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Is the architecture of Philippe Samyn part of an
aesthetic movement, or is it, on the contrary, the
work of a solitary figure? It is difficult to say. Only
a few recent texts deal with the question of an
architectural aesthetic or the future of such an
aesthetic, and then in a somewhat shallow manner,
providing no particular ‘directive’. Perhaps only the
writings of Venturi and his followers may be seen
to recommend observing a few basic principles,
more literary than truly architectural – and these
texts were written more than forty years ago.
A few architects like Aldo Rossi
1
and Paul Chemetov
2
have dared to formulate a few cautious remarks,
which have more to do with the aesthetics of cities
than those of buildings. From the rest, there is nothing
except some questioning of the supposedly unequivo-
cal link between function and form. Let us not forget,
however, the numerous critical architectural histories,
such as those by Leonardo Benevolo, Kenneth
Frampton and Françoise Choay.
3
For the past thirty
years, we have looked to the past for lessons both
indispensable and useless – or, in any case, unusable.
For some time, architecture has fed on stale imitations.
We are no longer living in an age when Van de Velde
(‘Suite d’idées pour une conférence’)
4
and Le Corbusier
(Towards an Architecture)
5
fed their imagination and
their lyricism on the admirable lines of the Parthenon,
finding something there to combat pretence. One can
be as wary of the now popular neo-modernism as of
imitation of old styles or of postmodernism (now on
the wane), and it is clear that Philippe Samyn shares
this wariness. In this respect, Devenir Moderne?
barely mentions aesthetics. The principles that Samyn
sets out are generally clear and simple, but whether
he is speaking about his experience or expressing
his doubts, it is not in order to play the teacher. As
discussed in the first chapter, the laudable attempts to
classify contemporary trends are more amusing than
serious. As for more in-depth studies, such as the
one by Hilde Heynen mentioned earlier, they result in
a good understanding of modernism, but often seem
to ignore most of its architects. Nevertheless, one
can attempt to make out the few principles that guide
both Philippe Samyn’s aesthetics and his pencil. It
was Auguste Perret, whose works are generally only
weakly hyperstatic, who spoke of ‘making the fulcrum
sing’. Here, he was entering into an aesthetic domain
that was heir to the great classical tradition. Philippe
Samyn has chosen, in a way, to ‘make the articula-
tion sing’, as can be seen in structures like Erasme
metro station
(01-283)
, the Wanlin service stations
(01-314)
and the platforms of Leuven railway station
(01-389, 01-415, 01-432)
, but also in seemingly simple
assemblies of wood. His work on the various levels
of nodes and articulations (articulation of volumes,
spaces, surfaces and lines) is without a doubt one of
the keys to contemporary architecture. The works of
Ludwig Hilbersheimer
6
show this work on reinforced
concrete architecture from the early 1920s. The famous
Fagus factory, built by Walter Gropius in 1911 in Alfeld
an der Leine (Germany), displays perfectly mastered
articulation of volumes, and is one of the major points
of departure for modernist architecture. It is also in
his articulation of wooden and metal elements that
Philippe Samyn has displayed both his virtuosity and a
remarkable imagination.
In 2007, Philippe Samyn stated, ‘An economy of
structures calls for symmetry’. This position pushes
architecture in the direction of a certain classicism but,
at the same time, the architect states that he has ‘no
aesthetic bias’, is rather eclectic, claims to be a fol-
lower of Wright and Horta, Jacobsen, Asplund, Dom
Hans Van der Laan and many others, and rejects the
CHAPTER 10
AN AESTHETIC
OF BUILDINGS
01-286
Head offices of the Depuis
publishing company, 1993
01-286
Head offices of the Depuis
publishing company, 1993
01-521
Belval Sud primary school,
Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg,
2006-2007