Henri Lefebvre on space: architecture, urban research, and the production of theory / Lukasz Stanek

In this innovative work, Lukasz Stanek frames a uniquely contextual appreciation of Henri Lefebvre’s idea that space is a social product. Stanek explicitly confronts both the philosophical and the empirical foundations of Lefebvre’s oeuvre, especially his direct involvement in the fields of urban development, planning, and architecture. Countering the prevailing view, which reduces Lefebvre’s theory of space to a projection of his philosophical positions, Stanek argues that Lefebvre’s work grew out of his concrete, empirical engagement with everyday practices of dwelling in postwar France and his exchanges with architects and planners. Stanek focuses on the interaction between architecture, urbanism, sociology, and philosophy that occurred in France in the 1960s and 1970s, which was marked by a shift in the processes of urbanization at all scales, from the neighborhood to the global level. Lefebvre’s thinking was central to this encounter, which informed both his theory of space and the concept of urbanization becoming global. Stanek offers a deeper and clearer understanding of Lefebvre’s thought and its implications for the present day. At a time when cities are increasingly important to our political, spatial, and architectural world, this reassessment proposes a new empirical, and practical, interpretation of Lefebvre’s ideas on urbanism. "In this innovative work, Łukasz Stanek explicity confronts both the philosophical and the empirical foundations of Henri Lefebvre's oeuvre, especially his direct involvement in the fields of urban development, planning, and architecture. Countering the prevailing view, which reduces Lefebvre's theory of space to a projection of his philosophical positions, Stanek argues that Lefebvre's work grew out of his concrete engagement with everyday practices of dwelling in postwar France and his exchanges with architects and planners. Stanek focuses on the interaction between architecture, urbanism, sociology, and philosophy that occurred in France in the 1960s and 1970s, which was marked by a shift in the processes of urbanization at all scales, from the neighborhood to the global level. Lefebvre's thinking was central to this encounter, which informed both his theory of space and the concept of urbanization becoming global."--P. [4] of cover Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Introduction......Page 8 1. Henri Lefebvre: The Production of Theory......Page 18 2. Research: From Practices of Dwelling to the Production of Space......Page 98 3. Critique: Space as Concrete Abstraction......Page 150 4. Project: Urban Society and Its Architecture......Page 182 Afterword: Toward an Architecture of Jouissance......Page 266 Acknowledgments......Page 270 Notes......Page 272 Bibliography......Page 322 A......Page 366 B......Page 367 C......Page 368 D......Page 370 E......Page 371 F......Page 372 H......Page 373 I......Page 374 L......Page 375 M......Page 376 O......Page 378 P......Page 379 R......Page 381 S......Page 382 U......Page 384 V......Page 385 Z......Page 386 Cover 1 Contents 6 Introduction 8 1. Henri Lefebvre: The Production of Theory 18 2. Research: From Practices of Dwelling to the Production of Space 98 3. Critique: Space as Concrete Abstraction 150 4. Project: Urban Society and Its Architecture 182 Afterword: Toward an Architecture of Jouissance 266 Acknowledgments 270 Notes 272 Bibliography 322 Index 366 A 366 B 367 C 368 D 370 E 371 F 372 G 373 H 373 I 374 J 375 K 375 L 375 M 376 N 378 O 378 P 379 Q 381 R 381 S 382 T 384 U 384 V 385 W 386 Y 386 Z 386 Introduction -- Henri Lefebvre : The Production Of Theory -- Research : From Practices Of Dwelling To The Production Of Space -- Critique : Space As Concrete Abstraction -- Project : Urban Society And Its Architecture -- Afterword : Toward An Architecture Of Jouissance. Łukasz Stanek. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Shows how Lefebvre's theory of space developed out of direct engagement with architecture, urbanism, and urban sociology.