Parcours interdisciplinaires du Désert de Marlagne

Abstract

This article explores interdisciplinarity in architectural history by reflecting on its epistemological and methodological challenges, requirements, and possibilities. It presents a range of collaborative methods – such as research via iteration, embodied research, and interpretative modeling – through a study conducted by six researchers from UCLouvain and KU Leuven on the Desert of the Discalced Carmelites, founded in 1619 in Marlagne, Belgium. This study sought to understand the Marlagne desert as a site of spiritual betterment during the early modern period. This required approaching it as a layered historical ‘object’ and a multi-sensory environment integrating natural topography, built infrastructure, and biblical and spiritual references. The research combined disciplines that aligned with the existing sources, including architectural history, architectural theory, art history, and literary history. The project succeeded by transcending individual objectives, methods, and results, instead prioritizing a shared endeavour and mutual exchange that required continuous self-reflection and (inter)disciplinary positioning. Throughout the process, the travelling concept of “parcours” (journey) served as both a hermeneutic and heuristic framework that guided an iterative exploration of the object of study. Though timeintensive, this interdisciplinary approach pushed researchers beyond their comfort zones while creating opportunities for serendipitous discovery, knowledge exchange, and methodological innovation – all crucial for tackling the complexity and stratification of expansive historical sites.