ARCHITECTURE – DOES IT EXISTS?

ABSTRACT

The aim of this article is to put a fundamental question for the architectural studies. Is architecture a Science or an Art? Is architecture an autonomous, professional discipline or is it just a conglomerate of a different scientific disciplines? Is it a practical skill, scientific knowledge or a social art? What is the methodological status of architecture? What its role in scientific researches? Is architecture a multidisciplinary science or an intellectual poacher? This questions are essential for every discipline which aspire to have an unquestionable scientific meaning. Nowadays, we could follow the public debate in Poland concerned on OECD classification of science and according to this classification architecture should not exist as a single, distinguished discipline. What are pros and cons of that situation and what is a real philosophical status of architecture? What are the main goal, research subject and basic methods of architecture (conditions sine qua non)? Is it a passion, a vocation, a calling – as well as a science and a business? What is the most accurate definition of architecture? Is it possible to create? Why, despite of being thought for centuries at public universities, architecture still does not have a firm place in the pantheon of sciences?

Keywords: philosophy of science, history of science, methodology, theory of architecture, history of architecture.