Silent Partner: Design and Making in the Early Modern Architecture of Britain
This article argues that, in early modern architecture in Britain, the role of making has been subordinated to that of design. It takes it cue from Gottfried Semper’s image of the architect in antiquity as choragus or orchestrator of the many skills required to create a building, and demonstrates th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidad de Navarra
2021-11-01
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| Series: | RA. Revista de Arquitectura |
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| Online Access: | https://revistas.unav.edu/index.php/revista-de-arquitectura/article/view/42173 |
| _version_ | 1818900671136530432 |
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| author | Christine Cassey |
| author_facet | Christine Cassey |
| author_sort | Christine Cassey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article argues that, in early modern architecture in Britain, the role of making has been subordinated to that of design. It takes it cue from Gottfried Semper’s image of the architect in antiquity as choragus or orchestrator of the many skills required to create a building, and demonstrates that knowledge of materials and craftsmanship informed the design process. It argues that the architect’s role as orchestrator of craft production has been overlooked due to an overemphasis on conceptual design. The relationship of conceptual and intuitive approaches to building is explored, as is communication between architect and craftsmen through models and large-scale working drawings. The nonarchitectural concerns of plastic artists involved in architectural production are noted. Finally, historiographical tendencies toward stylistic and biographical attribution are shown to militate against a holistic view of design and craft in early modern architecture. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T20:07:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c015ba7ea1f84b9899ceb970d13d5ef7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1138-5596 2254-6332 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T20:07:34Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Universidad de Navarra |
| record_format | Article |
| series | RA. Revista de Arquitectura |
| spelling | doaj.art-c015ba7ea1f84b9899ceb970d13d5ef72022-12-21T20:07:24ZengUniversidad de NavarraRA. Revista de Arquitectura1138-55962254-63322021-11-0113214510.15581/014.23.132-14542173Silent Partner: Design and Making in the Early Modern Architecture of BritainChristine Cassey0Trinity College DublinThis article argues that, in early modern architecture in Britain, the role of making has been subordinated to that of design. It takes it cue from Gottfried Semper’s image of the architect in antiquity as choragus or orchestrator of the many skills required to create a building, and demonstrates that knowledge of materials and craftsmanship informed the design process. It argues that the architect’s role as orchestrator of craft production has been overlooked due to an overemphasis on conceptual design. The relationship of conceptual and intuitive approaches to building is explored, as is communication between architect and craftsmen through models and large-scale working drawings. The nonarchitectural concerns of plastic artists involved in architectural production are noted. Finally, historiographical tendencies toward stylistic and biographical attribution are shown to militate against a holistic view of design and craft in early modern architecture.https://revistas.unav.edu/index.php/revista-de-arquitectura/article/view/42173craftearly modern architecturetacit knowledgecollaboration |
| spellingShingle | Christine Cassey Silent Partner: Design and Making in the Early Modern Architecture of Britain RA. Revista de Arquitectura craft early modern architecture tacit knowledge collaboration |
| title | Silent Partner: Design and Making in the Early Modern Architecture of Britain |
| title_full | Silent Partner: Design and Making in the Early Modern Architecture of Britain |
| title_fullStr | Silent Partner: Design and Making in the Early Modern Architecture of Britain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Silent Partner: Design and Making in the Early Modern Architecture of Britain |
| title_short | Silent Partner: Design and Making in the Early Modern Architecture of Britain |
| title_sort | silent partner design and making in the early modern architecture of britain |
| topic | craft early modern architecture tacit knowledge collaboration |
| url | https://revistas.unav.edu/index.php/revista-de-arquitectura/article/view/42173 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christinecassey silentpartnerdesignandmakingintheearlymodernarchitectureofbritain |