What do you think?
Rate this book
Merleau-Ponty for Architects
The philosophy of Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908–1961) has influenced the design work of architects as diverse as Steven Holl and Peter Zumthor, as well as informing renowned schools of architectural theory, notably those around Dalibor Vesely at Cambridge, Kenneth Frampton, David Leatherbarrow and Alberto Pérez-Gómez in North America and Juhani Pallasmaa in Finland. Merleau-Ponty suggested that the value of people’s experience of the world gained through their immediate bodily engagement with it remains greater than the value of understanding gleaned through abstract mathematical, scientific or technological systems.
This book summarizes what Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy has to offer specifically for architects. It locates architectural thinking in the context of his work, placing it in relation to themes such as space, movement, materiality and creativity, introduces key texts, helps decode difficult terms and provides quick reference for further reading.
- GenresArchitecturePhilosophy
153 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2014
1 person is currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan A. Hale
11 books2 followersProf Jonathan Hale is an architect, and Professor of Architectural Theory in the Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, at the University of Nottingham, UK.
He is Head of the Architecture, Culture and Tectonics research group (ACT) and Convenor for Architectural Humanities II, and Design, Culture & Context modules.
Research interests include: architectural theory and criticism; phenomenology and the philosophy of technology; the relationship between architecture and the body; museums and architectural exhibitions.
He has published books, chapters, refereed articles and conference papers in these areas and has obtained grants from the EPSRC, the Leverhulme Trust, British Academy, and the Arts Council. He is founder and current steering group member of the international subject network: Architectural Humanities Research Association (AHRA); a member of the interdisciplinary Science, Technology and Culture research group, hosted by the Dept of French, and a Management Board member for the University's Research Priority Area in Creative and Cultural Industries.
Personal website/blog: bodyoftheory
Personal page on Academia.edu
He is Head of the Architecture, Culture and Tectonics research group (ACT) and Convenor for Architectural Humanities II, and Design, Culture & Context modules.
Research interests include: architectural theory and criticism; phenomenology and the philosophy of technology; the relationship between architecture and the body; museums and architectural exhibitions.
He has published books, chapters, refereed articles and conference papers in these areas and has obtained grants from the EPSRC, the Leverhulme Trust, British Academy, and the Arts Council. He is founder and current steering group member of the international subject network: Architectural Humanities Research Association (AHRA); a member of the interdisciplinary Science, Technology and Culture research group, hosted by the Dept of French, and a Management Board member for the University's Research Priority Area in Creative and Cultural Industries.
Personal website/blog: bodyoftheory
Personal page on Academia.edu
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 13, 2022
A very niche book that I really enjoyed. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to my friends, though.
What I will say is that I came away with a different perspective on architecture. I enjoyed reading the considerations of the building as a physical extension of the body.
What I will say is that I came away with a different perspective on architecture. I enjoyed reading the considerations of the building as a physical extension of the body.
Displaying 1 of 1 review