Coináge seeks to identify and coin latent traits and place these as prime coinages in terms of x, in terms of x (and so on), these nested operators being coinages themselves. Positioning a prime coinage in terms of native and congruent sub-coinages results in the final expression: an ambiguity evoking a displaced recognition and so being known again.
For example, an observed trait is that of distance to flatten with absence of perspective cues, especially the lack of diagonals toward vanishing points. Having coined “absence of perspective” how might I put this into relief through operation of sub-coinages in the name of the prime trait?
All art (including design) is expression in the name of, and so falls under criteria for coináge. Architecture itself can be seen in terms of four operators: Experiential (Spatial/Light), Program (Adjacency/Hierarchy), Site (Constraint/Context), and Environment (Clime/Envelope), these being in the service of the prime coinage: Place.
The coináge of s m a l l c h i t e c t u r e proposes the induction of reticent, understated, and economical buildings through its own native coinages. This language is once removed and silent yet literal and explicit, bridging the norm to the extra-norm in the name of something forgone and expected.