...on Lynn, Hollier,and Bataille

Greg Lynn, in his writings "Probable Geometries: The Architecture of Writing in Bodies", focuses on and joins the debate of the concept of: writing as being architectural, yet architecture resisting the principles and concpets behind writing. This argument forms around the idea of geometry and its use in architecture. We are first introduced to the ideas of Bataille and Hollier, who argue that by their best definition, writing is "defined Against Architecture". This first builds upon Vitruvius' writings, specifically, on the use of symmetry and proportion to create ideal bodies, and the inability to create architecture with out the ideal proportion. By Bataille and Hollier's beliefs writing is "

indeterminate, nonideal, heterogeneous, undecidable, it is implicitly resisted by exact gemometry”. This continues with the statement that ideal forms "must be reducable to eidetic mathematical statements. Eidetic forms are (1) exact in measure and contour, (2) visually fixed, and (3) identically repeatable." From all this Lynn takes the stance that Battaile and Hollier believe that unlike architecture writing embraces "incompleteness, undecidability, amorphousness [etc]". Lynn rebuts with the statement that for writing to occur withing architecture, architecture must deal with a geometry of non-ideal forms.

As the debate continues within "Probable Geometries", the concept of geometry as an exact measurement, is continuously brought to the forefront. A deeper examination must then be taken by both Lynn and his audience as a result. The notion of exact, inexact, and anexact are specifically brought into question. While exact forms can be reduced eidetically and inexact forms cannot be reduced or fixed, anexact forms can be described (like an exact form) but cannot be reduced completely (like an inexact form). This creates a middle ground, as is my opinion. This then poses the silent question of: is it possible then for in some instances writing and architecture to coincide/ become compatible? This question finds its answer in part through both biomedical studies as well as architectural studies. Looking at the works and sketches of Oscar Niemeyer, Le Corbusier, and Rem Koolhaas, support for possibility of architecture writing with anexact form comes to light.

*Note: all quotes are taken from "Probable Geometries: The Architecture of Writing in Bodies"