Changes [Sep 10, 2008]
Bra Adventures--Per...The fourth of ten things.
The argument moves on with new approaches to understanding architecture, in particular medieval military architecture - castles in Europe.
To be discussed - Matthew Johnson and Michael Shanks on castles. In particular an address to the concept of "function".
Contrast primary and secondary function in relation to castles - ie primary function military|secondary function symbol of power?
Notes on Dunstanburgh - a castle in the north of England border country with Sotland - [link]
NB the distinctions between design and intention as opposed to reception and consumption.
Matthew introduces
to help unpack the "black box".
So - "what is architecture?
- it is as much about movement, event, ritual, performance, material, public/private as it is about stone and mortar and strength/engineering
For architecture think "place/event".
Buildings are not "empty boxes" - they are "black boxes".
They are processes - verbs.
Think of the pyramids in this way too.
Another issue - war. For war, think system and network.
and the castle, as place-event, is part of this heterogeneous network.
NB also - unpacking the black box that is the medieval castle reveals some new insights - eg the relationship of public and private embodied in castle latrines - garderobes opening out onto the main outside walls of a castle (answering the question "what has military power and function got to do with the bodily functions of the medieval aristocrat?" - "a lot")
more pictures of Dunstanburgh - [link]
Behind the Castle Gate.pdf