Gevork Hartoonian – författare

Pursuing historical analogies between nineteenth-century theories and the current practices captivated by digital reproducibility, this book offers a critical take on architecture’s contemporaneity through four essays: tectonics, materiality, cladding, and labor.

Fundamental to this proposition is the historicity of Gottfried Semper’s theorization of architecture amidst the outpouring of new materials and construction techniques during the 1850s. Starting with Semper’s differentiation between theatricalization and the tectonic of theatricality, this book examines thematic essential to architecture’s self-representation. Even though the title of this book recalls the Semperian Four Elements of Architecture, its argument encapsulates a unique historico-theoretical project probing the tectonic of theatricality beyond Semper. The invisible tie between technique and labor is the cord running through the four subjects covered in this book. In exploring these subjects from the theoretical standpoint of Marxian dialectics, this book’s contribution is focused on, but not limited to, the topicality of labor today when its relationship with capital has been further obscured by the prevailing digitalization of commodity exchange value, starting roughly in the 1990s. Each essay examines Semper’s theorization of architecture in contradistinction to the ways in which technology’s mediation has dominated architecture’s representation.

Burrowing through the invisible tie between technique and work, asymptomatic of architecture’s predicament in global capitalism, Towards a Critique of Architecture’s Contemporaneity advances the scope of architectural criticism beyond the exhausted formalism and architecture’s turn to philosophy circa the 1980s and the present tendencies for presentism. It will therefore be of interest to researchers and students of architectural history and theory.

Pursuing historical analogies between nineteenth-century theories and the current practices captivated by digital reproducibility, this book offers a critical take on architecture’s contemporaneity through four essays: tectonics, materiality, cladding, and labor.

Fundamental to this proposition is the historicity of Gottfried Semper’s theorization of architecture amidst the outpouring of new materials and construction techniques during the 1850s. Starting with Semper’s differentiation between theatricalization and the tectonic of theatricality, this book examines thematic essential to architecture’s self-representation. Even though the title of this book recalls the Semperian Four Elements of Architecture, its argument encapsulates a unique historico-theoretical project probing the tectonic of theatricality beyond Semper. The invisible tie between technique and labor is the cord running through the four subjects covered in this book. In exploring these subjects from the theoretical standpoint of Marxian dialectics, this book’s contribution is focused on, but not limited to, the topicality of labor today when its relationship with capital has been further obscured by the prevailing digitalization of commodity exchange value, starting roughly in the 1990s. Each essay examines Semper’s theorization of architecture in contradistinction to the ways in which technology’s mediation has dominated architecture’s representation.

Burrowing through the invisible tie between technique and work, asymptomatic of architecture’s predicament in global capitalism, Towards a Critique of Architecture’s Contemporaneity advances the scope of architectural criticism beyond the exhausted formalism and architecture’s turn to philosophy circa the 1980s and the present tendencies for presentism. It will therefore be of interest to researchers and students of architectural history and theory.

This edited collection explores the visibility of modernization in architecture produced in different capitalist regions across the world and provides readers with a historico-theoretical and historico-geographical discussion.

Focusing on a particular building type, an influential architect’s work, as well as relevant texts and documents, each chapter addresses the many facets of "delay" which are central to the problematization of capitalism’s progressive dissemination of technological and aesthetic regimes of modernism. This collection underlines the centrality of temporality for a critical understanding of colonialism, modernism, and capitalism. The book is primarily concerned with the historical timeline, the tangential point when a nation enters modernization processes. In exploring modernism in diverse regions such as East Asia, Pacific, Eastern Europe, and Iran, each chapter addresses the historiographic and architectonic unfolding of modernization beyond the western hemisphere.　

The exploration of these diverse case-studies will be of interest to students of architecture and researchers working on the collision of temporalities and the subject''s critical importance for different country’s built-environments.

This edited collection explores the visibility of modernization in architecture produced in different capitalist regions across the world and provides readers with a historico-theoretical and historico-geographical discussion.

Focusing on a particular building type, an influential architect’s work, as well as relevant texts and documents, each chapter addresses the many facets of "delay" which are central to the problematization of capitalism’s progressive dissemination of technological and aesthetic regimes of modernism. This collection underlines the centrality of temporality for a critical understanding of colonialism, modernism, and capitalism. The book is primarily concerned with the historical timeline, the tangential point when a nation enters modernization processes. In exploring modernism in diverse regions such as East Asia, Pacific, Eastern Europe, and Iran, each chapter addresses the historiographic and architectonic unfolding of modernization beyond the western hemisphere.　

The exploration of these diverse case-studies will be of interest to students of architecture and researchers working on the collision of temporalities and the subject''s critical importance for different country’s built-environments.

In Mies Contra Le Corbusier, Gevork Hartoonian embarks on a captivating exploration of the architectural ideologies embodied in the works of Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier.

Focusing on the non-synchronicity inherent in their approaches to the tectonics of the column and wall, Hartoonian conducts a comparative analysis of carefully selected diachronic projects from each architect. This insightful journey unravels the architects'' ideological stances within the ongoing dialogue between modernity and tradition. Hartoonian sheds light on the inclination of Mies and Le Corbusier toward a frameless architecture, a characteristic prominently displayed in their late works. Drawing inspiration from Marxian philosophy, the author contends that significant technological developments play a crucial role in shaping subjectivities across the cultural spectrum, creating an uneven dissemination. The frame, in Hartoonian’s lens, transcends the boundaries of a single building, becoming a lens through which to frame a nuanced understanding of the urban landscape and tectonics. Mies Contra Le Corbusier stands as a thought-provoking exploration that not only unveils the intricacies of architectural history but also offers profound insights into the cultural and technological forces shaping the built environment.

