3. Heritage 195
Fictions are the narratives which articulate
themes or language and their varying fictions
human civilisations’ cosmogonies. They are
through historical architectural examples, it
the foundational myths which describe and
aims to highlight architecture’s political role
explain the creation of the world. These
and its ability to reinforce, subvert, or rewrite
narratives serve as social binders, providing
existing fictions. In doing so, it hopes to raise
sense and meaning to human enterprise and
awareness and calls out space makers to
core values to guide collective and individ-
seize the narrative power of architecture in
ual behaviours. These myths rely on a series
order to construct other possible futures.
of devices, in particular artistic and cultural forms of expression, in order to be passed
“To build is to serve”
down and reinforced throughout generations.
Hendrik Petrus Berlage
One of these devices is, of course, architecture. By giving form to fictions through space,
Alles Ist Architektur
which is tangible, architecture makes them
In a 1968 publication in BAU Magazine, Hans
appear more durable, more permanent, more
Hollein proclaimed that everything which
true. Myths, as any other social construct, are
constitutes the physical world can be consid-
overlaid in space in order to give it a mean-
ered as architecture. “Architecture must be
ing that is consistent with a certain narrative,
freed from buildings,” he says. In this 30-page
while rites are the codified ways in which
manifesto comprising a selection of images
spaces are inhabited according to their ac-
at different scales reminiscent of landscapes
companying myths. These uses of architec-
or buildings and a short paragraph of text,
ture simultaneously translate and perpetuate
Hollein invites readers to extend their un-
their underlying narratives.
derstanding of architecture. “Everything is architecture.”
This text investigates three forms of fictions— the fiction of religion and the use of spatial
In turn, we proclaim that “everything is
symbolism, the fiction of the State and its
fiction.” We believe that the role of the
relation to identity, and the fiction of the
architect, beyond creating spaces to serve
country and its interdependencies with the
society, is to represent, criticize and, ulti-
territory. By highlighting recurring architectural
mately, offer alternative fictions to the ones
UFO, Rebus Viventi all’Isolotto di Don Mazzi, Florence, 1970-1971