Philosophy Conferences and Calls for Papers

Interpreting Architecture

Theme: Philosophy of architecture

Begins: Sat, 14 Jun 2008

Ends: Mon, 15 Jun 2008

Location: Institute of Philosophy
Jilska 1, Prague 14000

Czech Republic

Registration fee: n/a

Last date for paper submission: Thu, 28 Feb 2008

Organizer: Tomas Hribek

While the previous meetings of the Prague Interpretation Colloquia had as their subject literature, the topic of the 2008 meeting will be architecture. This choice is based on an assumption that every kind of artwork is an essentially interpretable entity. This opens up a number of questions: Supposing that texts are turned into literary works of art in virtue of being interpretable, are mere buildings turned into architectural works of art in virtue of their interpretability? What are the relations between interpreting literature and interpreting architecture? What is the role of the authorial intentions in architecture, compared to the role of authorial intentions in literarature? Who interprets the works of architecture, and how are these different types of architecture related to each other? Architecture is also much more unavoidable than other kinds of art, including literature, which touches on the complex issue of the political character of architecture. And what about the very assumption that architecture is an art? Perhaps we should not be seduced by parallels between architecture and, say, literature and think that architectural works should, like literary works, strive for the status of works of art. We invite the colloquium participants—philosophers, critics, as well as practicing architects—to ponder these or related questions in the as yet largely unexplored field of the philosophy of architecture.

Deadline for abstracts/proposals: February 28, 2008.
Contact name: Tomas Hribek

Interpreting Architecture
Philosophy of architecture
Deadline for abstracts/proposals: February 28, 2008. Contact name: Tomas Hribek <tomas.hribek@hotmail.com>2008-02-282008-06-142008-06-16