Body Quote by Bernard Tschumi
“Any relationship between a building and its users is one of violence, for any use means the intrusion of a human body into a given space, the intrusion of one order into another.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Architecture and Violence, Bernard Tschumi, 1994
Spaces are inherently political; occupying them imposes power dynamics and bodily intrusion.
In simple terms: Buildings affect users through power and intrusion.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how design shapes behavior.
Themes
architecture
power
space
human interaction
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
theoretical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- interior design
- public spaces
- social policy
Key Concepts
political theory
phenomenology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does a building’s layout influence social hierarchy?
- Can design reduce perceived violence?
A Different Perspective
Design cannot eliminate conflict, only mediate it.
![“I think at the moment we did not even want to break the seal [on the inner chamber of the tomb of Tutankhamen], for a feeling of intrusion had descended heavily upon us... We felt that we were in the presence of the dead King and must do him reverence, and in imagination could see the doors of the…” quote by Howard Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0d9/howard-carter-27604_break_i-think-at-the-moment-we-did-not-even-wa_166704.jpg)
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
