Architecture and philosophy: Relations, potentialities and critical points

Abstract

In the debate "Architecture and Philosophy / the relations, potentialities and critical points" the notions of "philosophy of architecture" and "aesthetics of architecture" will be discussed. The differences between traditional and contemporary philosophy and aesthetics of architecture will be introduced. In a separate sub-chapter the status of "theory" and "theorizing" during the times of late modernism and postmodern culture will be discussed. It has been pointed to the modalities of theory outside philosophy and aesthetics. The discourses from philosophy, humanities, free theorizing and architectural theories are brought closer together. In the final sub-chapter the status of contemporary philosophy and cotemporary architecture have been discussed. The notion of contemporaneity has been particularly elaborated. The central thesis of this paper is the relation of architecture and philosophy, i.e. the theory constituent for modern, postmodern and contemporary architecture. The derived thesis of the discussion is that critical theory of architecture and architectural yearning for "critical architecture" have acquired exceptional significance at the time of global conflicts and, presently at the time of global economic crisis. The theoretical, aesthetic and philosophical attention has essentially been shifted from the immanent questions about architecture (form, function, spectacularity) to the external i.e. transcendental questions about the culture and society, i.e. about the economy, power, governance, supervision, forms of life, flexibility of architectural production, exchange and consumption.