How reading books have inspired Architecture

All forms of art and creative fields take inspiration from multiple sources; architecture is also one of them. Contrary to popular belief, literature has been one of the most intense inspirations for architectural design. Books have played a significant role in motivating architects to design new spaces time and again. It helps plan for the future. Literary ideas have allowed architects to reinterpret historical styles and have theoretical debates to compare different architectural styles. This article explores the various ways in which books have inspired architecture, examining examples from history, theory, and fiction.

Literary Inspirations

Architects have been known to talk about the emotions and narrative of their design spaces since the evolution of the field. There are often discussions on Utopia and dystopia and certain landscapes in detail. The in-depth description of the places in novels has helped architects to think of new ideas that transcend the limitations of contemporary design. For example, the narration of Marco Polo to Kublai Khan in Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities (1972) highlights the imperceptible boundaries that separate the past from the present, between memory and desire, and between fact and fantasy. It is a series of poetic and philosophical descriptions that encourage architects to think about space and perception of space. The book is often used as a reference point for experimental designs and installations by adding a narrative experience to their designs. Another example is The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (1954-1955) which offers an intensive description of elements borrowed from medieval and Gothic periods. There are theme parks, fantasy-themed structures, bars, cafes, and even residential places inspired by the elucidation of Shire, Rivendell, and Minas Tirith.

Architectural Theories and Manifestos in Books

Apart from fiction, architecture has been shaped greatly by books on architectural theory and philosophy. A prominent example is Vitrivius’ de Architectura (1st century BCE) which has given fundamental principles of architecture. These works explain functionality, symmetry, scale, and proportion in depth. Renaissance architects such as Leon Battista Alberti, and Andrea Palladio had been immensely influenced by it and they also redefined the order of architecture. Modernist design was revolutionized by emphasizing function, industrial evolution and minimalism. In the 20th century, Le Corbusier’s Towards a New Architecture (1923) became a manifesto for upcoming architects by the encouragement of open floor plans and the extensive use of glass and steel. The complexity and contradiction of city planning can be understood by Rem Koolhaas’ Delirious New York (1978) which explores Manhattan’s urbanism. Koolhaas’ writings challenge conventional zoning ideas and encourage a more organic, chaotic approach to architectural growth.

Architectural Representation in Literature

The evolution of Architecture, its styles and movements, and cultural influence have been well documented. The documentation of architectural achievements and their history has helped in finding new inspiration and interpretations and even restorations of old buildings. The bad examples of architecture teach the architect what has not worked in the past and what methods have failed in the past to learn from it. For instance, Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831) played an important role in the preservation of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and at the same time talks about the beauty of Gothic architecture. A renewed appreciation of Gothic architecture was sparked by the description of the cathedral’s intricate details which led to restoration by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. The analytical and ethical dimensions of architecture were explored by Ayn Rand in The Fountainhead (1943). The novel’s protagonist, Howard Roark, represents the ideal of the uncompromising modernist architect, drawing inspiration from real-life figures such as Frank Lloyd Wright. Many architects have been influenced by this book to stay true to their passion for architecture and put a foot down in front of societal pressure. 

 Futuristic and Utopian Architectural Visions

Science fiction literature with its visions of future cities has inspired many architectural experiments of structures. This has challenged and encouraged architects to think beyond conventional architecture. For instance, the cyberpunk settings in Gibson’s Neuromancer (1984) and the futuristic cities portrayed in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy (1951–1993) have impacted architectural ideas about megastructures, high-tech urbanism, and digital spaces. The ideas like artificial intelligence shaping urban spaces can be traced back to these literary works. Smart cities and sustainable technology were also a subset of these references. Similarly, Thomas More’s Utopia (1516) depicts an example of a city built on communal living and planning. The book played a significant role in helping urban planners to prioritize efficiency and sustainability. The concepts like walkability and green spaces in contemporary projects were highly inspired by this book. 

Architects Who Were Avid Readers

Many famous architects have mentioned books as their major source of inspiration. For example, Zaha Hadid’s fluid architectural forms of deconstructivism and parametric influence have been the result of her fascination with literature and philosophy. Her buildings look like structures from a novel about a futuristic city. Similarly, Frank Lloyd Wright was inspired by the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Their philosophies of self-reliance and harmony with nature resonated with Wright’s organic architecture, as seen in masterpieces like Fallingwater.

This relationship between books and architecture goes both ways. Books have inspired architecture and at the same time, books have also been influenced by architecture. Books give a space for interpretation, which means what one person imagines as a space from the literary description can be interpreted entirely differently by another reader, and that births different design ideas along the same concepts from the same books. The symbiotic relationship between literature and architecture has fostered a rich tradition of cross-disciplinary inspiration. Reading has allowed architects to dream, conceptualize, and construct in ways beyond the norm, whether through historical tales in classic literature, theoretical discourses in manifestos, or poetic cityscapes in fiction. Architecture will develop and produce spaces that represent the limitless potential of human imagination as long as literature inspires people.

Citations:

Books and Articles

1. Calvino, I. (1972) Invisible Cities. London: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
2. Tolkien, J.R.R. (1954-1955) The Lord of the Rings. London: Allen & Unwin.
3. Le Corbusier (1923) Towards a New Architecture. London: Architectural Press.
4. Koolhaas, R. (1978) Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan. New York: Monacelli Press.
5. Hugo, V. (1831) The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Paris: Gosselin.
6. Rand, A. (1943) The Fountainhead. New York: Bobbs-Merrill.
7. More, T. (1516) Utopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
8. Gibson, W. (1984) Neuromancer. New York: Ace Books.
9. Asimov, I. (1951-1993) Foundation Series. New York: Doubleday.

Journal Articles and Academic Sources

1. Frampton, K. (1992) Modern Architecture: A Critical History. London: Thames & Hudson.
2. Jencks, C. (2005) The Iconic Building. London: Rizzoli.
3. Picon, A. (2010) Digital Culture in Architecture. Basel: Birkhäuser.
4. Viollet-le-Duc, E. (1990) The Foundations of Architecture: Selections from the Dictionnaire Raisonné. New York: George Braziller.
5. Curtis, W.J.R. (1996) Modern Architecture Since 1900. London: Phaidon.

Images:

1. Invisible cities. [Photograph] (https://www.manhattanrarebooks.com/pages/books/1411/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/de-architectura-libri-dece-the-ten-books-on-architecture?soldItem=true )
2. The Shire. [Photograph] (https://www.cbr.com/lotr-history-of-the-shire-explained/) 
3. Vitruvius. [Photograph] (https://www.manhattanrarebooks.com/pages/books/1411/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/de-architectura-libri-dece-the-ten-books-on-architecture?soldItem=true ) 
4. Diagon Alley. [Photograph] (https://blog.discoveruniversal.com/itineraries/how-to-a-day-in-the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/) 
5. Wakanda City. [Photograph] (https://www.worldoutspoken.com/articles-blog/on-earth-as-in-wakanda)
6. Falling Waters. [Photograph] (https://franklloydwright.org/site/fallingwater/ )