The story of 'Laugier's Primitive Hut'

People began to speculate over architecture in the 18^th century.

The public wanted a new architecture to denote the dawn of a new era.

Laugier quintessentially tried to epitomize this trend, to give practising architects at that time a new philosophy

The depiction used by Marc-Antoine Laugier as the frontispiece for his ‘Essai sur l’architecture’ of the primitive hut illustrates a story with the juxtapositions of the authoritarian (muse) and the ambivalent (cherub).

One can imagine the prelude to this scene:

The cherub benignly playing with the building blocs of the ‘old order’

Not terribly enthralled by the limited permutations…

There was a nagging uncertainty of what architecture should be (Curtis 1996)

The muse witnessing the exasperation of the little cherub comes forth. Seeing the beginnings of a new era in architecture and thinking and a willing candidate…

Dispersing the old order then reclining herself on top, she interpolates “cherub why do thou toil so?”

The cherub looks up, unsure as to what to make of this statement,

but is expectantly silent.

The muse restates the question – “what are the fundamentals of architecture? What do you aim to achieve through repeating the repeated?”

The cherub’s benignity spurs the muse further,

“What is its essence? Remove all the superfluous detail and the arbitrariness of rococo and baroque and what are you left with? Ok go beyond ancient Rome and Greece, even beyond the eve of architecture, before there was such a position as an architect!”

The cherub begins to comprehend…

The muse recognising this understanding, points behind the cherub to a small coppice of trees. The cherub follows her gaze, though only sees four trees. the muse strengthens her gaze, looking up into the boughs of the tree. The cherub points, to the branches forming beams and rafters.

Being of the opinion that all things must be examined, debated, investigated without exception and without regard for anyone’s feelings (Diderot 1751) the cherub begins to question:

“Why do thou speak of primitivism so, when this here image clearly has a classical bias, why not the essence of another style, or a combination of Classical Greek and Gothic, something eclectic?”

“This idea is to be emulated rather than copied” (Bergdoll 2000), it is about the purity and the essence of design. Eclecticism – combining styles where there are no automatic rules leads to weak design; there being no obvious link between form and function.” replies the muse authoritatively…