Place of Silence: Architecture / Media / Philosophy

"The Place of Silence explores the poetics and politics of silence in architecture. Bringing together contributions by internationally recognized scholars in architecture and the humanities, it explores the diverse practices, affects, politics and cultural meanings of silence, silent places and silent buildings in historical and contemporary contexts. What counts as silence in specific situations is highly relative, and the term itself carries complex and varied significations which make it a revealing field of study. Chapters explore a range of themes, from the apparent 'loss of silence' in the contemporary urban world; through designed silent spaces; to the forced silences of oppression, catastrophe, or technological breakdown. The book unfolds a rich and complementary array of perspectives which address - through the lens of architecture and place - questions of sound, atmosphere, and attunement, together building a volume which will form the key scholarly resource on architecture and silence"--
The Place of Silence examines the poetics and politics of silence in architecture. Silence and quietness are terms often used by designers and critics to describe buildings, but the terms carry complex and varied meanings which demand interpretation if the power of silence in architecture is to be fully understood. From the buildings of John Hejduk to auditory landscapes and the 'loss of silence' in the contemporary urban world, the book explores questions of sound and atmosphere through the lens of architecture and place. Examining the diverse practices, politics and cultural meanings of silent places and buildings in historical and contemporary contexts, the case studies in this book connect a number of themes – from the creation of atmospheric spaces to ideas of attunement and mood in architecture – making The Place of Silence the key resource to understanding this often-overlooked aspect of architecture and architectural design.