This book will be of interest to researchers and students of architectural history and theory. Additionally, it offers a timely discussion of Mies and Le Corbusier’s contributions to architecture’s contemporaneity for the younger generation of architects.

In Mies Contra Le Corbusier, Gevork Hartoonian embarks on a captivating exploration of the architectural ideologies embodied in the works of Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier.

Focusing on the non-synchronicity inherent in their approaches to the tectonics of the column and wall, Hartoonian conducts a comparative analysis of carefully selected diachronic projects from each architect. This insightful journey unravels the architects'' ideological stances within the ongoing dialogue between modernity and tradition. Hartoonian sheds light on the inclination of Mies and Le Corbusier toward a frameless architecture, a characteristic prominently displayed in their late works. Drawing inspiration from Marxian philosophy, the author contends that significant technological developments play a crucial role in shaping subjectivities across the cultural spectrum, creating an uneven dissemination. The frame, in Hartoonian’s lens, transcends the boundaries of a single building, becoming a lens through which to frame a nuanced understanding of the urban landscape and tectonics. Mies Contra Le Corbusier stands as a thought-provoking exploration that not only unveils the intricacies of architectural history but also offers profound insights into the cultural and technological forces shaping the built environment.

This book will be of interest to researchers and students of architectural history and theory. Additionally, it offers a timely discussion of Mies and Le Corbusier’s contributions to architecture’s contemporaneity for the younger generation of architects.

The compiled essays offer various themes and ways of approaching historiography. Each chapter probes the state of contemporary theorization of architecture histories, working toward the theme of critically re-writing history. Essential to each author''s contribution are specific traditions created by the mole of history burrowing through the past. This book concerns the historian''s conjectures towards capturing the past and present zeitgeist.

Temporality is the theme running through the narrative of this volume. It raises the question of whether the ever-growing body of work on architectural history should be considered as history. More specifically, what is the intersection between history and architectural history? Furthermore, can every text focused on architecture''s past be considered categorically historiographic? In what capacity does architectural history index history beyond contingencies and without reducing the text to empirical realities and the historian''s interest in a specific subject, including those collected through archival research, itself an emblem of textuality? This book upholds the conviction that the past should be recalled accurately and that there is no history but historical criticism, the scope of which exceeds the historicity of Humanism. Dialectically, the timeline experienced across contemporary techno-economic and cultural domains (aesthetics) offers an opportunity to explore architecture produced outside the Euro-American continents.

Valences of Historiography offers a fresh take on architectural history that is useful for academics, researchers and architecture students.

The compiled essays offer various themes and ways of approaching historiography. Each chapter probes the state of contemporary theorization of architecture histories, working toward the theme of critically re-writing history. Essential to each author''s contribution are specific traditions created by the mole of history burrowing through the past. This book concerns the historian''s conjectures towards capturing the past and present zeitgeist.

Temporality is the theme running through the narrative of this volume. It raises the question of whether the ever-growing body of work on architectural history should be considered as history. More specifically, what is the intersection between history and architectural history? Furthermore, can every text focused on architecture''s past be considered categorically historiographic? In what capacity does architectural history index history beyond contingencies and without reducing the text to empirical realities and the historian''s interest in a specific subject, including those collected through archival research, itself an emblem of textuality? This book upholds the conviction that the past should be recalled accurately and that there is no history but historical criticism, the scope of which exceeds the historicity of Humanism. Dialectically, the timeline experienced across contemporary techno-economic and cultural domains (aesthetics) offers an opportunity to explore architecture produced outside the Euro-American continents.

Valences of Historiography offers a fresh take on architectural history that is useful for academics, researchers and architecture students.

Looking back over the twentieth century, Hartoonian discusses the work of three major architects: Peter Eisenman, Frank Gehry and Bernard Tschumi, in reference to their theoretical positions and historicizes present architecture in the context of the ongoing secularization of the myths surrounding the traditions of nineteenth century architecture in general, and, in particular, Gottfried Semper''s discourse on the tectonic.

Providing a valuable contribution to the current debates surrounding architectural history and theory, this passionately written book makes valuable reading for any architect.

Looking back over the twentieth century, Hartoonian discusses the work of three major architects: Peter Eisenman, Frank Gehry and Bernard Tschumi, in reference to their theoretical positions and historicizes present architecture in the context of the ongoing secularization of the myths surrounding the traditions of nineteenth century architecture in general, and, in particular, Gottfried Semper''s discourse on the tectonic.

Providing a valuable contribution to the current debates surrounding architectural history and theory, this passionately written book makes valuable reading for any architect.

The essays compiled in this book explore aspects of Walter Benjamin’s discourse that have contributed to the formation of contemporary architectural theories.

Issues such as technology and history have been considered central to the very modernity of architecture, but Benjamin’s reflection on these subjects has elevated the discussion to a critical level. The contributors in this book consider Walter Benjamin''s ideas in the context of digitalization of architecture where it is the very technique itself that determines the processes of design and the final form.

This book was published as a special issue of Architectural Theory Review.

The essays compiled in this book explore aspects of Walter Benjamin’s discourse that have contributed to the formation of contemporary architectural theories.

Issues such as technology and history have been considered central to the very modernity of architecture, but Benjamin’s reflection on these subjects has elevated the discussion to a critical level. The contributors in this book consider Walter Benjamin''s ideas in the context of digitalization of architecture where it is the very technique itself that determines the processes of design and the final form.

This book was published as a special issue of Architectural Theory Review.