The moment architecture becomes philosophy,
Your spatial perception changes!

In line with the historical and philosophical choices of the times
Between Plato and Aristotle
The standard of 'beauty' that goes back and forth
Where is contemporary beauty headed?

Architecture is the face of the times, and philosophy is the thoughts that embody that face.
"Aesthetics through Architecture" explores the philosophies and perceptions of the times that permeate architectural forms through ten buildings spanning ancient and modern times, from the Parthenon to the Seattle Library.
We trace how aesthetic standards have changed over time, and read architectural history as a history of thought, beyond a simple record of decorative history.

It is not only physical conditions such as climate, materials, and technology that determine architecture.
At the same time, it is formed differently depending on how people perceive and evaluate the contemporary world.
This book places precisely those cultural biases at the center of its analysis.
From Plato's ideas, Aristotle's understanding of the real world, to Kant's pure reason, the philosophy of each era has left a deep mark on architectural forms.

The book's highlight lies in its insightful exploration of how deterministic and indeterministic thinking, namely the aesthetic theories of Plato and Aristotle, are repeated and transformed in the flow of architectural style.
The reason why the order of the Renaissance is replaced by the sensibility of the Baroque, and why the principles of Le Corbusier's modernism are replaced by Rem Koolhaas's deconstructionism, is not a mere fad.
It is a shift in philosophical sensibility.

Today, rather than asking, "What is beautiful?", we ask, "Why was it considered beautiful?"

"Aesthetics through Architecture" examines the thought structure behind architectural forms and offers readers a new perspective.
It reminds us that the architecture we see is not simply a product of function or style, but rather the result of historical and philosophical choices.

Aesthetics is not a way of appreciating, but a way of thinking.
This book, which understands the times through architecture and reexamines form through philosophy, will provide profound insight to those who wish to change their perspective on art.
Between aesthetic absolutism and relativism, where do we stand now? This question prompts us to reexamine the meaning of the architecture that surrounds us.

So why did the Athenians distort the rectangular solid? Consistently distorting it is much more difficult than creating a perfectly square rectangular solid.
There is no reason to do something without a good reason. - Page 34 (Parthenon Temple) For the Romans of that time, it was important to perfectly express the sphere, the most ideal form.
The circle of Castel Sant'Angelo would have been of a lesser form.
The circle must be clearly recognizable both in plan and in cross section.
---From "2 Roman Pantheon"

The feeling that wonder is divine value and that God protects humans is a sense of security.
For the people of St. Philibert, wonder and a sense of security were of the utmost importance.
Because they were wearing Platonic colored glasses provided by Plotinus.
---From "The Monastery of St. Philibert"

Gothic cathedrals began to accommodate some of the human senses.
It led to a sensual expression of the image.
Light was needed for humans to perceive the representation of the saints, and this was achieved by hand.
The ceiling of the cathedral, now illuminated by light, had to be raised a little higher.
This is the moment when Aristotle's victory is confirmed.
---From "4 Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris"

The Renaissance faded so quickly that it could almost be said to have "suddenly faded."62 The fading of a dominant trend means that something else has emerged.
If we consider the use of simple, basic shapes and proportions as the characteristics of Renaissance architecture, can we not guess the characteristics of the architecture that followed?
---From "5 Pachi Chapel"

Even though it is the same building, the number of things seen by contemporaries and modern people is different.
The reason is simple.
As I have explained many times, this is because we do not see with our eyes, but rather the result of our brain's interpretation.
To say that contemporaries and modern people see things differently ultimately means that they interpret things differently.
The brain observes something, that is, interprets it based on the knowledge and experience it has gained up to the point of seeing it.
---From "6-Day Jesu Cathedral"

Architecture before Durand pursued ideal forms.
However, in the era of Durang, ideal forms are not pursued.
No, you can't do that.
Why? Because we need to create a building with an unprecedented purpose.
Can you imagine an ideal form that would fit a building with such unprecedented uses?
---From "The Paris Pantheon of 7 Durands"

In this context, we can find Aristotle's influence in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
The further development of architecture again leaned towards Aristotle.
The moment we lean towards the further Aristotle of architecture, we anticipate Plato again.
---From "8 Victoria and Albert Museum"

In modernist architecture, function can take the place of idea because it is a principle that transcends time and space.
The art of architecture reproduces function.
And such efforts are naturally given the name functionalism.
In this context, modernist architecture is once again the revival of Plato.
---From "9 Weissenhof Housing Complex"

What Koolhaas, who designed the Seattle Library, saw was the colored glasses of ‘deconstruction of deconstructionist philosophy.’
What is important, and what will be reiterated at the end of every chapter throughout the book, is that attempts like Koolhaas's are tolerated or encouraged thanks to Aristotle's theory of art.

---From "10 Seattle Libraries"