Nature and Architecture

"Nature," wrote Novalis in a poem of Fragments, "is a magical city frozen in stone." This book, instead, considers architecture as the magical transcription of the shapes and laws of nature into the artificial universe of the city.

Following on in the wake of modern art's urge to conjure up the primordial paths of expressionism, this book explores the natural origin of architectural archetypes: the column, the house, the wall, the door, the temple, the tower, etc. No matter the age or civilisation, all these elements are eternally present in the building activities of mankind.

Evolving from research carried out in the sixties, this book not only examines the differences and similarities between natural and architectural forms, but it also draws comparisons between natural forms and the precepts and ideas that over the centuries have characterised the architecture of different cultures, not so much in order to highlight a manifest naturalistic inspiration but rather to comprehend the unity to which the human mind and the secret order of natural forms both belong.

While acknowledging the central role of ecology, this book refers to the extraordinary achievements of science, especially the one that goes by the name of "new paradigm," to show architecture the way in which continuity and innovation can finally unite. An architecture which, fuelled by the spirit of a new alliance, becomes again the art of inhabiting the earth, putting aside its role as instrument and emblem of that thirst for dominion and violence enunciated by Bacon. A feminine architecture, far from the arrogance of the Babelic twilight years of the 20th century.

"Nature," wrote Novalis in a poem of Fragments, "is a magical city frozen in stone." This book, instead, considers architecture as the magical transcription of the shapes and laws of nature into the artificial universe of the city.

Following on in the wake of modern art's urge to conjure up the primordial paths of expressionism, this book explores the natural origin of architectural archetypes: the column, the house, the wall, the door, the temple, the tower, etc. No matter the age or civilisation, all these elements are eternally present in the building activities of mankind.

Evolving from research carried out in the sixties, this book not only examines the differences and similarities between natural and architectural forms, but it also draws comparisons between natural forms and the precepts and ideas that over the centuries have characterised the architecture of different cultures, not so much in order to highlight a manifest naturalistic inspiration but rather to comprehend the unity to which the human mind and the secret order of natural forms both belong.

While acknowledging the central role of ecology, this book refers to the extraordinary achievements of science, especially the one that goes by the name of "new paradigm," to show architecture the way in which continuity and innovation can finally unite. An architecture which, fuelled by the spirit of a new alliance, becomes again the art of inhabiting the earth, putting aside its role as instrument and emblem of that thirst for dominion and violence enunciated by Bacon. A feminine architecture, far from the arrogance of the Babelic twilight years of the 20th century.

Paolo Portoghesi, born in Rome in 1931, is one of the most representative figures of the international debate currently raging around architecture. Ever since the beginning of his career (1957), he has always fought to return modern architecture to the womb of historical tradition by theorising "listening architecture" based on the sensitive interpretation of the nature of sites. As an historian, he has written best sellers such as Roma Barocca, Dopo l'architettura moderna (translated in seven languages and now in its ninth edition), a monographic study of Borromini and I grandi architetti del Novecento.

As an architect his main works include Casa Baldi, the Rome mosque, the ENEL Condominium in Tarquinia, the Academy of Fine Arts in L'Aquila, the church of Sacra Famiglia in Salerno and the church of Santa Maria della Pace in Terni, the Politeama Theatre in Catanzaro and the Public Library in Abano Terme. In 1997 he won the competition for the headquarters of the Calabria Regional Council.

Portoghesi has built or designed numerous works abroad including the Royal Court in Amman, Jordan, the Tegel residence in Berlin in the framework of the Internationale Bauhaustellung, the Montpellier Gardens (Lattes), the Grand Hotel in Khartoum, the Central American Parliament in Esquipulas, Guatemala, a number of buildings in Tokyo, Beirut and Abu Dhabi, the "Primavera" restaurant in Moscow and the Town Hall square in Pirmasens, Germany. He won the competition for the new headquarters of the Royalties Institute in St. Peter's College, Oxford, England.

Paolo Portoghesi has been President of the Biennale of Venice and dean of the Faculty of Architecture in Milan. He currently teaches Urban Design at the Faculty of Architecture of the University La Sapienza in Rome.

He was honored with a degree Honoris Causa in Technical Sciences from the University of Lausanne and has been awarded the Legion d'Honneur. Numerous exhibitions in Europe, America and Australia have been dedicated to his work as theorist and architect as have been many monographic studies: C. Norberg-Schulz, Alla ricerca dell'architettura perduta, Rome 1982; G.C. Priori, L'architettura ritrovata, Rome 1985; G.C. Priori, Paolo Portoghesi, Bologna 1985; M. Pisani, Dialogo con Paolo Portoghesi, Rome 1989; P. Zermani, Paolo Portoghesi a Palazzo Farnese, Parma 1990; A. Ganimeh, Paolo Portoghesi (in Arabic), Amman 1991; M. Pisani, Paolo Portoghesi, Milan 1992; G.C. Argan et al., Il punto su Paolo Portoghesi, Rome 1993; C. Di Stefano and D. Scatena, Paolo Portoghesi designer, Rome 1998; C. Di Stefano and D. Scatena, Paolo Portoghesi architetto, Rome 1999.