A Conceptual History of Architectural Detail with author and professor, Eric Bellin
In the 21st century, the word “detail” appears constantly in discussions of building, used in many different ways—yet just over 250 years ago, it held no particular meaning for architects, engineers, or builders. Drawing on the recently published book Detailing Worlds, this talk examines the origins and evolution of “detail” as a concept specific to practices of building. By exploring how past meanings and roles were ascribed to detail in different “worlds of practice”–those of academics, technicians, students, engineers, and architects – the talk illuminates the ways disciplinary knowledge and the concepts on which it is based evolve and change over time. It offers a story about how such concepts are slowly but constantly reconceived, redefined, and transformed by individuals as they interact with one another, and how this process is shaped by the ever-changing sociocultural and technological dimensions of the world around us. Through this lens, the talk develops the notion of “detail thinking” as a specific mode of design thought, framing detail as inherently ecological, multi-scalar, and a catalyst for understanding the designed environment in more deeply interconnected ways.
Speaker: Eric Bellin (Thomas Jefferson University)
Moderator: Elena M’Bouroukounda (City Tech)
Location: Voorhees Hall 2nd Floor Lounge
1.5 AIA Learning Units