Two Conceptualisations of Change in Architectural History: Towards Driving Pro-sustainable Change in Architecture

Abstract

At the time when it is important to act on the Climate Emergency and other pro-sustainable efforts, the key question is how to drive change. This paper examines two conceptualisations of change in architectural history in an attempt to support a better understanding of architecture-specific conceptualisations of change itself. Such understanding could offer real value in articulating how to drive pro-sustainable change in architecture. The paper identifies two conceptualisations of change which are easily found in existing writing on change in architectural history. One such conceptualisation considers architectural developments in terms of cyclical styles, or triads of early, high, and decadent stages of development of styles. Attributed to the 18th century writing of Johann Joachim Winckelmann on ancient Greek art, this conceptualisation presents one useful interpretation which links the change with natural growth. A simpler conceptualisation of two-point change is interpreted using the minor/major interpretations of change, as developed by Joan Ockman, based on the work of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. The key proposition is that the selected historical examples of conceptualisation of change reveal useful aspects of the past patterns of change in architecture. These might help understand how to drive needed change now. One critical factor in the transition which is facing us now, is that in contrast to many past transitions which were driven by technological innovation, current transition requires development of technologies capable to support the change which is scientifically proven as needed and real. Therefore, some of the historical natural ease of the past transitions in the current contexts needs active driving of change. Without an intention to propose a holistic new framework, the main value of this paper is that it identifies some of the key conceptualisations which are evident in architectural history and that could be useful in driving pro-sustainable change.