Reflections on the Essai by Marc-Antoine Laugier

Nature and simplicity in the design of the primitive hut

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24220/2318-0919v20e2023a5461

Keywords:

Architectural Theory, Architectural Treaties, Classical Architecture, Critical Reflection, Illustration

Abstract

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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Author Biography

Fernando Guillermo, Universidade São Judas Tadeu

Programa de Pós-Graduação Stricto Sensu em Arquitetura e Urbanismo

References

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Published

2023-12-20

How to Cite

Fernando Guillermo. (2023). Reflections on the Essai by Marc-Antoine Laugier: Nature and simplicity in the design of the primitive hut. Oculum Ensaios - ISSNe 2318-0919, 20. https://doi.org/10.24220/2318-0919v20e2023a5461

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Section

Research Article