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Polyvalence: The Competence of Form and Space with Regard to Different Interpretations
Author(s) -
Hertzberger Herman
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
architectural design
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.128
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 1554-2769
pISSN - 0003-8504
DOI - 10.1002/ad.1816
Subject(s) - blank , competence (human resources) , architecture , space (punctuation) , epistemology , interpretation (philosophy) , space form , meaning (existential) , identity (music) , sociology , computer science , aesthetics , architectural engineering , engineering , psychology , visual arts , philosophy , social psychology , mathematics , art , mechanical engineering , mathematical analysis , submanifold , operating system , programming language
Herman Hertzberger , founder of Amsterdam‐based Architectuurstudio HH, espouses the view that to be effective space needs to be flexible, organic and open to interpretation, fit for purpose in an increasingly dynamic and uncertain world. But what does this mean for architectural space? How can architecture be a sufficiently blank canvas to accommodate changes in use while retaining its meaning, quality and identity? How might a ‘polyvalent’ approach be applied in such a manner as to enable buildings to cater for the unexpected?