Cosmic Spaceprints or Towards the Poetic Ontology of Space Author(s): Peter Magyar Source: Journal of Architectural Education (1984-),

Vol. 38, No. 4 (Summer, 1985), pp. 2-7 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of the Association of Collegiate Schools of
Architecture, Inc.

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. _E

Cosmic

Sacepri

. * _

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Peter is a native of Hungary, where he Magyar obtained hisMaster andUrban ofArchitecture in theTechnical of Budapest. University Design Hehaspracticed andtaught inHungary, and since1975abroad; in the he livesandteaches United since1980;currently he is a ProStates atAuburn fessor University.

ondrefers-according to myperception-to thetheoretical vehicle of thesame,while the third hint of themethod to be givesmea strong applied.

This structure is intended to be maintri-partite tained thepaper, andwillbefollowed thoughout of architectural bygraphic examples projects, roles of which are to substantiate the assertions main is an to princiMy goal present argument, forwarded hereby. for the and through drawings, possibility pally evennecessity of thedeverbalization of architec- 1 "The condition of architecture to existas a very tural Thedrawings that follow are design. artis to attain material andintellectual public offered as "facts" or "proofs" toward that end. permanence." first-evenbyrisking that I However, seemingly Krier1) contradict like to intro- 2 (Leon might myself-I would critical "The that stance architecture could ducemytreatise three declarations assume byquoting is to construct an today slowly ontology from different allrelevant to architecsources, of building that would contain themythical tural The first I as a view concise definidesign. of itself." representation tionof theobjectives of suchactivity, thesec(Demetri Porphyrios2)

3 "Work only andbeautifully correctly as stars traverse theskies." (Attila Jozsef3) Each of thesesentences arereducible forthree which arelisted below: key-notions,
A. 1. material permanence 2. construction 3. correct B. intellectual permanence ontology beautiful C. art public myth cosmos

Circumstantial as it might thisgrouping appear, contains correlations worth a short analysis. Most eachof thesetriads contains importantly, a progression from to non-quantifiaquantifiable blenotions.

solid

frozen air

surface diagram=particular

spaceprint

--

";

i~~~~~~general spaceprint
SumrrL1985, JAE38/4

topologicalljy equivalent model="tem"

simplified general spaceprint

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Thisis precisely, whatwas mentioned Itis alsosignificant thatbesides their "horizon- EPISTEMOLOGY: of knowledge". as earlier, "Theory intheoriginal of itself,'referring examine the degreesof certainty 'themythical tal"reading to representation "Epistemologists relationship (their andprobability in knowledge, of building.' there seemto be comand the difference an 'ontology context, along A-B-C) "5 between in "vertical" and the monparameters knowing believing. present Before in this parallel, let us turnour indulging Theword as well(reading along 1-2-3). groups attention back to the of Aren't these architectural and the notions, objective knowing believing, a central occupies position "ontology" (B2)and in limits two our mentioned earlier design. progressions link the has a to curiously enough, meaningful to permanence alltheaxes,including thediagonal in the sequencesfrommaterial notions along LeonKrier's to createpublic art program, to mythandfromcorart,construction public to thiswork needs onesas well.Consequently, material and intellectual is through permanence rectto cosmos? Certainly. We aredealing with first. be defined and covers all involved. selfexplanatory aspects an intrinsicaly where paradoxical phenomena, Thematerial this scientific permanence, partof "Adeductive to and not-knowing ONTOLOGY: discipline knowing leading appear alwayssimularchitecture is the most advanced in discipline truths about theessences of beings." taneously. to some scholars,this is necessary According our Not with it here profession. dealing might the verycondition of artistic or aesthetic values. (Ch.Wolff4)

Wecanexploit evenmore another definition, which is given relative to thefollowing when offspring "The message assumesa poeticfunction, it is ambiguous andself-focusing"6 of ontology.

