Architectonic

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Philosophy

In philosophy, Architectonics is the scientific systematisation of all knowledge. The term was first used by Aristotle in his Politics to describe politics, meaning that politics encompasses all knowledge.

Architecture

In architecture it is often defined as "of or relating to the science of architecture and design". In this sense, "Architectonic" means the art and science of building and construction, it can also be used in reference to music that is of a very theoretic as opposed to melodic nature. The word began to acquire its modern meaning in the late nineteenth century in Germany as architektonisch to define a type of perceived sensibility to form and design, a sensibility that preferred the simple over the complex, and the well-built over the mass-produced. Today, the word architectonics is used more narrowly in a semiotic sense to refer to the use of parts as expressive signs that constitute the language system of the building.

Architectonic also can refer to an approach to the design of buildings that tries to derive form directly from the inherent nature of the building process. Like geologic land forms that are the result of the forces of tectonic plate movements, architectural form can be shaped to reflect the underlying process of building. An tectonic approach to architectural design would express the construction techniques that are used to create a structure. For example, the Greek temples are described as architectonic because they express their underlying post and beam structure. The opposite approach would be to create forms that are not as expressive of construction, exemplified by Baroque architecture, where buildings can be illusionistic, expressive of movement instead of static balance, curvilinear instead of rectilinear, imitative of dramatized stage sets, with emphasis on highly ornamental surfaces. In modern times, Mies van der Rohe would be considered architectonic, while Frank Gehry would be considered more sculptural than architectonic.

The term is also used to describe an approach to designing where the structural elements of a building are revealed, and their function expressed. Louis Kahn's Yale Center for British Art or Richard Rogers' Pompidou Center. This term is commonly used at the Pratt Institute although the word "architectual" can easily replace it.

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Last updated on Friday February 22, 2008 at 18:41:26 PST (GMT -0800)
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