Speaking with Houses: A Cross-Cultural Critique of Heidegger’s Ontology

This book critically examines the concept of “Being” in Western philosophy and its manifestation in architecture.
The book traverses diverse cultural and historical contexts, analysing five architectural works: the Djoser Step Pyramid in ancient Egypt, the Pantheon in imperial Rome, the Tai-an tea house in late medieval Japan, the Te Tokanganui-a-Noho meeting house in colonial New Zealand and Mies van der Rohe’s Seagram Building in modern New York. Through these case studies, it challenges Martin Heidegger’s assertion that “language is the house of Being,” proposing instead that “Being” is a construct specific to Western ontology. By exploring architectural poiesis across various cultures, the book reveals that the Western notion of “Being” is not a universal foundation for architectural creation. Each examined structure embodies distinct cultural and philosophical principles, such as the concept of
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