Pierre von Meiss - A Place for Identity

Pierre von Meiss writes in the book Elements of Architecture about identity. (Meiss, 1998, pp. 161 - 164) One of the things he addresses is the fact that people need to affirm their identity in order to be ‘at peace’ with the universe, with society and with themselves.

* The universe: “identity as a human being, homo sapiens, who is distinct from the physical, mineral, vegetable and animal world;”

* The society: “ identity as a member of a group with which one shares and discusses values”

* Themselves: “identity as an individual who maintains a margin of liberty and personal responsibility, distinct from the group and from all others; each person is unique."

“Architecture” , writes Von Meiss, “ is playing an important role in reducing or strengthening our sense of identity.” He refers to Rapoport when he list two kinds of manifestations of identity (Rapoport, 1981):

A. Private identity. “ the affirmation of identity to oneself and to one’s intimate group. The signs are recognizable by the initiated.

B. Public identity. “ the affirmation of identity to others by establishing a distinction between ‘them’ and ‘us’”. The signs are clear, redundant and popularized.

Important is for the architect to discover the principal means by which this communication of identity can be ensured.

Von Meiss gives three possible strategies to create architecture that reflects the identity of an initiated group (A.):

1. A deep understanding of the essential characteristics of the architectural elements which are crucial to the identity of the group.

2. Make the future users participate in the design of places.

3. A strong ordering structure of ‘hospital’ architecture in which the occupants are able to create their places and symbols of identity.

To create architecture that reflects an identity to the public (B.) there is according to Meiss only one way: create symbols that are comprehensible by everyone. These signs of identity are unique and widely known or they belong to a typology deep rooted in the collective memory of the group. These symbols can be doorways, fountains or staircases, but have in common their ‘history of memorable events.’ As Meiss describes: “ …they root us in time and place.”

Von Meiss also states that a monument has the same aim of communicating a public identity, often by recalling an (forgotten) event or memory of identity. I think the typologies which are deeply rooted in the collective memory can also be called monumental.

In reality design processes often imply both a contribution to public identity and a space for private identity. This is a challenge for the architect. How to treat this double aspect of identity. Von Meiss addresses here the lack of private identity in mass-housing. The real estate market tries to solve this lack of identity by meaningless ‘ready made advertising images’, such as false traditional Swiss houses.

Remarkable is one of the possibilities that Von Meiss mentions: houses should not immediately suggest a precise use. Disadvantages can sometimes provoke ingenious solutions by the owners. ‘Too high’ ceilings, blind spots, or useless empty spaces for example. These conflicting situations gives the occupant the possibility to transform them into advantages so he can imprint his identity. Von Meiss suggests the architect not to create something quite complete. There should be a balance between order and disorder to resolve the double aspect of how “to interpret a collective identity and offer the space to active appropriation by an individual or a small group.”

Von Meiss concludes with a remark that identity next to the condition of utility and construction should be accepted in order to create a decent space for ‘manoeuvre and artistic creativity’.

Meiss, P. v. (1998). Elements of Architecture; Original edition: De la Forme au Lieu 1986, Presses Polytechniques romandes, Lausanne, Switzerland. London: E & FN Spon.

Rapoport, A. (1981). Identity and Environment: a cross-cultural perspective in J.S. Duncan, Housing and Identity: Cross-Cultural Perspectives. London: Croom-Helm.