Reflections on the Essai by Marc-Antoine Laugier
Nature and simplicity in the design of the primitive hut
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24220/2318-0919v20e2023a5461Keywords:
Architectural Theory, Architectural Treaties, Classical Architecture, Critical Reflection, IllustrationAbstract
This paper discusses the ideas of nature and simplicity developed by abbot Marc-Antoine Laugier in his Essai sur l’Architecture, first published in 1753. The reflection
starts from the author’s premises and opens to several interpretative possibilities. His propositions are
compared with those of his contemporaries to present
a broader view of the period. Reflection as a method of knowledge, which since Saint Augustine is a way of organizing ideas and evaluating propositions, was the method with which Laugier developed his theoretical
research and is adopted in this article as well. Based on a specialized bibliography, but without intending to exhaust the topic, the text highlights the complex and varying sources supporting the abbot’s thought.
Finally, the article has two objectives: to present Laugier’s ideas concerning the cognitive field of the 18th century, especially on nature and simplicity, and from
an epistemological perspective, to resume reflection as a critical practice, not necessarily from a disciplinary or technical viewpoint, but an aesthetic one, considering
the historical experience of Enlightenment.
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References
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