Poetics of Architecture: Existence, Silence and Solitude

As an art form, architecture possesses the remarkable ability to model the essence of human existence, resonating with the profound aspects of silence and solitude. Just as poetry evokes emotions and imagery by drawing out the rich textures held within language, architecture uses material forms and their arrangements in space to create similar expressions of beauty, feeling, meaning, and connection. Architecture's foundational gesture—creating containers of space through material interventions—echoes the sensation of existing both in the physical plane of shared matter and the immaterial, solitary plane of consciousness. 

Embark on a captivating conversation with the renowned Finnish architect, scholar, author, and former professor and Dean of architecture at the Helsinki University of Technology, Juhani Pallasmaa, to unravel the creative and formless quality of architecture as he presents, "Poetics of Architecture: Existence, Silence, and Solitude." This moderated session explores the abstract connection between architecture and the atmospheres it traces, delving into the poetic core that resides within the built environment.

This session discusses the significance of stillness, silence, and solitude within the realms of art and architecture, shedding light on their role in shaping human experience. View the event recording to learn more about how architecture can offer spaces for introspection and solitude, providing refuge in our fast-paced, interconnected world.

Having published dozens of books and hundreds of essays, there are many resources to learn more about Pallasmaa’s decades-long practice. To start, we recommend his seminal text The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses, originally published in 1996 and now in its third edition.

The AFSACK Salon Series is an initiative of the American Friends of Sufi Arts, Culture & Knowledge (AFSACK), as seasonal webinar where recent cultural, artistic, and scholarly works relating to Sufism are discussed. Each hour-long conversation focuses on a theme related to our guests’ recent projects. As a platform for dialogue, the Salon Series seeks to foster interdisciplinary conversations that bridge together broader concepts that are shared across various fields and subjects with Sufism. From art installations, to book talks, to album debuts, the Salon Series is a platform for sharing, dialogue, and access.