Sociology of architecture
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sociology of architecture is an uncommon term that describes the sociological study of either:
- the built environment
- the occupation of architect
[edit] Construed as the sociology of the built environment
The sociology of architecture deals with the symbolic interaction between the social actions of the organization of space, for example, cities, parks, houses, bridges, monuments, or other units of construction (like towers and doors), including interior space, and thus, also, the sociology of the architectural profession, of the building industry, and of living.
In Germany Gerhard Grohs, Harald Bodenschatz, and Bernhard Schäfers are cited as examples of those who have done work in this field. Christine Hannemann, with her work "Die Platte," supplied a well-received contribution to industrialized housebuilding in the former East Germany. Also, the architecture critic and theologian Dieter Hoffmann-Axthelm, of Berlin, created an oblique approach to the discipline with the equally provocative, astute, and exaggeratedly utopian work, "Die dritte Stadt."
Ron Smith and Valerie Bugni from the University of Las Vegas have created a resource, [Defining Architectural Sociology], that addresses many aspects of this specialty.
[edit] Construed as the sociology of the architect
The literature is scant in this area, and associated with the American researchers Robert Gutman, Herbert Gans, Dana Cuff, Sherry Ahrentzen, and Linda Groat; most of whose work was conducted from 1980 to 2000. Their most active successor is the Australian researcher Garry Stevens.
[edit] References
- Bernhard Schäfers, Architektursoziologie, Opladen (Leske + Budrich) 2003 ISBN 3-8252-8254-6
- Guy Ankerl, Experimental Sociology of Architecture. A Guide to Theory, Research and Literature, Mouton de Gruyter Publ. (The Hague, Paris, New York)549 p. 1983 ISBN 90-279-3440-1 (paper) Hardcover ISBN 90-279-3219-0.