Forexample,Umberto Ecostates:

not expresswellmy respectand recognition of it as an absolutebasisof anyarchitectural event. I wouldliketo commenton the more However, undefined and by so doing,expose questions
Summer 1985, JAE38/4

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4 These create nature of 'intellectual elements theparadoxical andParticular of theGeneral permaNon-space relationship inSpace discontinuities Letmeassert which nence.' thatideas, endure Isomorphy) (Topological Spaceprints common discontinuities have inthisinterpretation andinspire consecutive have a cer- 5 These boundary Architecture appearsgenerations, with conditions tainopenness other andflexibility fordifferbesides Space readings-as accepted preserving allowing conditions-the 6 These common reestabandforcefully evencontradictory-interpretaof Infinity"" ent-sometimes the"Edge boundary or be called "Cosmic surfaces interfaces-can in lost scale. its cosmic itself lishes tions.One offers long example immediately inthe thecaseof theGreek ideas Spaceprints" applied we "how to discover?," to thequestion is thesurface Turning 7 One such"Cosmic of years and hundreds Spaceprint" Renaissance, bridging and third last of our arrived to the discourse, of Earth. the suchdifferent social conditions.7 For themethod of design. thisis about me, condition 8 Theinterface orboundary his with truth fundamental a Attila Jozsef defines with the the theoretical discussion of Proceeding as thecommon canbe separated, conceptually and beauti". .. work words: I like to vehicle of architectural would correctly only design, of andparts of Space andNon-space, domain to me "known means hasto bea means of that architecture propose, itwe cancall"Cosmic Spaceprint Fragment," fully... ." "Correctly" ormeasurinthesenseof quantifiable in about theworld andabout ourselves truth," learning or inshort"Spaceprint" in method either science as is the basis of it.Assuch,it requires and both comdiscovery inarchitecture, able, 9 According to general practice to art. extends it also as but or theseshould form thebasisofthe life, munication, proof, theshapes of orunintentionally, intentionally which to methat hasthemeaning "Beautiful" Wehave mentioned these theory applied. and areconceived these"Spaceprints" the unreathe the touches Demetri emotions, feelings, earlier, Porphyrios aspects byquoting and realized articulated through bydesign, this With roots. andhasintuitive sonedrealm, andUmberto to theontology of building, relative construction the me to makes lucid the statement I believe it the unity poet Eco,defining poetic message. is as a design architecture 10 Therefore process necof thehuman to theprofesto communicate psyche only improper is theexecution of thesetwomodes andas a product theplanning, an archiFor in creational to to communicate andintend initiated every process. essary sionally or in the surfaces of appropriate changes it mustcommunicate to be meaningful, tecture mustbe " Therefore, my"message" "everybody." "Spaceprints we maydismodes These modes. in both these understandaand of general validity universally arevisually 11 Theshape of the"Spaceprints" that I but as cuss thisgoal,butit remains ble.I maynotachieve they propose actually separate from the andmanipulated tested usually only are inseparable. myintention. of theSpace viewpoint that a misconception, comesfrom 12 Thishabit on scientific theories to Heissenberg's With what dowe communicate? means According Only the is is the container, Space Non-space on us and aredependent ourresults research with thebuilding, matter andits andthrough contained Thescientific we apply. themethods researcher, itself. This whosegeometry describes form, is:Space contains 13 Thereality Non-space know doesn't hisreasearch, whenhestarts the self-focus however doesnotas yetfulfill the to correct thismiconception, 14 Inorder will be. Buthe his research of what the outcome The of duality quota mythical self-representation. alsohasto container of thereal shape-aspect the from to learn what he expects doesknow, reveals itself andunknown of theknown again be observed with scientific The begins a process when wetry 15 inthefollowing deductive process. process, and theformal contain "Spaceprints" with a verified orbegins andseeksa proof, fact the'necessary truth' of architecture's to define andNonof Space measurable properties facts. related and seeks we condition: proof utmost elementary Space-and further them we canclassify space,therefore of we areto thedefinition will see, thecloser as "Particular Spaceprints" inmethod either is nota science, Architecture evenmore 16 becomes thesimple, theundefinable of "Particular Spaceprints," drawings Through that to it is useful but or observe, product, condiwe reach themythic And here elusive. of andevaluation articulation theexploration, in make statements to architects seem willing definitions tion,sinceoneof thepertaining canbe andcontained both container or of either advance regarding proof inquiry as follows: reads accomplished learn simultaneously willbe andconsequently what a building from conditions If free the 17 we all boundary about from and little too much and with of anignorance reluctantly MYTH: "Consequence while restrictions measurable applying and the in architecture that elements the partake tendencies." devout (Fontenelle8) to them,we transformations9 topological to it. cancontribute Model" the introduce to truths Thefollowing Equivalent "Topologically produce attempt simple architectural design andwe cancallit "General regarding of Space. Myconclusions or Mythic thePoetic Spaceprint" Ontology these: are therefore to reducible is "Particular 18 Every process Spaceprint" " butfrom but 1 Cosmic forenergy, is thetheater Space one one "General Spaceprint, we must of thedesign 1 Inthebeginning process it from exists seemingly independently of number unlimited "General Spaceprint" statement not of role of the assume questioner, 2 Space is perceptible formanonly through can be "Particular Spaceprints" generated these is formed, maker. Asarchitecture conditions" "boundary onecan onJeanPiaget's 19 Based research,10 take answers their and form, possible from thebinary aremade conditions 3 These questions a correlation between exists assert that there in me and to me that is, drawing. conveyed by of Space= Non-space opposite andthe Preference Formal Coded Biologically
Summer 1985, JAE38/4

