Books That Inspire 2005
 
The Ethical Function of Architecture
K. Harries


No work had I turned to more as a student than this one. Harries’ search for authenticity in the built world helped me to question the understanding of architecture as a branch of aesthetics. Looking for firmer ground, he urges his readers to consider how buildings can help us to dwell in the world and to contribute to a common ethos. As I greatly enjoy building small architectural details, I continually engage Harries’ concern that ornament not be interpreted as an addition to a utilitarian structure, but as an integral and symbolic component of that which is being built.
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Olaf Recktenwald
Visiting Associate Professor
College of Architecture