Theory
Structural Rationalism
Explore in the Atlas →Viollet-le-Duc's doctrine that medieval Gothic is rational because every formal element (rib, flying buttress, pinnacle) is a structurally necessary response to load, from which a modern architecture in iron can be deduced. Articulated in the Dictionnaire raisonné (1854–68) and Entretiens sur l'architecture (1863–72).
Tectonics Type Knowledge
Details
- Introduced
- 1854–1872
Referenced by
- The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture articulates
- Eugène Viollet-le-Duc proposed
- Eugène Viollet-le-Duc developed
Sources
- Viollet-le-Duc. Entretiens sur l'architecture. 1872.
- Viollet-le-Duc, E.-E. Dictionnaire raisonné de l'architecture française du XIe au XVIe siècle. Bance / Morel, 1854.
Cite this entry
First published May 2026Last revised Jul 2026
CLAD. "Structural Rationalism." Atlas of Architectural Thought. CLAD, 2026. https://www.cl-ad.com.au/research/atlas/theory/structural-rationalism/. Accessed July 17, 2026.