A Piagetian-based reading of development and creativity in architecture: A study with particular reference to Le Corbusie

This dissertation presents a developmental interpretation of architectural design thinking within the context of Piagetian constructivist theory. The study generalizes a number of Piagetian principles and proposes that development of knowledge about architectural design moves through three levels: initiation into the domain, building expertise and of mastery and critical creative actions. These sequential levels are associated with distinguishing characteristics in the form of organizing knowledge and reflect the influence of underlying cognitive norms on the constructive move from empirical to conceptual representations of knowledge. This process was investigated by Piaget as a theory of cognitive development in the individual and as fundamental in the history of science. In the view proposed, knowledge is constructed through the active intervention of the subject on existing thematic objects of the domain and informed by the architect's own unique experiences. The study analyzes the work of Le Corbusier tracing the manifestation of the developmental levels in architectural design thinking and examining the proposition that a higher creative level of development in the domain is signified by the construction of a coherent and unique point of view of thematic significance. This level of development is seen as resulting from a constructive process of differentiation and integration of experiences and involves a historical-critical negotiation with existing conceptions in the domain. The dissertation generalizes the findings of the theoretical investigation and describes a general developmental model of analysis of architectural design thinking and articulates the elements of a developmental historical analysis which evolved in this investigation as a new method for the interpretation of design thinking and creativity in the domain of architecture.