Espaces et longue durée : Julien-David Leroy et l'histoire de l'architecture - article ; n°1 ; vol.9, pg 9-19

Livraisons d'histoire de l'architecture - Année 2005 - Volume 9 - Numéro 1 - Pages 9-19
Space and the longue durée : Julien-David Leroy and the History of Architecture, by Christopher Drew Armstrong In the 18th century, the idea that architecture could be created by the fusion of classical and Gothic principles was a major innovation in French theory ; Jacques-Germain Soufflot's church of Sainte-Geneviève in Paris came to be regarded as the embodiment of this ideal. The premise that such a fusion was a valid approach to design seems to have been questioned, however, by the theorist Julien-David Leroy, whose work on the history of architecture grappled with the nature and cause of change over time. Ignoring Gothic architecture altogether, he endeavoured to show the development of Greek principles and their adaptation to Christian church planning, culminating in Soufflot's project for Sainte-Geneviève. Rejecting the cyclical model of historical change that was central to the work of Vasari and Winckelmann, Leroy developed diagrams to represent the progress of architecture since the earliest Egyptian and Greek constructions. Based on contemporary principles of etymology, Leroy's architectural diagrams suggest that forms acquire meaning over time by their adaptation to changing needs and beliefs, and that the principle catalyst for change are the interactions and exchanges among peoples. What is most significant about Leroy's approach to architectural history is the importance of space and his notion of a dialectic to understand the fusion of traditions.
Space and the longue durée : Julien-David Leroy and the History of Architecture, by Christopher Drew Armstrong In the 18th century, the idea that architecture could be created by the fusion of classical and Gothic principles was a major innovation in French theory ; Jacques-Germain Soufflot's church of Sainte-Geneviève in Paris came to be regarded as the embodiment of this ideal. The premise that such a fusion was a valid approach to design seems to have been questioned, however, by the theorist Julien-David Leroy, whose work on the history of architecture grappled with the nature and cause of change over time. Ignoring Gothic architecture altogether, he endeavoured to show the development of Greek principles and their adaptation to Christian church planning, culminating in Soufflot's project for Sainte-Geneviève. Rejecting the cyclical model of historical change that was central to the work of Vasari and Winckelmann, Leroy developed diagrams to represent the progress of architecture since the earliest Egyptian and Greek constructions. Based on contemporary principles of etymology, Leroy's architectural diagrams suggest that forms acquire meaning over time by their adaptation to changing needs and beliefs, and that the principle catalyst for change are the interactions and exchanges among peoples. What is most significant about Leroy's approach to architectural history is the importance of space and his notion of a dialectic to understand the fusion of traditions.
« Raum und Zeit : Julien-David Leroy und die Geschichte der Architektur », von Christopher Drew Armstrong Im 18Jahrhundert war die Idee, dass Architektur aus der Fusion von klassischen und gotischen Prinzipien entstehen könne, in der französischen Théorie ein Hauptgedanke. Als Verkorperung dieses Ideals wurde die Kirche Sainte-Geneviève in Paris, erbaut von Jacques- Germain Soufflot, angesehen. Die Annahme einer solchen Fusion lehnte der Theoretiker Julien-David Leroy ab, indem er sich vornahm, Ursachen und Nätur der Entwicklung der Architektur im Verlauf der Zeiten zu untersuchen. Selbst die gotische Baukunst liefi er vollig aufier Acht und wies auf die Entwicklung der griechischen Prinzipien und deren Ubernahme in den chrisdichen Kirchenbau vom 4. Jahrhundert bis zu Soufflots Projekt fur Sainte-Geneviève hin. Leroy verwarf die zyklische AufFassung der historischen Entwicklung, die im Mittelpunkt der Theorien Vasaris und Winckelmanns stand. Er erstellte Tabellen, urn die Fortschritte der Architektur seit den ältesten Bauten der Agypter und der Griechen darzustellen. Gegründet auf die verbreiteten zeitgenässischen Prinzipien der Etymologie zeigten Leroys Tabellen, dass die Bauformen sich im Laufe der Zeiten je nach Bedarf und Glauben gewandelt haben und dass diese Entwicklung wesentlich von gegenseitigen Einflussen und dem Austausch zwischen den Volkern verursacht wurde. Das Bedeutsamste an Leroys Théorie der Architektur ist das AuBeigen der Bedeutung des Raums und einer Dialektik, die den Fusionsvorgang der Überlieferungen verstandlich macht.
11 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.