Imperfection in architecture

The art of the unfinished is one that shows all the imperfections of the artistic process. These imperfections are made in certain situations intentionally, bringing out the best parts of a project. The unfinished can be realized in different ways, including two-dimensional components, sculptures, ideas and artistic resources, urbanism, materiality, musical works, among many others. The art of the unfinished shows the importance of developing a project through the process, reacting positively and effectively to conflicts that may occur along the way. A structure does not always have to be perfect, but rather it must reflect the opposite.

"Unity vs. Type: Louis Kahn's Goldenberg House and Robert Venturi's Beach House" is a text that contrasts the language and architectural types used in both projects. Kahn's project uses an introverted typological scheme to a divisive geometry, a formal structuring and a functional organization. While the beach house is a unit that is not based on the ascription to a canonical type, nor on the use of a uniform language, nor on the fusion of the components in an undifferentiated unit. It is a unit that resulted from the interaction of a set of defined elements and a series of relationships established between them. Both projects have typological similarities but also reflect a break in their scheme.

Imperfection is a topic of great discussion in the world of art, including sculpture, painting, music and of course architecture. Now, the imperfection in the works, especially in the musical ones, is classified as an improvisation, a positive reaction to an error that has occurred. It can even be said that imperfection itself has come to be seen today as a new style of perfection. This same theory is applied in other branches of art, curiously a simile that may seem distant and is not usually invoked is that of music and architecture. The relationship may be much clearer than it appears, since both doctrines are based on the design of a composition for the creation of an artistic piece that conveys an idea. The constant search for problems in order to provide solutions is today a style of design that brings a new scope to the world of art. Both musical and architectural composition is closely connected to improvisation, the imperative need to provide a solution to a conflict. In the world of music Busoni, (composer) goes to a humanist imperfection focused on the solution forming a performance, a style that represents the author of the piece. While Schoenberg, also a composer, uses the perfectionism of the work to create a structured abstract composition. Thus demonstrating the new spectra that imperfection has discovered.

The art of the unfinished lies in the freedom of the artist or architect. The work ends when the architect indicates it and its value is manifested through the process of carrying out said work. The process is inseparable from the result, no matter how it is. Imperfection is a symbol of individuality, it is a symbiosis between the process, the user, the space and the architect or artist. The unfinished can easily be interpreted as carelessness or carelessness, but it can also be naturalness, ease and spontaneity. The fact that an artist decides to leave his works unfinished is a demonstration of authorship. Through these decisions, the intentions of the author of a work can be recognized and attributed. Using imperfection and the unfinished in an architectural work is an invitation to reinterpret, innovate or channel an architectural intention, style or signature.