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Architecture and the Memory of Landscape

By Laurence Keith Loftin III.

Published by The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability

Currently there are many and various definitions of sustainable architecture. In general such buildings utilize highly technical solutions to solve architectural programs with the least expenditure of energy. These solutions emphasize the Modern Project: the technical, the industrial, and the scientific - fostering what Heidegger calls “the forgetfulness of being.” None of these technical solutions lead us to a renewed awareness of the land or the world around us. This paper argues that the development of a truly sustainable architecture will require a dramatic change from this technological imagery. It will be proposed that a significant imagery will be based on the landscape, and memories of inhabiting the landscape. The writings of Gaston Bachelard will be the primary reference. Several well-known works of architecture will be briefly examined to make this point, and an unbuilt project will be described that uses the imagery discussed.

The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, Volume 6, Issue 4, pp.25-42. Article: Print (Spiral Bound). Article: Electronic (PDF File; 6.403MB).

Mr. Laurence Keith Loftin III

Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, College of Architecture and Planning, The University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA