1 8 T H C E N T U RY

CONCEPTS
MARC-ANTOINE
LAUGIER
TOA-2
21.2.2016
B Y: A R . N I D H I J O S H I

INTRODUCTI
ON
NAME : Marc Antoine Laugier

ALSO KNOWN AS : L' Abb Laugier

PERIOD : 1713-1769 ( 18th Century )
LOCATION : Manosque,Provence, France
OCCUPATION : Jesuit priestand architectural
theorist
FAMOUS FOR : His Essay on Architecture

BIOGRAPHY
As a Jesuit priest, Laugier fulfilled erudite (having or showing great
knowledge or learning) education that surpassed theological frames.

Furthermore, he was a highly gifted person, being eloquent,

perspicacious and skillful orator, writer and translator.

During his life, he was very respected by the highest cultural

circles in France and other parts of the world.

He was elected a member of the Academy of Science in Anger, Lyon

and Marsey, and his works were translated into the main world
languages.

When he wrote his first book Essay on Architecture (1753),

Laugier was already more than forty years old.
Until the end of his life, during the next sixteen years, he published
twelve books, as well as a significant number of articles,
translations and short texts.

CULTUROLOGICAL CONTEXT OF LAUGIERS

WORK
In the 18th century, Europe was marked by several revolutions
that brought a complete change in socials norms and beliefs.
Enlightenment as a spiritual and philosophical movement was
based on reason as the highest human value and included every
single aspect of human existence.
Using reasonable and logical viewing, enlighteners initiated a
revolution in traditional structures that were imposed by the
Church and the absolute ruler.
The theological metaphysical learnings were rejected, while
the optimistic faith in human advancement through practicing
science was acquired.
The new democratic social relations based on the postulates of
justice and equality of all the people were demanded.

LAUGIERS ARCHITECTURAL
THEORY
Laugiers views on architecture examined the whole history and theory of
architecture, starting from Vitruvius. The beliefs that were regarded as
irrefutable for centuries were considered wrong and vague by Laugier.

The architecture that was defined by the arranged cosmic order with numerous
symbolic meanings was now deprived of its metaphysical character.
Laugier was among the first theoreticians that used constructive logic that was more
powerful than the secret symbolic meaning of numbers and proportions in
architecture.

With his radical attitudes he succeeded in starting a reformation of architecture,

stressing that renaissance models of thinking were long gone and confirming his
modernist views that were led by reason as the main postulate of enlightenment.

Laugiers views caused a big public attention.

Based on the classicistic theory, Laugiers radical system of rules rejected all the
elements of confusing and bizarre, and not only the ones belonging to rococo, but
also the elements that were used in architecture for centuries as parts of classical
expression, like pilasters, niches and pedestals.

Laugier criticized lots of baroque and renaissance elements, for example spiral columns
He completely rejected the Roman Tuscan and Composite architectural order, but
reformed the classic Greek Ionic, Doric and Corinthian order.

ALL THE ABOVE EXAMPLES BELONG TO ROCOCO

STYLE OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE

THESE 2 ARE EXAMPLES OF BAROQUE

ARCHITECTURE

LAUGIERS THEORY
OF THE PRIMITIVE
HUT

LAUGIERSARCHITECTURAL
THEORY
Laugier represents one of
the first minds that introduced the
revolutionary ideas in the field of aesthetic viewing of architecture.

Laugier outlined his theory about architecture in the 1753(Essai

sur l'architecture) Essay on Architecture.
In 1755 he published the second edition with a famous, often
reproduced illustration of aprimitive hut. This iconic frontispiece
illustration was done by French artist Charles Eisen .
According to Laugier, all architecture derives from these three
essential, primitive elements:
1. Thecolumn
2. Theentablature
3. Thepediment

Laugier paved the way for structural classicism, seeing the column, the
entablature and the pediment as the supreme elements of architecture
and claimed that, except from their regular forming and distributing, nothing
else was needed to add in order for a building to be perfect.

THE PRIMITIVE HUT

EXPLAINED
In the picture, an idyllic
woman (perhaps the
personification of
Architecture) points out
a simple rustic cabin to a
child (perhaps the
unknowing, naive
architect).

