The theory of deconstructivist architecture postulated by Jacques Derrida supports the idea of the architectural discipline, allowing the architects to go beyond the traditionally installed restriction. The main idea is for architects to emphasize less on functionality and focus on the appearance of their architectural work. Apart from deconstructism coming out to challenge traditional practice in design, it is an ideology that seeks to introduce aspects of humanity, especially rhetoric into architectural practice.
The central point in defining deconstruction is finding a balance between essence and value. As Derrida puts it, architects, in understanding his point of view should place themselves within a space defined by appearance and essence (Derrida 319). The argument here, therefore, is answering the question of whether appearance is valuable than essence. Such an argument made by Derrida was not previously seen in traditional architectural practice, and this denotes the goal of deconstruction, which is bringing forth a new way of thinking in architectural practice. According to Eisenman, this perspective means that architecture breaks traditional practice to merge meanings, objects, and signs (113).
Hoteit does well in contributing to the explanations regarding deconstruction, by tracing the humanity in architecture (117). According to Hoteit architectural practice is not only a physical art, but also a humane discipline that presents various aspects of social life.
The link between the physicality of architecture and its human side is the fact that it can be used as a medium through which communication occurs. Architectural work, to this end, can be used to convey various messages to the society. Derrida recognizes this form of connection, by noting that architecture has a strong relationship to language (320). Deconstruction, therefore, supports the idea of architectural work being a form of language, where the designs are the words used in the language.
The conventional practice of language sees the application of rules and formats that define how rhetoric occurs. With deconstruction challenging traditional architectural practice, viewing the discipline also requires the challenging of grammatical formats and structures used in conventional rhetoric (Eisenman 112). Besides, challenging of the structures and formats in language is what Eisenman calls the challenging of the concepts of the signifier and signified. Challenging the two aspects brings forth another point that defines deconstruction. The shattering of signifier and the signified aspects of language point in the creation of freedom in architectural practice (Hoteit 119). The result of this kind of liberty is the arising of iteration where a text is used in various ways, allowing a writer or a speaker to communicate messages in infinite ways. The central aspect here is allowing for different interpretations of what language is saying (Hoteit 119). According to Derrida giving room for unlimited translations of language is the ultimate goal of deconstruction (319). He calls this process the clearing of a path for the architects. The implication here is that deconstruction is a means through which architects are allowed to follow different paths in their practice.
Deconstruction, therefore, is a perspective on architecture that seeks to show the humanistic part of the discipline. To this end, it succeeds in challenging the traditional architectural practice, with the view of giving architects more space for expression. The central ideology behind this approach is the belief that traditional approaches to design only limit the abilities of architects. As a form of language, where the designs and buildings are the words, architects need to do away with the structures, rules, and formats that limit rhetoric.
Works Cited
Derrida, Jacques. "Architecture Where the Desire May Live." Leach, Neil. Rethinking Architecture: A Reader in Cultural Theory. New York: Routledge, 1997. 319-323.
Eisenman, Peter. "There Are No Corners After Derrida." Log 15 (2009): 111-119.
Hoteit, Aida. "Deconstructivism: Translation From Philosophy to Architecture." Canadian Social Science 11.7 (2015): 117-129.