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modesof thehuman These thisprocess both 2 Within the Notes discrete, stepsarenotalways or "known" and inthecaseof the"correct" sequence changes psyche, especially 1 Leon inArchitectural Krier Design,5/6, 1982,p. 41. as tolerant macroandmicrogeometrical or "intuitive" "beautiful" as it 2 Demetri participate operations, inArchitectural 5/6, 1982,p. 56. Porphyrios Design, doeswith of oneother. to exploration andarticulation.3 Attila Translated Jozsef,Hungarian poet(1905-1937). regard supervisors bythe author. to us, available forextreme 3 Bylooking options of Chicago, I repeat Britannica, thepossibility 4 Ontology-inEncyclopedia University goal: mymain of Finally, boundaries theprobability we candetermine 1981.Volume VII, p. 542. and even of deverbalization the of necessity can Thediscovery ourquestions andanswers. 5 Epistemology-in of ChiBritannica, Encyclopedia University design.12 on onlya fewvariants,architectural bevery broad, yetbased il, p. 926. cago,1981.Volume 6 Umberto A Theory Ecco: of Semiotics, Indiana extreme ifthesevariants University options. represent Inconclusion, I would like to joinintheoptiPress,(Bloomington), 1979, p. 262. 4 Nottheoretically butnonetheless real, mism relevant, of Christopher as hestates: 7 JeanPiaget: &Row,Publishers Alexander, Structuralism-Harper (New areconstrained theoptions bythe ". . . I believe investigated SanFrancisco, 1970.p. 3: York, we areonthethreshold of a new Hagerstown, London), timeavailable. is oneof themain transformation characteristics of a System. era... when theproper of the understanding order 8 Marcel seemsto be a recurring Detienne: "L'invention de la Mythologie," 5 There Paris, sequential of are as embodied deepquestions space they 1981.Quoted Nicolin: "Architecture andGrand by Pierluigi of theoperations bydifferent accomplished inarchitecture . . . willplay a revolutionary role Style,"inLotus Vol.42, p. 7. International, as follows: inthe which canbesummarized projects ... andwillper- 9 Topological transformations do notconserve theproportions, waywe see theworld thecontinuity andneighbormeasurements, directions-only a role for the world view 21st of the haps play Data processing hoodrelations areto be unchanged. "Rubber-geometry"22nd and in that has centuries, physics played Data it dealswith because thatproperty, thatanobject interpretation retains theworld viewof the19thand20th."13 under shaping and deformation, specifically bending, stretching Macroexploration butnotbreaking ortearing. squeezing, articulation geometrical Acknowledgement 10 JeanPiaget et al.:TheChild's of Space,The Conception Theauthor of thisarticle his sincerethanks forthegenerous expresseshereby Humanities Press(New 1956.p. 21 andp. 55. York), Microexploration Professor of of Steven who-as the referee the first version of this Hurtt, help The Davies: andSchuster Simon in boththe textand in theorga- 11 Paul Edgeof Infinity, (New study-pointedout the numerous shortcomings articulation geometrical nization of the material. 1981. York), Presentation 12 "Spaceprints" Univerpreliminary by Peter published byAuburn Magyar, of His suggestionshavebeenaccepted in the discussions andare incorporated in 1984, contains anextended textwithmore final sity drawings andMethod the the Theory due to conceived drawings However, parts. newly general from the
the author for the observations and suggestions structure, onlyis responsible forwarded by thisshorttreatise.I

related to thesametopic.Obtainable School author, of Architecture, Alabama Auburn 36849. Auburn, University, 13 Stephen The Grabow: Search fora Alexander, Christopher inArchitecture NewParadigm Oriel Press(Stocksfield, Bos1983, p. xi. ton, Henley, London),

Summer 1985, JAE38/4

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