The Critical Reception of Christian Norberg-Schulz’s Writings on Heidegger and Place

This article draws from reception theory in its examination of the reception over time by architectural theorists and historians of Christian Norberg-Schulz's work. Giving special emphasis to his book, Genius Loci (1980), it examines the critical response to his application of Heideggerian ideas and terminology in his writing, and his development of the notion of genius loci. Having detailed this reception—which at times borders on hostile—my focus shifts to exploring why it is that this work has attracted such enduring critical concern. What are some of the factors that attract this attention and how might we interpret and understand such concern for and criticism of his ideas and his writing?