Architecture Without Architects

Anonymous architecture is a term for traditional architecture, coined by Bernard Rudofsky. He referred to a segment of the building, which is formed without the involvement of a professional design planning. The term is now sometimes used as a synonym for traditional architecture.

Coinage by Rudofsky

Rudofsky published in 1964 the book Architecture Without Architects - A Short Introduction to Non - Pedigreed Architecture ( about: Architecture without Architects - A brief introduction to architecture without pedigree). It was founded in 1989 under the title Architecture without architects - published An Introduction to the anonymous architecture in the German Residenz Verlag. Rudofsky is one of the few people who have dealt with this topic further. He describes mainly the traditional variants of building without an architect.

In addition to essays written way he brought together an exhibition which indicates the contents of the anonymous architecture. For Rudofsky is this sector of the construction industry is a cause for thought, the formulated objectives for a modern and environmentally friendly architecture.

Use of the term

The use of the term often deviates from the strictly interpreted literally. The two concepts Anonymous design and architecture without architects are often used interchangeably, in the strict sense of the word, however, is still a slight difference.

Anonymous is an architecture in this strict sense only if the person preparing the design (even if it is a planning layman ) not documented or the public / professional public is not known. Without architects can be quite an architecture arise behind the a known (possibly even prominent ) preparing the design is, however, not an architect, but eg a civil engineer.

By way of derogation find both terms pragmatic usually use as opposed to an academic architecture, among other things, in distinction from spectacular, the public acclaimed architecture and compared with the architecture of prominent star architects whose names have become brands and a large part of the educated public knows.