“Skylines of the Mind”- Linking architecture & writing
“Architecture is like writing. You have to edit it over and over so it looks effortless”. – Zaha Hadid
When visualizing an urbanized landscape that consists of a series of high-rise buildings, one cannot help but imagine them as a series of books standing tall on a bookshelf. Each building represents a unique volume standing beside its counterparts, one after another along the street block, with individual variations in height, width, depth, exterior, decor, ornamentation, and the like. These buildings will often reflect the vision of the owner and/or the architect.
Karabuk University Library building in Turkiye – Source: lthub.com
Likewise, when viewing a bookshelf filled with bound publications, the term “Skylines of the Mind” becomes evident. Just like buildings, each individual book varies in height, width, design, outer appearance, and coloration. These books likely reflect the vision of the author and/or the publisher.
It is this symbiosis between a series of buildings and a line up of books that creates such a unique bond between the two vocations and the two art forms. Neither can be judged by their cover (exterior), though the appreciation of both can be enhanced through brilliant design. Both offer themselves as a gateway to something more substantial — books serve as a portal into the depths of your imagination while buildings are a gateway to all the facets contained within that edifice.
“Drawing is like writing a text, you don’t just throw words around wildly, words want to say something, and drawing too, it’s a work of thought”. – Alberto Kalach
As art forms, architecture and writing blend the needs of creativity with utility, as all books and buildings have certain basic needs from which to construct upon. For buildings basic conscripts may include the parcel, the earthwork, the foundation, or the various codes that must be complied with. For books, it could be the page format and size, the font, the typesetting, or the needs of the storyline. Either way, it is the creativity derived from either the architect or the writer that provides the catalyst to extend their project beyond traditional preset foundations and set apart a specific book or building from the rest of the pack.
In literature, examples of uniquely creative writing styles include Portuguese author Jose’ Saramago’s method of using commas in his prose to separate sentences and periods to conclude paragraphs. Or it might be the writing format of Jack Kerouac, where he blisters lengthy, uninhibited thoughts onto parchment in a mad dash to get all them down in rapid succession. In addition, the physical exterior the book could incorporate some form of embossing, debossing, non-traditional textures, colorful tones, or other specialized attributes that make it stand out from a row of publications on shelf.
Kansas City Public Library – Source: fubiz.net
Within the architecture realm, it could be employing a visionary breakthrough method of invoking a classic design, such as art moderne or baroque, into a new building design. It could be adaptive concept that brings an historic structure back to its former and intended glory. Or, it could be a defining original blueprint that establishes an entirely new paradigm of architectural panache. Furthermore, employing complimentary ornamentation, detailing and embellishments (cornices, parapets, columns, spires, and the like) can help draw a viewers attention towards a specific building, provide it with an identity all its own to distinguish it from its neighbors.
In either case, the opportunities are endless — it is only our minds that can place limits on the perceived extent of an art form’s fullest potential. Peace!
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