As a poet with a background in architecture, I am captivated by the dynamic interplay between architectural design and poetry. Both poetry and architecture engage with the intricate balance between form and content, structure and fluidity, while addressing the manifold dimensions of human experience. Moving through successive rooms in a building is similar to reading a poem. This essay explores how architectural principles undergird my poetic practice, positing a framework that reconceptualises the nexus of design and language. By drawing upon methodologies intrinsic to architecture, poets may uncover innovative paradigms for structuring their craft, orchestrating rhythm and engendering profound reader engagement on both intellectual and affective levels.
Form and function: the core of creation
Architectural design is invariably anchored by a central inquiry: what is the intrinsic purpose of each element within the system? Architects must articulate their design decisions clearly, as the built environment is created for others to inhabit and interact with. This necessitates a creative process that is both transparent and rational, allowing even seemingly random elements to convey intent and meaning. A successful design achieves equilibrium between the entropy of creative exploration and the pragmatic needs of the user. American architect Louis Sullivan’s famous (or infamous) 19th-century dictum, ‘form follows function’, encapsulates the modernist emphasis on clarity and purpose. Still widely embraced, this principle ensures that design decisions remain meaningful, responsible and deeply rooted in their intended function. This tenet reverberates within poetry, where a governing principle – be it a thematic impetus or an emotive core – directs every compositional decision. In my writing, the inception of a poem entails delineating its ‘function’, the affective or conceptual enquiry that informs its entirety. From this nucleus, the formal configuration of the poem organically arises, meticulously attuned to its intended purpose. An illustrative example is my poem ‘Between You and Me’, where the structural discipline of repetition converges with the mutable energy of shifting imagery:
between you and me without word of warning like some untimely song silence begins
the emptiness between you and me wakes us both as morning breaks
the emptiness between you and me is quickly learning of everything there is between you and me
This approach parallels Mies van der Rohe, a pioneering figure of modernist architecture renowned for his minimalist ethos and principle of ‘less is more’, as exemplified in his German Pavilion, a synthesis of spatial openness and material precision that engenders an equilibrium of liberty within structural order. Here, recurring phrases function as architectural beams, scaffolding a dynamic interplay of metaphorical and emotional resonances. By conceiving the poem as a spatial construct, I engender a cohesive yet fluid framework for nuanced emotional exploration.
German Pavilion in Barcelona by Mies van der Rohe, 1929.
Rhythm as structure: variations on a theme
In poetry, rhythm serves as an analogue to structural repetition in architecture – an organising principle that fosters coherence while directing perception. Rhythm, as a foundational design principle, operates both as a spatial and temporal device. In architectural terms, rhythm manifests through the repetition and variation of structural elements, such as columns, windows or facade patterns, creating a sense of order and flow. The rhythmic design establishes harmony while introducing dynamic contrasts that stimulate movement and visual engagement. Similarly, in nature, the repetition of tree trunks in a forest or the waves of the ocean exemplify inherent rhythmic patterns that evoke both stability and motion.
When translated into poetry, rhythm is experienced as the alternation of stress and unstress, repetition and variation, paralleling the architectural experience of light and shadow in a colonnade. This interplay fosters an evolving narrative energy within a poem, akin to how a well-designed building guides its occupants through space. My poem ‘Call Centre’ exemplifies this principle by strategically deploying recurring phrases, each iteration modulated to invoke a sequence of shifting emotions and images. By embedding rhythm into the fabric of the work, poetry, much like architecture, transcends static form, offering a dynamic and immersive experience for its audience. Le Corbusier, a controversial yet seminal figure in modernist architecture, embodies this principle through his iterative geometric motifs simultaneously evoking stability and kineticism, as exemplified in his Chandigarh High Court.
Chandigarh High Court by Le Corbusier, 1952.
Similarly, my poem ‘Call Centre’ uses repeated phrases as foundational elements, yet introduces incremental variations that evoke a continuum of recollection and sensation:
welcome to relive the day you met your school friends please press your lucky number for the times you ran tirelessly around the yard press random numbers for the steamed-up windows of truck stops enter the year of your last family summer vacation
Architectural rhythm cultivates an interplay between uniformity and deviation, a dialectic that informs the aural texture of my work. As with a colonnade alternating between shadow and light, my poetic rhythms juxtapose predictable cadences with sudden disruptions, imbuing the poem with a dynamic interplay of tension and release. Such rhythmic design fosters thematic cohesion while compelling the reader to traverse the evolving textual landscape.
