Venustas post-subjectivism : a study mediated through the local architectural context

Abstract

This research dissects the subjective argument governed by the dictum “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, which argument prevents any furthering of the conversation on the subject of beauty or its lack thereof within the local architectural context. As the profession evolves and modern agendas morph or fade, beauty’s role in architecture remains unclear. The phrase is scrutinized through a historical and philosophical lens in an attempt to understand its origins based in the objective school of thought. Its validity in architecture is highlighted through the parallels drawn between art and architecture, whilst furthering its claim through a deeper understanding of the definition of subjective beauty at a micro and macro scale. The study then provides hierarchal grounds upon which the title of beautiful can regain its previously-lost relevance within the academic and professional discourse thanks to a logical framework with a basis relying on the notion of dependent beauty. The architect’s position as the expert in the field is scrutinized in order to understand the parallels between the latter-mentioned and the public they are supposed to serve. Conclusively, the study recognises the philosophical flaws found in a quasi-objective argument and proposes further investigation through a freebeauty perspective.