1.

Definition of Essentialism
The definition of essentialism in architecture can be traced back to two hundred
years ago, where Plato stated his famous philosophy theory about the concept of forms,
otherwise known as the theory of ideas.
a. Plato’s Philosophical Theory

Figure 1. 1 Plato, Source: https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/contributors/plato

This is different from what kind of idea and forms that we understand all this time.
The Forms, according to Plato, are the essences of many objects. Forms are the qualities
that an object must have to be considered that type of object. For example, there are
countless table in the world but the Form of “tableness” is at the core of all chairs. Plato
held that the world of Forms is transcendent to our own world, the world of substances,
which is the essential basis of reality. Matter is considered particular in itself.
For Plato, Forms are more real than any objects that imitate them. Though the
Forms are timeless and unchanging, physical manifestations of Forms are in a constant
state of change. Where Forms are unqualified perfection, physical objects are qualified and
conditioned. From then, the philosophical concept of the form or idea refers to a purely
intellectual model of an object, which represents its essential characteristics rather than
specific details.
b. Carl Gustav Jung’s Theory - Archetype
 In the 20th century, the swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung introduced a concept of
“Archetypes” which was heavily influenced by Plato’s ideas.

Jung stated that human psyche is composed of three components: the ego, the personal
unconscious, and the collective unconscious. He believed that universal, archetypes, reside
within the collective unconscious of people the world over. It represent fundamental human
motifs of our experience as we evolved; consequentially, they evoke deep emotions. The
archetypes represent universal patterns and images that are part of the collective
unconscious. Jung believed that we inherit these archetypes much the way we inherit
instinctive patterns of behavior. They can be defines as universal, archaic patterns, or
primordial types of objects that may be used to interpret observations.
c. Essentialism in Architecture
It’s the view that every entity has a set of attributes that are necessary to its identity and
function. Roland Barthes said that essentialism is a belief in the priority of essences. An
essences would be something like a Platonic Form - a definition, a formula, and a set of
characteristics that stabilizes objects in the world.

2. Architects of Essentialism
a. Frank Llyod Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright introduced the word ‘organic’ into his philosophy of architecture
as early as 1908. He was the apprentice of Louis Sullivan, an architect whose slogan “form
follows function” became the mantra of modern architecture. After that, Wright changed
this phrase to “form and function are one,” using nature as the best example of this
integration.

Figure 1. 2 Frank L. Wright, Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/

The word ‘organic’ in common usage refers to something which has the characteristics of
animals or plants. Unlike Zaha Hadid that mimics the form of nature, the term of his view
takes on a new meaning. It is not a style of imitation, because he did not claim to be building
forms which were representative of nature. Instead, organic architecture is a
reinterpretation of nature’s principles as they had been filtered through the intelligent minds
of mans who could then build forms which are more natural than nature itself.

He was interested in an organic connection between architecture and the various

elements of art, nature and human life, less in the biological sense. Wright’s principles of
organic architecture comprise the following:

 Simplicity and repose. This principle should be decisive for art. In order to achieve
such qualities of essentialism, everything that is not necessary should be reduced.
Choosing one dominant form for a building and integrating that form throughout.
 Correlation of nature, topography and architecture. A building should appear as if
it had grown out of its surroundings, it should harmonize with them. For example,
a building in a flat landscape should be designed to be as inconspicuous as possible.
 The colours of nature. The colour spectrum of the surrounding nature should
harmoniously match the materials of the house. Such as gray, brown, and red-
bricks,
  Nature of materials. Wood should look like wood and bricks like bricks, their
surface structure and colour should remain unaltered.
b. Louis Kahn

Figure 1. 3 Louis Kahn, Source: http://www.carlosdemalchi.com

Louis Kahn was a practicing architect who presented his theory of architecture that
have focused on natural and fundamental human needs and desires. He has referred to the
values of human being and how these values have emerged in his attitude toward design.
His theory concerns on ‘psyche’, ‘order’, ‘silence’, ‘light’, and ‘essence’ are based on a
very deliberate attitude influenced by Plato and Carl Gustav Jung. He believed that the
origin is related to the commonness and this can be achieved by referring to an
immeasurable, “The greater the works, the more unmeasurable”, “The great works are felt
in the commonness, the commonness which the soul, equal in all, gives us” (Wurman,
1986, p.74)

Kahn’s attitude, the concept of ‘order’ is related to ‘Form’. ‘Order’ in Kahns

ideology consists of the whole nature and human nature. The application of the terms
‘Form’, ‘pre-form’ and ‘silence’ in his writings signify “what a thing wants to be” and this
concept is rooted in the realms of unconsciousness (Norberg-Schulz, 1998, p.128). Kahn’s
concept of the eternal and of Form are similar to what Carl Jung called the collective
unconscious and the archetypes. This referred to the realm of being that transcends the
individual unonciousness and is made up of archetypes. (Lovell, 1979, p.67)
 Thiis-Evenson (1987) said in his book Archetypes in Architecture. “behind the
plurality of the many forms in history, lies a simple set of archetypes which we can call the
grammar of architecture”. There’s a common language of form which we can immediately
understand, regardless of individual culture. This concept applies to Kahn’s architectural
works, the dominant visual forms is made up of archetype-geometries such as circle,
square, and triangle.

The recognition of essential human qualities which are analyzed as natural human
needs are effective in increasing place identity by signifying the sameness of different
places. The values of natural human being needs and desires are considerably emphasized
in Louis Kahn’s theory.

Figure 1. 4 Relationship between natural human needs space and expressions of space in
Kahn’s architectural approach, Source: Casakin, Herna - The Role of Place and Identity
in the Perception, Understanding, and Design of Built Environments