56 / 55 Imagine a place …
Though this building was
never built, its impact was
unmistakable in architectural
circles at the time. spreading
through engravings and
drawings (without photographs,
how else could a 18th-century
building spread?), boullée
showed that architecture can
be just as influential when it is
“only” about an idea.
A place that doesn’t exist can
tell us more than we might
think. It can tell us about our
desires, fears, hopes and
dreams. What happens if we
miss a step in the staircase?
And what happens when up
appears to be down, when north
comes out looking like south?
“Are you really sure that a floor
can’t be a ceiling?” asked M.C.
escher, as he scribbled a hand
that draws itself, or a staircase
leading to its own bottom step.
