STORYTELLING

“Absent the narrative centre of gravity, as one philosopher has called it, we cannot negotiate life plans on even a small scale, let alone form communities, plan complex undertakings, build civilizations, and create the arts, sciences, and philosophies that sustain us. ...” – Mark Kingwell. On Risk.

Storytelling has become the new magic potion for just about everything. Architecture is no exception. But the close connection between storytelling and architecture is thousands of years old, and takes many forms – from backstories to design storylines to marketing copy to presentation narratives. In this issue of The Right Angle Journal, we explore the ways that narrative can help to create a stronger sense of our environment – built and natural – and how we can use this awareness to build structures, towns and cities.

You will encounter words and phrases such as “authenticity,” “story arc,” “genius loci,” “collective spirit,” “conflict” and “resolution.” These are words that authors, journalists and screenwriters might normally use, but they are equally applicable to the creation and appreciation of architecture and the built environment.

Next time you’re out on a COVID walk, look around you and imagine that you are in the setting of a story. Now imagine that it’s your story. Where does it take you?