ABSTRACT
The desire for a complete context for life implies considering poetry as a fundamental part of dwelling (Heidegger, 1951) 1 . This idea is stressed by António Damásio, who claims that there is no reason without emotions (Damásio, 1995).This chapter title stems from Roberti Venturi’s book Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture (1992), firstly published in 1966 by The Museum of Modern Art, New York. According to Venturi, architecture has always been ambivalent. Hence, both its adequacy and intangible dimension –symbolism, and emotions we feel amid spatial experience - have always been based on those two concepts.On several occasions, Souto de Moura refers to Venturi’s work as one of the most important books written since the 1960s. It is not a coincidence that he explores a space between reality and simulation. He feels that naturalness does not depend upon the truth. Together with the circumstances and adaptation - one of the words he appreciates the most - such paradox is fundamental for finding the proper solutions, which take place far beyond objectivity.This article explores that context. Souto de Moura praises both tradition and symbolism in architecture. In summary, his work accepts complexity and contradiction as fundamental architectural concepts, which means he eventually puts authenticity into perspective.
