Craft and Context: Architecture that Connects Place and Time

Architect Mark Sofield explores the essential meaning of craft in architecture, which he says lies in the nature of the connections a building or space creates.

1 minute read

April 30, 2013, 10:00 AM PDT

By sbuntin


"The essential meaning of craft in architecture lies in the nature of the connections a building or space creates—both internally, between its constituent parts, and externally, through its relationship to its place. These connections can be physical, temporal, or even spiritual. Ideally, all three are integrated into one effort."

"Shinto shrines, Gothic cathedrals, and Shaker meetinghouses are touchstone works for so many architects because of the way, in each building type, these three realms of intent harmonize. Each structure combines a masterful command of the materials from which it is assembled, a profound understanding of its relationship to both time and space, and a transparent embrace of its role in connecting the worshipers it shelters with the ineffable worlds it evokes."

Monday, April 22, 2013 in Terrain.org: A Journal of the Built + Natural Environments

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