Notes on a Similarity

Abstract

Roberto de Rubertis’ text analyses the analogy between the architectural development of the Sassi of Matera and the origin of organic life on Earth. Both processes share a fundamental premise: a favourable rocky environment entering into symbiosis with external elements. Just as fissured and porous alkaline rocks near thermal springs sheltered the chemical reactions that gave rise to the first bacteria, the limestone cavities of Matera accommodated human building interventions. Environmental stability is essential for the unfolding of a homogeneous evolutionary process. In the Sassi of Matera, this stability was ensured by long-standing geographical isolation and a continuity of habits, techniques, and economic resources, allowing the most suitable building solutions to be selected and repeated. Furthermore, the evolution of the Sassi was accelerated by ‘memetic’ rather than genetic selection: technical and aesthetic information was transmitted rapidly through example, image, and the imitation of effective models. Finally, the author highlights the role of aesthetic judgement. The harmony and clarity of architectural forms render beauty a key indicator of the utility and adaptability of selected solutions, guiding observers in understanding their generative laws.