Quintessential Human Thing

In Zumthor's writing, Atmospheres, he brings about elements of architectural quality. All of them are valid and intriguing but a few caught me. One in particular being, Coherence. Ironically, the thing I like about his point architecturally, I also feel in his writing, which is why I probably enjoyed it. Coherence refers to the idea of things coming into their own, of finding themselves, in essence, the “thing” has become the thing they actually set out to be. 

What I appreciate about his point and his writing is the experience you have over time. As time passes reading, you feel an experience of the spaces he coveys. You feel everything coming together, his idea and your own visions. To parallel, over time in real life you experience various spaces or the same spaces differently. With the time that passes you and these spaces begin to settle, set forth who or what they are, it all solidifies.

When discussing the element of Time he even states, “Architecture should play a role in bringing the processes of organization, integration and coordination not only to the foreground of public and cultural appearance but also to the area of experience itself, to the place where the time of things and the time of the body are one, to the space of intuition.”

I see organization, integration and coordination as elements that create coherence, but only through their solidifying over time. This experience of life, whether human or building does or should have this effect. Quality atmospheres have achieved this, like some of the spaces he discussed. But sadly, there are spaces that do not. In a way even buildings that are not genuine or well crafted come into what they are meant to be (in a different and unpleasant way) eventually, whether it be torn down or abandoned, the lack of quality atmosphere is left behind for a space that contains true atmosphere.