A useful exercise : the context, content, and practical application of W. H. Alington's 'Thesis on the Theory of Architectural Design'

Abstract

With his thesis, entitled Thesis on the Theory of Architectural Design, Alington went against convention by submitting a written work at a time when a drawn, practical design project was the expected hand-in. He believed that the written word would allow him to better handle the abstract considerations that are necessary to properly intellectualise and communicate a comprehensive understanding of architecture. The outcome was a document, based on the primacy of the act of architectural experience, which reveals a humanistic understanding of architecture's role in society. In order to understand the context for the production of Alington's thesis, this paper employs Alinoton's own personal recollections and primary records as the basis for the creation of a 'life-story'. This 'other' narrative sits amongst the dominant legitimising narratives that structure New Zealand's received architectural history. Yet it is inevitable that at some point these narratives will conflict. It is argued that Alington's intellectualisation of architectural experience is one such point that raises questions about the pragmatism that has come to typify the architectural canon-forming process in this country. This thesis does not attempt to discover these discrepancies, nor does it attempt to resolve them. It instead allows Alington's story - his thoughts, writings, and built work - to speak for itself. This research seeks to understand the milieu within which Alington devised his architectural philosophy; it canvasses the key environments, including the Ministry of Works, the Wellington Architectural Centre, and the Auckland University College School of Architecture, as significant influences on this formative part of his career. Secondly, it engages with Alington's ideas through a close reading of his writing, and the major texts that it drew from. Finally, by taking Alington's own house as a case study, it explores how these ideas have influenced his built work - an oeuvre of considerable (but as yet, largely unconsidered) importance to the history of Modern architecture in New Zealand This research presents the development of W H Alington's personal conception or architecture; from its formative influences, through its written manifestation, to its application in his built work.