The structure she points to

is simplistic in design,
uses basic geometric
shapes, and is
constructed from natural
elements.
Laugier's Primitive Hut is his
representation of the
philosophy that all
architecture derives
from this simple ideal.

THE PRIMITIVE HUT

ILLUSTRATED
Laugier theorizes that man wants nothing
but shade from the sun and shelter from
storms. "The man is willing to make
himself an abode which covers but
not buries him," Laugier writes. "Pieces
of wood raised perpendicularly, give
us the idea of columns. The horizontal
pieces that are laid upon them, afford
us the idea of entablatures."Branches
form an incline that can be covered
with leaves and moss, "so that neither
the sun nor the rain can penetrate
therein; and now the man is lodged."
Laugier concludes that "The little rustic
cabin that I have just described, is the
model upon which all the
magnificences of architecture have
been imagined."

LAUGIERSARCHITECTURAL
In his system of structuralist THEORY
aesthetics, Laugier established the following
elements in architecture:

1. les parties essentielles (the essential elements),

2. les parties introduites par besoin (the elements introduced out of need)
and
3.

les parties ajoutes par caprice (the elements used out of caprice).
[Caprice: decadence meaning moral or cultural decline as characterized by

excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury.]

. The essential elements of architecture respected the principle of primitive hut
and consisted of column, entablature and pediment as descried earlier, they
were fundamental and no architectural building could be built without
them.
. The elements introduced out of need were walls, windows and doors.
Laugier approved them only because they were necessary due to commodit
(commodity), but believed that they undermined the basic principles of primitive
hut.

LAUGIERSARCHITECTURAL
Led by this division of architecture,
Laugier
THEORY
established three levels of aesthetic categories:

1. beauts (beauty),
2. licences (necessity or justification) and
3. dfauts (errors),
. which were equivalents to good, bad and
wrong.
. Among faults he lists for columns are that
of "being engaged in the wall", the use
ofpilasters, incorrectentasis(swelling of
the column), and setting columns
onpedestals.
. Being embedded in the wall detracts from the
overall beauty and aesthetic nature of columns;
. Laugier states that columns should be free.
. He goes on to assert that the use of pilasters
should strictly be frowned upon especially since
in nearly every case columns could be used
instead.
. The second fault is created by incorrect
proportion, and the last he believes is more of

LAUGIERSARCHITECTURAL
THEORY
A great part of The Essays significance is found in Laugiers expressing a critical
attitude towards the existing architecture.
His views caused a series of discussions in public and directly influenced the
forming of classicistic style in French architecture.
By analyzing Laugiers rationalist aesthetics, we may perceive three
significant tendencies that are ever present in his aesthetic concept of
architecture.
These are :
1. vrit (truthfulness)
2. simplicit (simplicity)
3. naturalisme (naturality).
. We may conclude that these tendencies make an entire system that represent the
most important contribution of Laugiers architectural aesthetics.

WHY IS LAUGIER'S PRIMITIVE HUT

IMPORTANT?
1. The essay is considered a major treatise in architectural theory. It is
often cited by teachers of architecture and practicing architects even in
the 21st century.
2. Laugier's expression is pro-Greek Classicismand reacts against
theBaroque ornamentation and decoration of his day.
3. It established the argument for future architectural movements, including
18th centuryNeoclassicismand the 21st century trend toward
unadorned, eco-friendly dwellings .
4. The Primitive Hut idea supports aback-to-nature philosophy, a
romantic idea which gained popularity in the mid-18th century and
influenced literature, art, music, and architecture.
5. Defining the essential elements of architecture is a statement of
purpose, a philosophy that drives the work of an artist. Simplicity of
design and the use of natural materials, what Laugier believes are
architectural essentials, are familiar ideas that have been embraced by
modern architects, includingFrank Lloyd Wright.
6. Laugier's rustic cabin is sometimes callThe Vitruvian Hut, because
Laugier built on ideas of natural and divine proportion documented by the
ancient Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius.

ARCHITECTS INFLUENCED BY LAUGIER

Sir John Soane
Le Corbusier
Thom Mayne