Archetypes in Contemporary Architecture

Architectural archetypes, which can be defined as a timeless reference of the relevant typology of buildings, are labelled as such through purely intellectual appraisals. Their conceptual qualities do nonetheless translate into the design principles which have the potential to be used as guidelines of spatial definition. The contemporary American architect Louis I. Kahn, whose works are renowned for creating links with the built heritage, has adopted the notion of the archetype into his personal design philosophy. By means of studying a selection of his designs, this paper will try to explain what an archetype is and how it influences the architectural design. Moreover, it aims to show that deriving inspiration from the archetype is important in terms of creating unique places.