Interconnectedness: layers of meaning
Just as architecture harmonises disparate systems – from structural engineering to aesthetic considerations – poetry thrives on the synthesis of multiplicity. The foundational architectural treatise, De Architectura by Vitruvius, articulates this synthesis through its emphasis on the triadic principles of firmitas (durability), venustas (beauty) and utilitas (functionality). These interdependent dimensions underscore the necessity for architecture to address structural integrity, aesthetic resonance and practical utility in equal measure. This conceptual framework mirrors the poetic endeavour, where each element – imagery, rhythm and thematic depth – must coalesce to form a cohesive and multidimensional work. For example, Aldo Rossi’s Cemetery of San Cataldo exemplifies a multi-layered approach in architectural design. Rossi integrates historical references, metaphysical undertones and rigorous geometries to construct a space that resonates on multiple levels. The design not only functions as a contemplative environment but also evokes layered interpretations of memory, absence and continuity.
San Cataldo Cemetery by Aldo Rossi, 1971–1976.
In my poem ‘First Law of Thermodynamics’, I engage this principle by interweaving scientific paradigms, alchemical symbolism and personal vignettes. Each narrative layer is interdependent, constructing a polyphonic text that mirrors the complexity of lived experience:
while nicolas flamel, the parisian notary claimed to have created gold in thirteen eighty two our blanket turns into a hard and lustrous shell in this way we change shapes tortoises live very long they enjoy anise leaves
about good tavern manners or which river the rainwater flows to around here? we wonder we look up the first law of thermodynamics in a book –
For poets, cultivating such interconnectedness is instrumental in amplifying a poem’s resonance. Conceiving of the poem as an integrated system akin to a meticulously designed edifice, I aspire to achieve an economy of language where no element is extraneous. Each stanza functions as an individual ‘room’, contributing to the overarching structural and thematic integrity of the work, while inviting readers to navigate and inhabit its multidimensional spaces.
Organic unity: form as skin and flesh
Frank Lloyd Wright’s notion of organic architecture underscores the symbiotic relationship between form and content – a concept equally pivotal to poetry. Analogous to Wright’s Fallingwater, wherein architectural form is inherently responsive to its natural milieu, a poem derives its vitality from the inseparability of its structure and linguistic expression.
Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd Wright, 1936.
In ‘My Conscience Is a Hungry Fox’, culinary metaphors not only advance its thematic meditation on ethical consumption but also architect the poem’s form, creating a visceral interplay between sensory and intellectual dimensions. Here, language is not merely ornamental but integral to the poem’s embodied reality:
I add the blood still warm of a man stabbed in the street
I mix everything in a separate bowl and set it outside my door
because my conscience is a hungry fox
but once he is full he purrs like a cat lying down next to me we dive into dreams together
This principle of organic unity invites poets to eschew superficial formalism, instead embracing an ethos wherein every textual choice is innately consequential. Much like Fallingwater’s cascading terraces seamlessly interfacing with their natural surroundings, a poem’s language must resonate with an inevitability, as though no alternative configuration could encapsulate its essence. By cultivating this intrinsic unity, I endeavour to compose poetry that resonates holistically, offering an experience that is as immediate as it is intellectually profound.
Designing poetry: a spatial perspective
Adopting a design-orientated lens equips poets with a rigour analogous to that of the architect. This methodology does not preclude spontaneity but rather channels the flux of inspiration into a structurally coherent artifact. Whether through rhythmic iteration, thematic layering or spatial configuration, architectural strategies serve as instrumental tools for refining the poetic form, ensuring its precision and resonance.
Ultimately, the architecture of poetry is predicated on the creation of spaces – both textual and affective – that invite readers to inhabit, explore and connect. Just as architectural design facilitates interaction with physical environments, poetry constructs immersive textual landscapes, fostering profound engagement. In this confluence of the poetic and the architectural, new horizons of creative expression emerge. I try to wander around inside the language. I don’t rule over the language, no one can. It is like nature, you can only think that you rule over it. You can respectfully build your home, your space with own words. I know that I am not a master of the language, I am a student of it. We all are.
This essay is based on the lecture ‘The Architecture of Poetry’, given at Iowa University (2019), Washington University in St Louis (2020), CIVITA Institute in Italy (2023) and Venice Ca’ Foscari University (2024).
Efe Duyan (poet, architect, event curator) was born in Istanbul in 1981.
As an internationally recognized poet, he has been invited to numerous international events, including the Hurst Professorship at St. Louis University and IWP at Iowa University. His poems have been translated to over 25 different languages. His poetry collections are Sıkça Sorulan Sorular (Frequently Asked Questions, 2016), Tek Şiirlik Aşklar (One Poem Stands, 2012) and Takas (Swap, 2006) and his debut novel Başka (Other)is published in 2022.
As an advocate of freedom of expression and creative thinking, he has been an active cultural actor curating international events, workshops and conferences. He has co-created the Offline Istanbul Poetry Festival, Turkish American Poetry Days and Mosaics: Gaziantep International Poetry Festival.
He is currently teaching architecture as Docents Dr. at RISEBA University. He has affiliated with several universities for research or guest lectures, such as Berlin Technical University, Ca' Foscari University, Minnesota University, Istanbul Technical University, Georgia State University, Iowa University, George Washington University, and Boston Massachusetts University.
