The architecture of humanism; a study in the history of taste

230

THE ARCHITECTURE

OF

HUMANISM

the upward limit

ofspace-sensation instead

ofthe

actually

enclosingroof.

Nothing,therefore,

willservethe

architectbutthe

fullest power to imagine the

space-value resulting

fromthecomplex

conditionsofeach

particularcase

;

there arenoliberties which

he may not sometimes

take,andno

'

fixedratios

'

whichmay

notfailhim.

Architectureisnota

machinerybutanart; andthose

theories of architecture which

provide ready-made

testsforthe

creationorcriticismofdesignare

self-

condemned. None the less,

in the beautyofevery

building,space-value,addressingitselftooursenseof

movement,willplayaprincipal

part.

V

^livoidsarethe necessary

mediumofmovement,

solidsaretheessentialinstrumentofsupport; anda

dependence upon physical firmness and security

is

notlessfundamentaltoournaturethanthatinstinc-

tiveneed for expansion which gives value
to

archi-

tectural spaceXAny unlooked-for failure of resist-

ance intangibleobjectsdefeats thevitalconfidence

ofthebody
;

andifthis

werenotalreadyobvious,

the

pervasivephysicaldisquietwhichthemildesttremor

ofearthquakeissufficient

toexcite,mightshowhow

deeply organisedin ournature is ourrelianceupon

theelementary

stabilityofmass./jWeight, pressure

andresistance

arepartofourhabitualbodyexperi-