narrative | architecture
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Our perception of the world is inherently metaphoric. From the time we are children, the world is expressed and understood through such relationships. Remember the ability to see a stick as a horse, not like a horse, but as a horse. It is within these loose but potentially deep relationships that language mediates. Language (as dialogue, as narrative, as oral or textual communication, etc.) is always understood through some form of translation. This gap, not dissimilar to the blind spot that allows us to see, creates misunderstandings and also allows for the expression of our most profound desires. Like a dream, architecture is always experienced but must be recounted to be understood. Though it is clear that the material of architecture may be other, we must rely upon language to communicate and express our intentions. Indeed, architecture has often been paired with, or understood through, the lens of narrative theories and linguistics. The intention of this seminar is not to provide a survey of such analyses, but rather to look carefully at the development of a positive hermeneutics in relation to an understanding of narrative, fiction, and translation. It is my wager that each of these topics may then enrich our collective understanding to making architecture. |