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Towards a Phenomenology of

Architecture: Norberg-Schulz

Phil 314

Philosophy and the City

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some terminology

Dwelling: gaining an existential foothold (5)

Genius loci: the spirit of the place (5,

Place: the concrete manifestation of humansdwelling

Concretize: to make the general visible asa concrete, local situation

Cultural landscape: an environment whereman has found his meaningful place withinthe totality. (40)

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3 steps towards a phenomenology

of place1. Distinguish between natural

(landscape) and human-made

phenomena (settlement) (p. 10)

2. Categories of earth/sky, outside/inside

3. Character: the basic mode in which

the world is given (p. 14)

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Possible relationships between natural

and human-made places: gathering

1. Visualize: building demonstrates human

understanding of nature by replicating what

is seen in nature2. Complement: building adds what is

perceived to be lacking in nature

3. Symbolize: building demonstrates human

understanding of nature and self by

translating that understanding onto built

form (Genius Loci, p. 17)

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Genius Loci

Socio-economic factors are not the mostimportant in shaping genius loci: The

existential meanings have deeper roots.They are determined by the structure of ourbeing-in-the-world. (6)

if the settlements are organically related to

their environment, it implies that they serve asfoci where the environment is condensed andexplained. (10)

Protecting and conserving the genius locimeans interpreting it in ever newways (18)

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Cultural Landscapes

Through the interaction of surface relief,

vegetation and water, characteristic totalities

orplaces are formed which constitute thebasic elements of landscapes. (37)

3 archetypes:

Romantic

Cosmic

Classical

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Romantic Landscapes

Original forces

strongly felt

Rugged with lots ofplaces

Dwelling an

interaction between

humans and earth

e.g., Norwegian farm

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Cosmic Landscape

Earth doesnt providefoothold

No individual placesstructured

Sky is structured by thesun rather than theearth

Genius loci amanifestation ofabsolute

e.g., Ulurul (Australia)

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Classical Landscape

Intelligiblecomposition of

distinct elements Meaningful order

Human scale

Dwelling by placing

as equal partnershumans and nature

e.g.,Tuscany

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Complex Landscapes

Mixture of pure

archetypes

E.g., Beirut,

Lebanon