Architecture: An Instrument of Time

Abstract

Architecture can become a catalyst for comprehending the phenomenon of time. Although many dimensions of time exist, the focus here is on the understanding of time related to a person in a space, an amplification of time related to the universe such as sun and moon cycles, and a recognition of time as it manifests itself in an aging process. The instrument for comprehending these three dimensions of time is an observation tower in the Virginia mountains. In The Eyes of the Skin, Juhani Pallasmaa argues that this awareness is an important part of an "art of reconciliation between ourselves and the world." When the awareness arises that time infinite, but life is finite, each passing moment becomes more important. With respect to time and architecture, Paul Ricouer suggest in his book Time and Narrative that architecture acts as a "bridge, a metaphysical link allowing us a way to comprehend time." Hence, architecture is an instrument of time.