Earth, Water, Air, Fire

This research addresses the archaic or permanent conditions of architcture. According to Pre-Socratic tradition, since earliest times, when human kind began to analyze the universe, there was this important proposition lasting until today that nature and life are connected to the four principles of earth, water, air and fire. This thesis not only relates to basic conditions of man on earth, but also targets the fundamentals of architecture.§It addresses how nature and life are connected to the four principles of earth, water, air and fire, and how natural elements should inspire our architectural actions today. The book targets the fundamentals of architecture through many contemporary projects developed at ETH Zürich Chair of Architecture and by Design Prof. Dr. Josep Lluis Mateo.