Table Settings. Reflections on Architecture with Hannah Arendt: Tafelschikkingen. Reflecties op architectuur met Hannah Arendt

Abstract

The German-American philosopher Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) once stated that spatial thinking is ‘political’ thinking, as it is concerned about the world and its inhabitants. We certainly can understand spatial thinking here as architectural thinking: the ‘world’ for Arendt meant the ways in which we make the globe habitable for people: how we build houses and cities, infrastructures and other networks, and furnish spaces with tables, chairs, paintings and photographs. According to Arendt, this world-of-things was crucial for political life: it is this world that simultaneously connects people and separates them, just like a table organises the people (and the conversation) around it. This OASE examines architecture - design, building, built environment - from this perspective.