, vegetation and water, characteristic totalities or places are formed which constitute the basic elements of landscapes. ” (37) 3 archetypes: n Romantic n Cosmic n Classical

Romantic Landscapes Original forces strongly felt n Rugged with lots of places n Dwelling an interaction between humans and earth e. g. , Norwegian farm n

Cosmic Landscape Earth doesn’t provide foothold n No individual places structured n Sky is structured by the sun rather than the earth n Genius loci a manifestation of absolute e. g. , Ulurul (Australia) n

Classical Landscape Intelligible composition of distinct elements n Meaningful order n Human scale n Dwelling by placing as equal partners— humans and nature e. g. , Tuscany n

Complex Landscapes n Mixture of “pure” archetypes n E. g. , Beirut, Lebanon