The ontology of the beautiful and the sublime in architecture. Heideggerian inspirations

Abstract

According to the Greek approach to art as techne, architecture is the art of construction and is subject to the established rules of art creation. The idea of beauty, however, exceeds the rigid frame of the canon since kalón not only has an aesthetic character, but also an ethical and religious one. Religious buildings are open to the world and other people (the horizontal dimension) and to the afterworld and gods or God (the vertical dimension). The fundamental ontology of Heidegger guides us to the true nature of beauty, one which renews relationships between earth and sky, between divinities and mortals. It teaches us that building, dwelling and thinking share the same source. When designing, it is necessary not only to keep measure and proportions in mind in order to meet the need for beauty and usability, but also to take into account these relationships. In this way, the house of being and the home of man’s essence are protected.