The core of Norberg-Schulz’s text is the structural analysis of how architecture creates meaning. He rejects the idea that architectural quality is subjective or mysterious. Instead, he proposes that architecture is a language with a defined structure. He breaks this down into three fundamental "intentions" or categories of existence that architecture must address:
This is the heart of the book. Norberg-Schulz borrows from Ernst Cassirer’s philosophy of symbolic forms. A column is not just a vertical support; it symbolizes stability. A dome is not just a roof; it symbolizes the cosmos. The intention of architecture is to translate abstract human values (security, freedom, sacredness) into tangible, perceptual things. intentions in architecture norbergschulz pdf work