Roger Vernon Scruton is writer and philosopher who wrote “The Aesthetics of Architecture” in 1980s. He believed that the fundamental idea behind architecture was aesthetics. After thirty years the book is published with new introduction of his further evolved ideas and states that his arguments are still relevant today.
The text starts with discussing aesthetics and philosophy. From 19thcentury till now the subject is discussed having theoretical, practical perspectives. This text is written to elaborate the concepts of practical reason and aesthetic understanding.
Aesthetic preference:
Why do we prefer one building to another? What is it to prefer while comparing the buildings? What significance these preferences do have for us? That may be the understanding, taste, experience or that kind of mental phenomena. But after all, aesthetics is significant. But what a rational person prefers is a reasonable and non-aesthetic design approach.
Architectural aesthetics and architectural theory:
Many of the architectural appreciations are described as forms and objects. Hence, functionalist arguments of appreciations are based on quality of space. But now we need to study about the nature of appreciation considering number of possible aspects. Sometimes the architectural theory and architectural aesthetics have been used as synonyms. The architectural theory is used as to govern practitioner with rules, maxims and perceptions.
Is aesthetic experience general and do we need philosophy of architecture? How the other forms of representational arts (like paintings, sculpture, drama and poetry) different from architecture? Function or utility are the core intentions to be fulfilled in architecture. And this is how architecture is distinguished among other forms of arts.
Art, architecture and craft:
The architecture and crafts have coexistence with fundamental differences. The art is not something which is predicted from starting. The expressions, feelings are the abstract notions from which an art-form emerges. Where the craft has some determined end product derived from techniques, instruments/ tools. Architecture is also an end product envisaged conceptually from beginning but not exact as the final product. It evolves through the knowledge and experiences of practitioner while the development process. The appropriateness of architecture is determined by achieving function as final intention. Architecture comprises idea of utilitarian function and influenced by context. Architecture is also public object even if it is owned privately. It is surely a continuous decorative art intervened by different users and their changing needs.
Architecture and beauty
The process of design in practice starts with understanding the client’s needs. Study of requirements by interactions and understanding, contexts from physical and analytical aspects are then used to device a mechanism that is responsive to findings. That becomes a method to design a building. Beauty / aesthetics is a by product then projected as consequences of his process and not the part of his aim. In design process experience / aesthetics has to be responsive to function otherwise it turns out in to superficial design. Unlike animals, Human being flourishes with values, emotions and preferences in addition to just food and basic needs. Preference is optional but values come from fundamental evaluation. Choices come from certain values. In architecture idea of appropriateness comes from simultaneous act of imagination and act of evaluation. The necessity of aesthetics is fundamental.
In class Prof. Shrivatsan also discussed that what the rationalist theory is about. How this theory prescribes aesthetics. He explained concepts of style, substance and function through another text- “Clear and simple as the truth”. Majorly critics in architecture argue about forms and monuments, and not by saying them not beautiful (from the text- Functional Beauty). “The philosophy of Visistadvaita” tells about sensory aesthetics like smell, peace, spiritual experience in temple architecture. By that way the spiritual experience can be exalted by imagination.