Description
Book Synopsis:
A landmark study of abstraction in architectural history, theory, and practice that challenges our assumptions about the meaning of abstract forms.
In this theoretical study of abstraction in architecture—the first of its kind—Pier Vittorio Aureli argues for a reconsideration of abstraction, its meanings, and its sources. Although architects have typically interpreted abstraction in formal terms—the purposeful reduction of the complexities of design to its essentials—Aureli shows that abstraction instead arises from the material conditions of building production. In a lively study informed by Walter Benjamin, Karl Marx, Alfred Sohn-Rethel, and other social theorists, this book presents abstraction in architecture not as an aesthetic tendency but as a movement that arises from modern divisions of labor and consequent social asymmetries. These divisions were anticipated by the architecture of antiquity, which established a distinction between manual and intellectual labor, and placed the former in service to the latter. Further abstractions arose as geometry, used for measuring territories, became the intermediary between land and money and eventually produced the logic of the grid. In our own time, architectural abstraction serves the logic of capitalism and embraces the premise that all things can be exchanged—even experience itself is a commodity. To resist this turn, Aureli seeks a critique of architecture that begins not by scaling philosophical heights, but by standing at the ground level of material practice.
Details
Discover a groundbreaking study on abstract forms in architecture with "Architecture and Abstraction (Writing Architecture) Book"! This unique book challenges traditional interpretations and offers a fresh perspective on the meaning and sources of abstraction. It is not just about reducing design complexities, but understanding how abstraction emerges from the material conditions of building production.
Uncover the social and historical influences behind abstraction explored in this book. Pier Vittorio Aureli draws from influential social theorists like Walter Benjamin, Karl Marx, and Alfred Sohn-Rethel to present abstraction in architecture as a movement driven by modern divisions of labor and resulting social asymmetries.
Explore the fascinating origins of architectural abstraction, stretching back to ancient times when a distinction was made between manual and intellectual labor. Geometry, once used for measuring territories, became the intermediary between land and money, eventually giving birth to the logic of the grid.
Join the author's quest to resist the logic of capitalism, where architectural abstraction often serves as a tool for commodification. Aureli advocates for a critique of architecture grounded in material practice, challenging the prevailing notion that everything can be exchanged, even experience itself.
Don't miss the opportunity to delve into this thought-provoking exploration of abstraction in architecture. Embrace a new understanding and defy conventional interpretations. Order your copy of "Architecture and Abstraction (Writing Architecture) Book" today!
Discover More Best Sellers in History & Criticism
Shop History & Criticism
SoulPancake: Chew on Life's Big Questions
$25.05
History & Criticism - SoulPancake: Chew on Life's Big Questions
Japanese Tattoos: History * Culture * Design
$11.89
History & Criticism - Japanese Tattoos: History * Culture * Design
The Book of Raven: Corvids in Art and Legend
$15.29
History & Criticism - The Book of Raven: Corvids in Art and Legend
Art Deco (Art Periods & Movements Flexi)
$12.60
History & Criticism - Art Deco (Art Periods & Movements Flexi)
Dalí. The Paintings (Bibliotheca Universalis)
$18.79
History & Criticism - Dalí. The Paintings (Bibliotheca Universalis)
