Author:

Keywords:

Unheimliche, Pedagogy, Design

Abstract:

Research into the architectural 'Unhomely' (or ‘Uncanny’) addresses a disquieting force in architecture. As society is currently dominated by an unspoken sense of anguish, this research calls for a better understanding of and confrontation with imminent threats. The architectural research into ‘(Un)homely’ does not intimidate. Rather, it stimulates the growth of human creativity through architecture. The ‘Unhomely’ serves as a ‘positive’ and existential counterweight to prevailing values in architecture (light, sight and so on): the research functions as a ‘disruptive’ force to generate meaning in architectural (re)presentation and education. Between the ‘homeliness’ of safe enclosure and ‘Unhomely’ outside world we encounter often unexpected ‘Uncanny’ phenomena, balancing between the imagined and the ‘real‘ experience. The research reveals and expands on ‘grotesque’ and affective values in architectural design. This article in particular elucidates the productive and existential interplay between essentially 3 realms: understanding of the conceptual framework of the ‘Uncanny’, architectural education and narration. A set of non-finite unhomely techniques will be addressed in order to identify potential gaps in connection to certain architectural phenomena. We argue that the deliberate absence of things drives our research.