Overview

Offering a novel conceptual methodology where Jungian psychology is used to analyse Jung’s own architecture, this book offers an innovative reading of Jung’s Bollingen Tower in order to explore a Jungian sense of place, situating it within a wider examination of the psychic places that influenced his work. Representing the first comprehensive study of Jung’s building activities, the chapters illuminate the wider purpose of architecture as a reflection of self and a means to ‘belong’ in the world. Using , the author’s own fieldwork, interviews with descendants, and detailed analysis of Jung’s autobiography and copious writings drawn from his own imagination and psyche, chapters explore themes such as the relationship between psyche and geometry, the idea of psychic place, and ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ in analytical psychology. In discussing the legacy and the predominance of Bollingen Tower as the defining spatial motif of Jung’s psychological system, the chapters also cover comparisons with Marie-Louise von Franz’s Tower and Christiana Morgan’s Tower. The author’s own background as an award-winning architect, alongside a lifelong study of analytical psychology, makes him uniquely placed to shed light on this as-yet underexplored area of study. The book opens up interdisciplinary dialogues and provides a broader context for understanding the relationship between the environment and the psyche. It will therefore be of interest to scholars and postgraduate students in the fields of Jungian and analytical psychology and architecture.

Full Product Details

9781032992778

Table of Contents

Reviews

“What if architecture could embody the journey of the soul? In The Bollingen Tower, Martin Gledhill takes readers on an extraordinary exploration of Carl Jung’s enigmatic retreat, revealing how this unique structure serves as both a physical sanctuary and a profound psychological symbol. Gledhill’s meticulous analysis of formative locales, from Jung’s childhood rectories to the mythic resonances of Swiss castles, demonstrates how spatial environments shaped Jung’s intellectual and spiritual trajectory. Through the interplay of circles, squares, and ancestral motifs, Gledhill unveils the Tower as a liminal space where psyche and matter converge, transforming stone and space into a living testament of analytical psychology. Supported by architectural diagrams, historical photographs, and critical engagement with Jung’s writings, Gledhill presents a compelling argument that place-making is an act of soul-making, and insights into how built environments are mirrors of the Self. Perfect for scholars of Jungian psychology, architectural symbolism, and anyone fascinated by the intersection of space and psyche, The Bollingen Tower invites readers to see their own environments in a new light—where walls, windows, and foundations become reflections of the soul’s deepest journey.” —Lucy Huskinson, Professor of Philosophy at Bangor University, UK “This is a brilliant book, teeming with meticulous research and penetrating imagination. Apart from its carefully argued insights into the history, architecture, and symbolic meaning of the Bollingen Tower itself, Gledhill’s study provides a wealth of new information and perspective on some of Jung’s lesser-known (environmental) influences, deepest ideas about the interpenetration of inner and outer worlds, and most meaningful relationships. It is a major contribution to scholarship on Jung.” —Professor Roderick Main, Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies, University of Essex, UK

“What if architecture could embody the journey of the soul? In The Bollingen Tower, Martin Gledhill takes readers on an extraordinary exploration of Carl Jung’s enigmatic retreat, revealing how this unique structure serves as both a physical sanctuary and a profound psychological symbol. Gledhill’s meticulous analysis of formative locales, from Jung’s childhood rectories to the mythic resonances of Swiss castles, demonstrates how spatial environments shaped Jung’s intellectual and spiritual trajectory. Through the interplay of circles, squares, and ancestral motifs, Gledhill unveils the Tower as a liminal space where psyche and matter converge, transforming stone and space into a living testament of analytical psychology. Supported by architectural diagrams, historical photographs, and critical engagement with Jung’s writings, Gledhill presents a compelling argument that place-making is an act of soul-making, and insights into how built environments are mirrors of the Self. Perfect for scholars of Jungian psychology, architectural symbolism, and anyone fascinated by the intersection of space and psyche, The Bollingen Tower invites readers to see their own environments in a new light—where walls, windows, and foundations become reflections of the soul’s deepest journey.” —Lucy Huskinson. Professor of Philosophy at Bangor University, UK “This is a brilliant book, teeming with meticulous research and penetrating imagination. Apart from its carefully argued insights into the history, architecture, and symbolic meaning of the Bollingen Tower itself, Gledhill’s study provides a wealth of new information and perspective on some of Jung’s lesser-known (environmental) influences, deepest ideas about the interpenetration of inner and outer worlds, and most meaningful relationships. It is a major contribution to scholarship on Jung.” —Professor Roderick Main, Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies, University of Essex, UK

'What if architecture could embody the journey of the soul? In The Bollingen Tower, Martin Gledhill takes readers on an extraordinary exploration of Carl Jung’s enigmatic retreat, revealing how this unique structure serves as both a physical sanctuary and a profound psychological symbol. Gledhill’s meticulous analysis of formative locales, from Jung’s childhood rectories to the mythic resonances of Swiss castles, demonstrates how spatial environments shaped Jung’s intellectual and spiritual trajectory. Through the interplay of circles, squares, and ancestral motifs, Gledhill unveils the Tower as a liminal space where psyche and matter converge, transforming stone and space into a living testament of analytical psychology. Supported by architectural diagrams, historical photographs, and critical engagement with Jung’s writings, Gledhill presents a compelling argument that place-making is an act of soul-making, and insights into how built environments are mirrors of the Self. Perfect for scholars of Jungian psychology, architectural symbolism, and anyone fascinated by the intersection of space and psyche, The Bollingen Tower invites readers to see their own environments in a new light—where walls, windows, and foundations become reflections of the soul’s deepest journey.' - Lucy Huskinson. Professor of Philosophy at Bangor University, UK 'This is a brilliant book, teeming with meticulous research and penetrating imagination. Apart from its carefully argued insights into the history, architecture, and symbolic meaning of the Bollingen Tower itself, Gledhill’s study provides a wealth of new information and perspective on some of Jung’s lesser-known (environmental) influences, deepest ideas about the interpenetration of inner and outer worlds, and most meaningful relationships. It is a major contribution to scholarship on Jung.' - Professor Roderick Main, Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies, University of Essex.

Author Information

Martin Gledhill is an Architect and was a Senior Lecturer in the subject at the University of Bath, UK.

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