The Interconnected Architectonics of Furniture and Residential Design

Abstract

For decades architects have designed a vast array of schemes, items and pieces of furniture, many asserting and debating their theories and idioms surrounding these designs. Oftentimes, these arguments touch upon, or are based around, the concept of architectonics and in several instances, we find mention of clear connections between items or schemes from different creative fields on an architectonic level, but what exactly is architectonics and how can it create a sense of gesamtkunstwerk, or total work of art, or an overall sense of interconnection? More importantly, how does the idea of architectonics fundamentally differ from architecture in general? Via a series of short essays focusing primarily on a select few architects of well documented historical significance, the present study intends to approach an exploration of architectonics by analysing the master's work in clearly defined categories, each of which forms a key element in the wider architectonic sense. By exploring the topic in this manner, a sense of how to create a degree of interconnection between a collection of furniture and its associated residence through developing an architectonic "language," will emerge. Following on from this theoretical exploration and precedent analysis, the findings will be put into action through a process of design, construction and examination in the form of several pieces of furniture divided into two collections. One collection will then be expanded with the intention of displaying a working understanding of architectonics as revealed in the first chapters and how this can create a sense of interconnection, or gesamtkunstwerk between the furniture collection and the residence designed to house it. Through this process of design, critical analysis and further design, the interconnected architectonics of furniture and residential design will begin to emerge.