The built environment, in some ways, is a transition. In terms of homes, it’s a segue from public life to private. External to internal. Various philosophers, including Martin Heidegger and Gaston Bachelard, have put forth influential theories on home and living, romanticizing country life and condemning the city. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, some contemporary architects and designers have embraced the philosophers’ spatial and sensory theories while rejecting the idea that “home” can only be created in rural areas.
This course will examine Heidegger’s and Bachelard’s theories alongside contemporary homes in both the country and city. It will also analyze the ways in which design can elicit emotion and create experiences. Lastly, it will propose that a sense of balance and form can arise out of objects regardless of their origin, whether organic or man-made.