The Problem of Beauty in Architecture: An Institutional Analysis

In this essay I examine the perennial problem posed by beauty as an architectural aim. I argue that as problematic as pursuing this aim may be, architects cannot ultimately avoid confronting it. I then focus on the most general question that this aim raises: can architectural beauty be pursued largely independently of function or should the two aims be integrated in some fashion? Following an approach outlined by Anthony Savile, I argue that the question can only be answered by considering the institutional context of the particular architectural work. The upshot is a pluralist view of architectural beauty, recognizing the validity of Functionalist, Formalist, and Ornamentalist approaches in different contexts.