Architecture – A Worldly Stage

Abstract

This essay attempts to illustrate the vital dialogue there is between architecture and theatre, not only in the sense that the former resembles a worldly stage but also in the way it intentionally designates spaces for events to be seen and experienced. The origins of architecture go back to the erection of spaces to facilitate the dialogue between humans and gods. The stage is the embodiment and objectification of the flow of life. It makes it possible to contemplate both the present and the past thereby creating narratives. Architecture is also a mediator for us to observe our own actions. The theatrical quality of space in relation to the movements of the body and the bodily perceptions of spatial elements, leads to an active participation in the unfolding of meanings. The city has not only been defined as theatre by many urbanists; it has also throughout history been designed and formed as a natural stage. Baroque Rome, the impressionists’ paintings of Paris, or Byzantine Constantinople with its many spectacles illustrate well this dimension of the city.