IN-PERSON Barcelona. Section A

Abstract

The paper utilises the affirmative dialectics of French philosopher Alain Badiou with its subtraction component as a framework to understand parallel architectural subtractions that are hypothesised to be in paradox with their counterparts of mainly additions. This will be important along with the current demand to retrofit existing structures, build upon what already exists, and designs that minimises new construction that are underlying subtractions which can be perceived as a reversal of architecture that is usually associated with adding new structures and development. The paper reviews and organises relevant architectural tied subtraction discourses that are currently isolated from each other into two categories where subtraction is either as an alternative or as the other. Similarities will be drawn along with contrasting understanding that exposes expandable possibilities of subtraction that elaborates its potential mainly in questioning architectural conventions.