Structure / Poetry

We consider architecture a delicate mix of “structure” on the one hand and “poetry” on the other hand.

Structure stands for the logical framework underpinning a design. It is the result of an analytical approach ensuring the building is fit for purpose; it constitutes a rational answer to the explicit and implicit demands contained in the context and brief.

Poetry represents those features that can’t be reduced to a specific reason or rationale, but make sense in a more intuitive way. Poetry is found in the unexpected solution for a problem that has not been formulated yet; it is the pertinent answer to an unspoken question.

Structure and poetry are interlinked in complex ways and are often not identifiable as separate components. The design process is marked by a continuous cross-pollination between the two: without the guiding hand of a structural framework there can be no lateral leaps of creativity, while poetry may contaminate the structural logic to force it into more imaginative solutions.