In Search of Elegance: Towards an Architecture of Satisfaction

Michel Lincourt calls for a dignified architecture, centred around the concept of elegance, that will provide satisfaction to both its users and the surrounding society. Elegance, defined as the symbiosis of excellence and magnificence, is the ultimate attribute of any creative endeavour and achieving it is the architect's prime motivation. Using this concept, Lincourt develops a set of archetypes for designing a more satisfactory architecture and provides an in-depth analysis of three examples of architectural elegance: the Palais-Royal and the Fondation Rothchild Workers' Residence in Paris and the Municipality of Outremont in Montreal. In Search of Elegance defines the essential components of architecture, articulates non-self-referential design criteria based on societal values, and develops a proactive design process that incorporates the concept of archetype as a privileged means for achieving a coherent design. It will be an indispensable reference book for architects and urban planners as well as students and scholars of architecture.