On Representation: The Greek and Roman Roots of the Idea of Character in Architecture

Year 2024, , 122 - 138, 05.11.2024

Nicola Delledonne

https://doi.org/10.55755/DepArch.2024.30

Abstract

The French term caractère (character) was frequently debated during the second half of the eighteenth century and was meant to establish a relationship between the form of a building and the purpose for which it was built. Its importance was twofold: it raised the issue of the intelligibility of architectural forms beyond their beauty, and, as a consequence, it directly maintained that architecture was similar to a language, in poetry or prose, capable of conveying social, civil, and religious meanings. By emphasizing the possible parallels between architecture and literature, this article analyses some ancient texts—by the likes of Aristotle, Theophrastus, Horace, Cicero, and, of course, Vitruvius—that are at the foundation of the notion of character. This “dive into the past” has nothing to do with the will to reestablish the classical style (or classicism); quite differently, it aims to rediscover the philosophical basis of architectural theory, by means of which architecture can hopefully get back to expressing collective meanings. Some final questions connect the ancient theme of character to open contemporary issues.

Keywords

Architectural Character, Architecture and Philosophy, Architecture and Poetics, Architecture and rhetoric, Classic Culture

Ethical Statement

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Supporting Institution

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Project Number

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Thanks

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Temsil Üzerine: Mimaride Karakter Fikrinin Yunan ve Roma’daki Kökleri

Abstract

Fransızca terim olan “caractère” (karakter), on sekizinci yüzyılın ikinci yarısında sıklıkla tartışılmış olup, bir yapının biçimi ile inşa edilme amacı arasında bir ilişki kurmayı amaçlamıştır. Bunun önemi iki yönlüdür: estetik kaygıların ötesinde mimari formların anlaşılırlık meselesini gündeme getirmesi ve dolayısıyla mimarlığın, sosyal, sivil ve dini anlamlar iletebilen bir dil gibi, şiir veya düz yazı ile benzerlik taşıdığını doğrudan ileri sürmesidir. Bu makale, mimarlık ve edebiyat arasındaki olası paralelliklere vurgu yaparak, karakter kavramının temellerini oluşturan Aristoteles, Theophrastus, Horace, Cicero ve tabii ki Vitruvius gibi isimlere ait bazı antik metinleri analiz etmektedir. Bu “geçmişe dalış”, klasik tarzı (veya klasizmi) yeniden kurma arzusuyla ilgili değildir; aksine, mimarlığın kolektif anlamları yeniden ifade edebilmesini umarak, mimari teorinin felsefi temelini yeniden keşfetmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Sonuçtaki bazı sorular kadim karakter temasını güncel meselelere bağlamaktadır.

Keywords

Klasik Kültür, Mimari Karakter, Mimarlık ve Felsefe, Mimarlık ve Poetika, Mimarlık ve Retorik

Project Number

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