1/6/2018 9.

Genius Loci , Christian Norberg Schulze | Culture and Architecture

Culture and Architecture

Indah Widiastuti

9. Genius Loci , Christian Norberg Schulze

Posted: July 7, 2010 | Author: Antropology and Architecture | Filed under: Syllabus- AD065 |Leave
a comment
In Roman mythology a genius loci was the protective spirit of a place. In the context of Modern
architectural theory, Genius Loci has profound implications for ma er of place-making, falling
within the philosophical branch of ‘phenomenology’. This field of architectural discourse is

Standpoint:

Christian Norberg-Schulz adopt ontological base of Heideger: “Light reveals the genius loci of a
place.”~Aletheia
This understanding follows the collapse of European Order following the World-War II

Central theme:

Need to expand into the meaning of architecture is done by understanding this spiritual quality
that Christian Norberg-Schulz perceived as “being imbedded in the context of place”.
“Space and Characters” can not be interpreted in purely formal or aesthetic terms, but are
intimately connected with “making”.

Assumption

Beyond the pragmatic experimental aspects of architecture there is a specific need for a
metaphysical belief in architecture, which contribute to architecture understanding of existential
“meaning” of place.
“the unmeasured but perceived”

1. The Structure of Place

A concrete term for environment is place

The structure of Place ought to be described in terms of “landscapes” and “se lement”, and
analyzed by means of the categories “Space” and “Character”.

Space: three-dimensional organization of the elements which makes up a place.

The three-dimensional organization can be geometrical and perceptual

Perceptual~ Structure of concrete space identified by node, path, edge, district, and landmark
(Kevin Lynch)

https://indahwidiastuti.wordpress.com/2010/07/07/9-genius-loci-christian-norberg-schulze/ 1/3
1/6/2018 9. Genius Loci , Christian Norberg Schulze | Culture and Architecture

Geometrical ~ System of Place that roots in concrete situation (Paolo Portoghesi). This correlate
with Heidegger statement that “Space receive its being from location not space”

Space convey varying degree of extension and enclosure and figure-ground relations. Enclosure is
defined by boundary. But “Boundary is not that at which something stops, but from which
something begins its presencing”. In many other case enclosure appear not as limit but center

Character: general “atmosphere” which is the most comprehensive property of any place.

Any real presence is intimately linked with characters.

A dwelling has to be protective, an office has to be practical, an airport has to be intelligible, a
ballroom has to be festive, a church has to be solemn
Character is defined by material and formal constitution of the place – “on how it is made” ~
technical realization (building), creative “re-vealing” (techne).
Characters kept concept of Place as a concrete engineered/designed object, not merely quality

Space and Character are altogether constitute “Lived Space”.

Man-made place are related to nature in three basic ways:

1. Visualization. It implies “expressing” existential foothold he has gained through process of

understanding on environment
2. Symbolization . It implies that an experienced meaning is translated into another medium. The
purpose is to free the meaning immediate situation whereby it becomes cultural object.
3. Gathering. It implies that man needs to gather the experienced meaning to create himself an
imago mundi which concretize his world

2. The Spirit of Place

“Every independent being has its genius, its guardian spirit.”

The spirit gives life to people and places, accompanies them from birth to death. The genius
denotes what it “wants to be”.

Dwelling denotes “total man-place relationship” in which human construct in their mental and
perceptual relationship between the “space” and “character” and makes it into lived space.

In the making there are two psychological functions that is involved: “Identification” and “Orientation”

1. System of orientation: spatial structures which facilitate the development of a good

environmental image world. Where the image-making is bad good image is hard to obtain, and
cause the feeling of “being lost”
2. Identification: “to be friends with particular environment”. Southeast Asian have to “make
friend” with high-rainfall and earthquake; the Arab ~ sandy desert; the Nordic ~ fog and ice. It is
basis of human sense of belonging.

“Architecture belong to Poetry, it helps man to dwell”

Reference

Christian Norberg-Schulz, (1976), “The Phenomenon of Place”, in “Theorizing A New Agenda for
Architecture – An Anthology of Theory Architectural” 1965 – 1995” (1996), Kate Nesbit (ed), New
York: Princeton Architectural Press, p. 412-428

References

https://indahwidiastuti.wordpress.com/2010/07/07/9-genius-loci-christian-norberg-schulze/ 2/3
1/6/2018 9. Genius Loci , Christian Norberg Schulze | Culture and Architecture

Readers

Lorna Beug, Regina: Genius Loci adn Technological Sublime,

Jorge Pairo Otelos, Norberg-Schulz House

Advertisements

Wattpad is sooo last

year!
Stories have a new online home

Lead the Story Move…

Report this ad

Report this ad

Blog at WordPress.com. Mid Mo Design.

https://indahwidiastuti.wordpress.com/2010/07/07/9-genius-loci-christian-norberg-schulze/ 3/3