Labyrinth of the senses: narrative and symbolism in Carlo Scarpa's Brion Tomb

Abstract

This essay seeks, through the use of language, to guide the reader toward a sensory experience of the promenade architecturale inherent in the path designed by Carlo Scarpa for the Brion Tomb. Throughout this journey, we analyze different facets of the site's symbolism, where the architect, through a blend of diverse signs, develops sensory allegories, prompting visitors to participate in a game of multiple figurations as they traverse the space-time of the funerary locus. The method employed is based on the concept of "thick description” elaborated by the American anthropologist Clifford Geertz. By using this method, we aim to unveil part of the intricate geometric narrative employed by the architect in his spatial composition, attempting to translate the sensory experience of the built space into a verbal labyrinth, a descriptive plot that encodes space.