The Digital Nature of Gothic - Lars Spuybroek & John Ruskin

Abstract

Gothic architecture is a movement that has influenced world architecture, including today’s architecture, since its active period. Although it is known for some of its features such as flying buttresses, pointed arches and vaults, John Ruskin examined the characteristics of Gothic architecture except from its physical features and examined it under 6 main headings. Lars Spuybroek, the founder of Nox Architects, one of the names that come to mind when talking about digital architecture today, described these characteristics of Ruskin as the “digital nature of Gothic”. He examined 3 of these 6 characteristics and analyzed them in the chapter titled with “The Digital Nature of Gothic” in his book “The Sympathy of Things: Ruskin and the Ecology of Design”. In this study, based on the work of Spuybroek, his work with Nox Architects, the debates on beauty and elegance he encountered in his journey to the nature of Gothic, and why he named gothic architecture digitally were examined and some discussions were made on this subject.

Keywords

• Aesthetics
• Design Theory
• Digital Design
• Gothic Architecture
• John Ruskin
• Lars Spuybroek

References

1. Ludovica Tramontin, M. (2006). Textile Tectonics: An Interview with Lars Spuybroek. Architectural Design, 76(6), 52-59.
2. Ruskin, J. (1851). The stones of Venice. London: Smith, Elder, and Co.
3. Spuybroek, L. (2004). NOX: Machining architecture. Thames & Hudson.
4. Spuybroek, L. (2016). The sympathy of things: Ruskin and the ecology of design. Bloomsbury Publishing.
5. Spuybroek, Lars (2014). Charis and radiance: The ontological dimensions of beauty. In S. Van Tuinen (Ed.), Giving and taking: antidotes to a culture of greed (pp. 119-49). Rotterdam: V2_Publishing.
6. Spuybroek, Lars (2016). Sun and Lightning: The Visibility of Radiance. In L. Spuybroek & J. Brouwer (Eds.). The War of Appearances: Transparency, Opacity, Radiance (pp. 98-127). Rotterdam, Netherlands: V2_Publishing.
7. Spuybroek, Lars (2017). Gothic ontology and sympathy: moving away from the fold. In S. V. Tuinen (Ed.). Speculative art histories. Edinburgh University Press.
8. Swiatkowski, P. (2014). How to think constructivism? Ruskin, Spuybroek and Deleuze on Gothic architecture. Footprint, 41-52.

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