Unified Architectural Theory: Chapter 8 | ArchDaily

11/3/15, 7:09 PM

World

About

Contact

Submit

Advertise

ArchDaily | Broadcasting

the world's
most visited
architecture website
Architecture
Worldwide

Projects

News

Articles

Materials

Interviews

Competitions

Events

Classics

More

Search ArchDaily

Log in | Sign up

Unified
Theory: Chapter 8
BookmarkArchitectural
this picture!

09

AUG

2014

by Vanessa Quirk
News Articles
Unified Architectural Theory
Nikos Salingaros

Bookmark

21
Like

46

MORE
ARTICLES

Tweet

280

Heydar Aliyev Center / Zaha Hadid Architects. Image Hlne Binet

We will be publishing Nikos Salingaros book, Unified Architectural Theory, in a series of

installments, making it digitally, freely available for students and architects around the world.
The following chapter outlines architectures connection to biology, and how biology
influences our perception of form. If you missed them, make sure to read the previous
installments here.

The idea of a biological connection to architecture has been used in turn by traditional
architects, modernists, postmodernists, deconstructivists, and naturally, the organic form
architects. One might say that architectures proposed link to biology is used to support any
architectural style whatsoever. When it is applied so generally, then the biological
connection loses its value, or at least becomes so confused as to be meaningless. Is there

MORE ARTICLES

a way to clear up the resulting contradiction and confusion?

Up until now, architects and those scientists interested in architecture have focused on the

MOST
VISITED

morphological imitation of nature. Sometimes explicitly, more often implicitly, natural forms,
believe that an understanding of the biological roots of architecture and urbanism requires

Famous Landmarks
Reimagined with Paper
Cutouts

another component that is independent of structural imitation. This more elusive aspect of

Architecture News

including biological forms, have inspired the constructions of human beings. Nevertheless, I

the problem is concerned with how we connect and perceive form to begin with. As
such, it has more to do with our own internal structure as human beings than with more
general biological structures. The answers are to be found in cognitive processes,

House in Toyonaka / Tato

Architects

perception, and neurophysiology.

Selected Projects
In order to begin a search for how biology influences architecture and urbanism, we must
establish some overall map of the problem. Because this is a vast subject, it is useful to
divide it into a series of questions like the following. This is not meant to be a complete set
of questions, only a starting point for an investigation.

Elementary School in Tel

Aviv / Auerbach Halevy
Architects

1. Why do some built forms resemble biological forms?

Selected Projects

2. What types of built forms correspond more closely to biological prototypes?

3. Are human beings predisposed to like and feel comfortable with certain types of
forms?

http://www.archdaily.com/530834/unified-architectural-theory-chapter-8

MOST VISITED
PRODUCTS
Page 1 of 3

Unified Architectural Theory: Chapter 8 | ArchDaily

11/3/15, 7:09 PM

Metal 2.0
Apavisa

4. Are human beings also predisposed to build certain types of forms?

Porcelain Stoneware

5. Is it worthwhile mimicking biological forms in what we build?

6. Do we gain more than just aesthetic pleasure such as physical and psychological
benefits, for example from an environment that captures the essence of biological

TerraClad Ceramic
Sunshade System
Boston Valley Terra Cotta

structure?

Ceramics

7. Can we damage ourselves by living in and around forms that contradict biological
forms?

8. Do we really understand biological structure well enough to mimic anything other

Facade panel linea

EQUITONE

than its superficial appearance?

Fiber Cements / Cements

These questions can hopefully provide researchers with an impetus to resolve long-standing
problems in how humankind relates to its natural and built environments. I would like to
focus here on the connection between architecture and urbanism, on the one hand, and
inherited structures in the human brain that influence the function of mind, on the other. A
group of innovative architects and thinkers are beginning to formulate the basis for a new
architecture that arises out of human needs, and which is supported by an improved
understanding of biological structure. Our cognition makes us human; it is certainly
responsible for how we perceive structure. Human neurophysiology is therefore essential for
answering at least some of the above questions.

Order the International edition of Unified Architectural Theory here, and the US edition
here.

Receive the best architecture, every

day, via email.
Daily Newsletter
Fortnightly Materials Newsletter
YOUR EMAIL

SUBSCRIBE

Cite:
Vanessa Quirk. "Unified Architectural Theory: Chapter 8" 09 Aug 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed 3 Nov 2015.
<http://www.archdaily.com/530834/unified-architectural-theory-chapter-8/>

BROWSE THE
CATALOG

http://www.archdaily.com/530834/unified-architectural-theory-chapter-8

Page 2 of 3