History of architectural theory from Vitruvius to the present

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Features: This pioneering critical survey of the most important architectural theory concepts in Europe and North America will be appreciated for its coherent expression of such a grand thematic scope. Architectural theory is defined as "any written architectural system, complete or partial, based on aesthetic standards." Professor Kruckert's interpretations of each significant architectural theorist are grounded in his personal readings of original texts, including Vitruvius's works, as well as treatises, practical manuals, and exemplary pattern books by Renaissance Italian authors, utopian philosophical or broader aesthetic, archaeological, or literary works, and later self-expressions by architects. Citations of foreign literature are presented in English translation, with the original texts of the quoted passages provided in footnotes. The author reveals the richness and diversity of themes in architectural theory over many centuries: the origins of the orders and their correct proportions; concepts such as "individuality," "truth to materials," "function," and the provision of popular residential designs, as well as the pursuit of material forms for the happiness of individuals in a just society. Illustrations are an indispensable component of architectural theory writings, and the book includes over 200 carefully selected, pivotal plate examples. It also features substantial and credible footnotes, as well as an extensive bibliography. Since its debut in German in 1985, this book has established itself as a key work with international influence in this field. The current English translation version is timely from a philological perspective. "This book may preserve the history of architectural theory for us forever. Its rich and overflowing style provides a fundamental reference tool for scholars and researchers." – Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Switzerland) Starting in 1982, Hanno-Walter Kruckert served as a professor of art history at Augsburg University until his death in 1993. He is particularly known for his works on Italian sculpture history, German art, Goethe's aesthetic theory, and 20th-century architecture and architectural theory.
Introduction: Writing such a book likely relies more on expertise in the field than on naivety or enthusiasm. Only when some manuscripts took shape on paper—thankfully—did my immature knowledge as a modern person begin to reveal a glimpse of this historical bird's-eye view of architectural theory history, which perhaps exceeds the scope of a single author. During the writing process, I felt as if I were running a relay race, leaving questions for more knowledgeable people to answer, having bypassed certain obstacles, or failing to see others entirely. The publication of this book was driven by a simple motivation: the questions reflected by architecture students in their studies, as they began to raise theoretical and historical questions in their courses. I could only provide imperfect answers to these questions and could not offer a historical definition for them. Since 1972, I have delivered a series of lectures on the history of architectural theory and conducted a seminar at the Technische Hochschule in Darmstadt, where I increasingly desired to conduct such a historical bird's-eye study. This book is a crystallization of that process. My initial idea was to outline the range of secondary literature for each specific historical period, but it proved impossible, as I astonishingly discovered that much of the literature on this topic did not exist. The closer I got to the source material, the more I realized the need to trace back to the original sources. Repeated readings of these texts deepened my doubts and suspicions about the existing secondary material. Thus, I concluded that any acceptable general description of this topic should be based on the original sources. From this point, I set myself a principle: to report rather than interpret. If I could do anything, it would be to avoid commenting on the source material. Without the generous support of many libraries, I would have had to abandon valuable but difficult-to-access manuscript sources, as they rarely appear in research, and these sources form the foundation of this entire study. In the end, with the support of authoritative sources from institutions such as the Hessische Landesbibliothek in Darmstadt, Bibliotheca Hertziana in Rome, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana in Rome, the Zentralinstitut für Kunstgeschichte in Munich, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich, the Oettingen-Wallerstein Library in Augsburg, and other authoritative sources, I was able to trace the earliest versions and original materials of these texts. The first thanks should go to these libraries and institutions. In some individual chapters of this book, I consulted experts and colleagues and asked them to read drafts of certain sections. I greatly benefited from their criticism and suggestions, especially from the scholars at Bibliotheca Hertziana in Rome. A particular challenge was determining how to describe these original materials in a concise yet not overly simplified way that remains accessible.