Spatial layering : an effect of Cubist concepts on 20th century architecture

Abstract

The discourse of architecture has been greatly affected by the revolutionary ideologies introduced by the rise of Cubism earlier in this century. Cubism had an impact on all the arts; there was a particular affinity between the ideas of construction in Cubism and those of architecture resulting in a closer relationship between art and architecture in this century than in preceding centuries. Three of the four architects discussed in this thesis have had explicit interest in the visual arts; Le Corbusier himself was an established artist. Examining this twentieth century phenomenon has been the task of this thesis, and in particular the concept of layering found in Cubist works and its influence in the formation of new devices of spatial expression. Devices, such as fragmentation, motion and multiple interpretations found in Cubist layering were incentives for architects to investigate the application of the concepts in architecture. I suggest that the fusion of the concept of layering with that of space resulted in a new concept, "spatial layering". Some architectural examples dating after the period following the first war are examined for evidence of these influences, and relationships between them are discussed. Finally, conclusions are proposed regarding the characteristics of the concept of spatial layering as a continuing paradigm of space in architecture.