Type and typology are among the most significant theoretical discussions in architecture, attracting the attention of numerous researchers over the past two centuries. This paper focuses on one of the prominent scholars in this field—Gianfranco Caniggia—and explores various definitions of type and typology while examining their intellectual foundations. Although the founder of this school of thought was Saverio Muratori, it was his students who disseminated the ideas of this innovative architect. Caniggia, through the publication of several books during his lifetime, developed a distinctive method for describing and analyzing Muratori’s theoretical concepts, to the extent that some have termed his approach the "Caniggia School."
In this article, drawing on various sources—most of which are in Italian—we present Caniggia’s perspective and endeavor to articulate the theoretical underpinnings of each discussed topic. In the end, it becomes evident that the diverse definitions of type and typology proposed by Caniggia are framed solely within the material-physical dimension, as well as within the context of time, space, and material history.
