Architecture as a human body
My manifesto “Architecture as a human body” has been published by ARTICULATE:
Historical Context
The relationship between architecture and the human body has deep historical roots, dating back to ancient civilizations. The Greeks were among the first to explore this connection, with their classical orders of architecture designed to mirror human proportions. Vitruvius, a prominent Roman architect and engineer of the 1st century BCE, articulated this concept in his treatise De Architectura. Vitruvius proposed that the proportions of the human body should guide architectural design, believing that buildings should embody the same harmonious ratios found in nature. His principles laid the groundwork for the enduring concept of anthropomorphism in architecture.
The Renaissance period saw a revival and expansion of Vitruvian ideas. Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, created around 1490, epitomized the blend of art and science characteristic of the era. Da Vinci's drawing, based on Vitruvian principles, depicted a male figure in two superimposed positions with his arms and legs apart inside both a square and a circle. This image symbolized the ideal human body proportions as a microcosm of the universe, influencing architectural designs that sought to achieve similar harmony and balance.
Renaissance architects like Andrea Palladio further developed these ideas, emphasizing symmetry, perspective, and proportion in their designs. Palladio's works, such as the Villa Rotonda, exemplified the application of human-centered design principles to architecture. His influence extended well beyond Italy, shaping the development of European architecture.
The Baroque period, with its dramatic, dynamic, and ornate style, continued to reflect humanistic principles. Architects like Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini incorporated complex geometries and intricate details into their works, drawing inspiration from the fluidity and expressiveness of the human form. This era emphasized movement and emotion, creating spaces that engaged the senses and evoked a visceral response.
The Enlightenment brought a shift towards rationality and scientific inquiry, influencing architectural theory and practice. Neoclassical architects such as Étienne-Louis Boullée and Claude Nicolas Ledoux sought to return to the purity and simplicity of classical forms. They embraced the ideals of order, clarity, and proportion, once again drawing parallels between the structure of buildings and the human body.
Boullée's visionary designs, though often unrealized, explored monumental forms and the interplay of light and shadow, aiming to evoke a sense of awe and sublimity. Ledoux's works, including the Salines de Chaux, embodied the Enlightenment ideals of functionality and rationality, while also incorporating symbolic elements that referenced human anatomy and experience.
The Industrial Revolution brought significant changes to architecture, with advancements in materials and construction techniques allowing for new forms and scales of buildings. Architects such as Eugène Viollet-le-Duc explored the relationship between structure and ornament, advocating for a return to honest expression of materials and construction methods.
The early 20th century saw the rise of Modernism, with architects like Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe leading the charge. Le Corbusier's Modulor system, developed in the 1940s, was a notable attempt to create a universal standard of architectural measurement based on human proportions. His works, including the Unité d'Habitation, reflected his belief in the importance of human scale and functionality in design. Mies van der Rohe, with his minimalist approach, emphasized the simplicity and clarity of form, often referring to architecture as "skin and bones."
The latter half of the 20th century saw a reaction against the rigidity of Modernism, giving rise to Postmodernism. Architects like Michael Graves and Charles Jencks reintroduced historical references and ornamentation, often incorporating anthropomorphic elements into their designs. This era celebrated diversity and plurality, allowing for more personal and expressive interpretations of the relationship between architecture and the human body.
In recent decades, contemporary architects and theorists have continued to explore these themes. Zaha Hadid's fluid, organic forms, exemplified in works like the Heydar Aliyev Center, suggest a dynamic, almost corporeal quality. Frank Gehry's deconstructivist approach, seen in buildings such as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, breaks down traditional forms to create complex, sculptural spaces that evoke the intricacies of the human anatomy.
Today, the exploration of architecture as a human body encompasses a wide range of approaches and technologies. The integration of biomimicry, where architectural designs draw inspiration from biological forms and processes, has gained traction. Architects like Bjarke Ingels and firms such as BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) have incorporated these principles into their projects, creating buildings that respond dynamically to their environments, much like living organisms.
Advancements in digital design and fabrication techniques have also expanded the possibilities for creating architecture that reflects the complexity and adaptability of the human body. Parametric design, for instance, allows for the creation of intricate, responsive structures that can adapt to various conditions and requirements.
A New Manifesto
“Architecture as a Human Body” is a conceptual and visual framework I developed to explore the profound connections between our built environment and the human form. This concept emerged from witnessing the devastating impact of conflict on urban landscapes. As I observed the destruction of cities, I was struck by the resemblance between the ravaged buildings and wounded human bodies. This imagery inspired me to delve into the intertwined vulnerabilities and resilience of both structures and beings.
The destruction of a city, with its collapsed buildings and shattered infrastructure, mirrors the physical and emotional trauma inflicted upon the human body. In my work, I aim to capture this connection, portraying architectural elements as extensions of human anatomy. My paintings are not just representations of physical spaces; they are dissections that reveal the sinews and bones of our urban environment, exposing the raw essence of both.
Carl Jung’s theories on the collective unconscious provide a useful framework for understanding this connection. Jung posited that certain archetypal images are universally recognized, residing in the collective unconscious of humanity. The wounded body, as a symbol of suffering and resilience, is one such archetype. By employing this imagery in the context of architecture, my paintings resonate on a deep, unconscious level, drawing viewers into a shared human experience of pain, endurance, and recovery.
Philosophically, Architecture as a Human Body engages with existential themes of being and existence. The works of phenomenologists like Maurice Merleau-Ponty and existentialists like Jean-Paul Sartre provide a rich foundation for this exploration. Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy of embodiment centers on the idea that our bodily experiences are essential to our perception of the world. He argues that the body is not merely a biological entity but a fundamental medium through which we experience reality. According to Merleau-Ponty, perception is an embodied process, meaning that our sensory experiences shape our understanding of the world. This perspective challenges traditional Cartesian dualism, which separates the mind and body, by emphasizing that cognition is deeply rooted in bodily existence. In his seminal work, Phenomenology of Perception, Merleau-Ponty explores how our physical being in the world is integral to our consciousness, positing that our subjective experiences and objective reality are intertwined through the lived body.
Sartre’s notion of the body and its relationship to the world is particularly relevant. In Being and Nothingness, Sartre posits that the body is not a static object but a dynamic entity in constant interaction with its surroundings. He writes, "My body is everywhere: the bomb which destroys my house also damages my body, in so far as the house was already an indication of my body." This statement encapsulates the essence of my concept. Sartre’s philosophy suggests that our bodies extend into the spaces we inhabit, and the destruction of these spaces inflicts a form of bodily harm. Sartre argues that our bodies are both the medium through which we experience the world and objects within that world. This duality is reflected in my paintings, where architectural elements are depicted as extensions of the human body, blurring the lines between subject and object.
While the idea of anthropomorphism in architecture is not new, the explicit portrayal of architectural forms as wounded human bodies represents a novel contribution to visual art. Historically, artists and architects have drawn on human proportions and forms to inform their designs, but my work extends this tradition into a new, emotionally charged domain. By focusing on the visceral and metaphorical connections between human and architectural anatomy, I introduce a new perspective that challenges conventional boundaries in art and architecture.
“Architecture as a Human Body” is not just a theoretical exploration but a call to action. It invites architects, artists, and theorists to rethink the way we design and interact with our built environments.