Hoshino Tai | Antoine Picon "The Materiality of Architecture"
Antoine Picon's "The Materiality of Architecture" examines the core issue of materiality in architecture through the relationship between humans and matter.Summary
Antoine Picon’s “The Materiality of Architecture” distinguishes the concept of “materiality” in architecture from “matter” and “materials,” framing it as the relationship between humans and matter. Picon argues that this relationship changes over time and explores the manifestation of materiality throughout architectural history, from ancient vaults to Le Corbusier’s Domino system. The book presents a skeptical view of the concept of “matter” in contemporary thought, such as object-oriented ontology and new materialism, while developing constructive arguments from the perspective of architectural (technical) history. Notably, the concept of “animation” is discussed as a problem of architectural expression. Picon emphasizes that the act of imbuing matter with life has been a concrete practice for architects since ancient times.
(Source：artscape)