Marta Pieczara

Architectural archetypes, which can be defined as a timeless reference of the relevant typology of buildings, are labelled as such through purely intellectual appraisals. Their conceptual qualities do nonetheless translate into the design principles which have the potential to be used as guidelines of spatial definition. The contemporary American architect Louis I. Kahn, whose works are renowned for creating links with the built heritage, has adopted the notion of the archetype into his personal design philosophy. By means of studying a selection of his designs, this paper will try to explain what an archetype is and how it influences the architectural design. Moreover, it aims to show that deriving inspiration from the archetype is important in terms of creating unique places.

Streszczenie
Archetyp architektoniczny, który można zdefiniować jako ponadczasowe odniesienie dla odpowiadającej mu typologii budowli, pozostaje w sferze intelektu. Jego wartości koncepcyjne mogą jednakże zostać przeniesione na określone zasady definiowania przestrzeni. Współczesny amerykański architekt Louis I. Kahn, którego prace słyną z nawiązań do dziedzictwa architektury, zaadoptował pojęcie archetypu do własnej filozofii projektowej. Poprzez analizę jego wybranych dzieł poniższy tekst ma na celu odpowiedzieć na pytania, czym jest archetyp i jak wpływa on na proces projektowania architektury. Ponadto poniższa praca dążyć będzie do pokazania, że czerpanie inspiracji z archetypu jest ważnym elementem w tworzeniu przestrzeni odbieranych jako unikalne.

Archetypes in contemporary architecture

Architectural archetypes, which can be defined as a timeless reference of the relevant typology of buildings, are labelled as such through purely intellectual appraisals. Their conceptual qualities do nonetheless translate into the design principles which have the potential to be used as guidelines of spatial definition. The contemporary American architect Louis I. Kahn, whose works are renowned for creating links with the built heritage, has adopted the notion of the archetype into his personal design philosophy. By means of studying a selection of his designs, this paper will try to explain what an archetype is and how it influences the architectural design. Moreover, it aims to show that deriving inspiration from the archetype is important in terms of creating unique places.

Streszczenie

Archetyp architektoniczny, który można zdefiniować jako ponadczasowe odniesienie dla odpowiadającej mu typologii budowli, pozostaje w sferze intelektu. Jego wartości koncepcyjne mogą jednakże zostać przeniesione na określone zasady definiowania przestrzeni. Współczesny amerykański architekt Louis I. Kahn, którego prace słyną z nawiązań do dziedzictwa architektury, zaadoptował pojęcie archetypu do własnej filozofii projektowej. Poprzez analizę jego wybranych dzieł poniższy tekst ma na celu odpowiedzieć na pytanie czym jest archetyp i jak wpływa on na proces projektowania architektury. Ponadto, poniższa praca dążyć będzie do pokazania, że czerpanie inspiracji z archetypu jest ważnym elementem w tworzeniu przestrzeni odbieranych jako unikalne.

The notion of drawing skills that an architect shall be equipped with has several aspects. First of all, drawing can be used as an instrument for learning the principles of defining space, its scale, composition and architectural detail. Sketches and studies of existing buildings help an architect understand the way they were assembled. These drawings represent, therefore, a compulsory phase in building up one’s skills as an architect. Such is the goal of the outdoor drawing, considered as an important teaching method since the 17th century, when the French king Louis XIV founded the Prix de Rome. This drawing scholarship has endured till the 20th century and is still being imitated in other lands, giving students a possibility to gain knowledge directly from the greatest works of architecture.

The notion of labyrinth is often a subconscious reference to the perception of a path travelled by a human across space. The labyrinth game played by an architect with the architecture’s user relies on sensibly leading the user’s steps towards the intended direction, on inviting him to enter certain spaces and on refusing him access to those which are reserved for another group of users. Becoming conscious of this game’s full potential is crucial as it helps to guide the user’s steps in a far more discreet way than placing signposts.