Nietzsche for Architects

Nietzsche’s philosophy is provocative and complex and has been hugely influential on modern intellectual history and European culture. But his critical approach and writing style invites misunderstandings, sometimes with disastrous consequences. His ideas―or those loosely associated with him―are often briefly cited in scholarly studies in architectural theory and history. His ideas are thought to have influenced the theories and designs of such iconic architects as Le Corbusier, Henry van de Velde, Bruno Taut, Louis H. Sullivan, Lebbeus Woods, and Peter Eisenman, as well as competing approaches to architecture and design, such as those adopted by the Bauhaus School and the Nazis. In the bewildering array of architectural positions that lay claim to Nietzsche as an influence, how can we begin to make sense of Nietzsche’s own approach to architecture? And how can we identify within his complex philosophy the key ideas and themes we require to make sense of his contribution to architecture? This first introduction to Nietzsche’s philosophy written specifically for architects locates his evaluation of appropriate and inappropriate architecture in the body of his writings and presents a clear overview of Nietzsche’s insights into architectural design alongside his advice for architects and designers.

Lucy Huskinson is Professor of Philosophy at Bangor University, UK. Her interests lie in the intersections of philosophy, psychology, and architecture, and in the idea that buildings shape us as much as we shape them. She is author of several books in these fields, including Architecture and the Mimetic Self: A Psychoanalytic Study of How Buildings Make and Break Our Lives (2018) and Nietzsche and Architecture: The Grand Style for Modern Living (2024). Her books have been translated into Turkish, Serbian, and Portuguese.