Architecture Lessons: Durand and his legacy...

Studying architecture and linking it to a specific origin has developed different bases that try to justify a certain movement that has been carried out in the world of architectural design. The purpose of architecture is not to generate new typologies, much less justify a historical-artistic movement, the purpose is to create built environments that satisfy human needs in a functional, aesthetic, sustainable and contextual way, contributing to well-being and quality of life. of people and the sustainable development of communities and the environment. The development from the architecture of the Ancient Regime to architecture during the Enlightenment in Europe marked a difference in styles, construction techniques and philosophy. The architecture of the Ancien Regime was characterized by its monumentality, ornamentation, and political and religious symbolism, while architecture during the Enlightenment adopted a more rational, symmetrical approach based on classical harmony.

Jean-Nicolas-Louis Durand was a French architect and theorist who lived between 1760 and 1834. He is known primarily for his theoretical contributions to architecture, especially his work on the "Précis des leçons d'architecture données à l'École royale polytechnique " (Summary of the architectural lessons given at the Royal Polytechnic School), published in several volumes between 1802 and 1805. Durand was a defender of neoclassicism and promoted its teaching and understanding through his work since this work is considered a influential work in the teaching of architecture and architectural theory. The purpose of architecture according to Durand was, therefore, to serve human needs efficiently and effectively. He believed in the usefulness of architecture as a means to improve people's daily lives, providing well-designed and functional spaces that facilitate human activities and promote well-being.

Durand's attitude towards history is clear: we must... "study the ancient with the eyes of reason, instead of, as is too often done, drowning it with the authority of the ancient."

Durand advocated a rational and scientific approach to architectural design, influenced by the Enlightenment thinking of the time. His approach centered on the idea that architecture should be based on scientific and geometric principles, with the aim of satisfying the practical needs of users. He proposed a systematic and orderly teaching method, based on geometric and mathematical principles, that would allow architects to understand and apply the essential foundations of architectural design. His work also influenced the standardization of architectural education in France and elsewhere.

Durand will end by telling us that "... if instead of occupying ourselves with making projects we would first concern ourselves with the principles of art, if we would then become familiar with the mechanism of composition, we could easily, even successfully, carry out the project of any building." that is proposed to us without having done anything else before."

Durand believed that architecture should be understandable and accessible to everyone, and that its design should be based on logic and rationality. Instead of focusing on ornamentation and superficial decoration, he advocated the importance of careful planning and functional distribution of spaces. In addition to his theoretical contributions, Durand also carried out some practical architectural projects, although he did not achieve the same notoriety in this area as he did in architectural theory. In summary, Jean-Nicolas-Louis Durand was an architect and theorist whose work influenced the way architecture is taught and understood, especially during the neoclassical era and the Napoleonic period in France.