Poetical Intrinsic Consciousness in Contemporary Cultural Architecture

Abstract

The intangible is one of the most thought about fundamental architectural themes, but unlike visible, palpable topics relying on function, structure or materials, the ineffable presence only sometimes generated by architectural space will always be a collective informational void that can only be holistically explored through theories and visions of poetics, psychology, literature, history, etc. The justification of architecture itself, its spatial consciousness, its temporality, its integrity and its presence can become - only in profoundly authentic and sincere spaces - the native language of architecture itself, beyond the aesthetic, structural, functional, material, environmental or light vocabulary, eventually generating together with them, the very life of a building. This, experimented by the human factor, as a product of the interaction of the aforementioned dynamics, can create an architectural experience, beyond a building. From Antiquity until today, sight has been considered the noblest of senses - from expressing certainty to the correlation with primary elements (fire, light, etc.), to symbolic form, approximating the intellect, the metaphorical, the immaterial. Given that man has therefore transcended the visual through a synesthetic collaboration between all senses and emotion or imagination, we are interested in experimenting spaces that use and exploit numerous senses, as well as their actual inner void and intrinsic spatial consciousness. We aim to use the analysis and a personal research project in order to generate a theoretical equation or an expression of dialogue between theoretical spatial poetry and the actual practice in contemporary spaces. In the current evolutionary context that has an explosive crescendo on excessive information, the ever-increasing technology and the pressure of constant innovation, only some of the contemporary functions manage to create spaces that go beyond the visual, through the cumulus of senses, in a dimension in which architecture speaks without words, transforming itself into lyricism and nurturing an inner space of feeling and poetry. Therefore, mostly spaces of meditation and cultural reflexion, remembrance and historical representation, which shelter individual and collective emotions, artistic expressions, creations and beliefs can breed intrinsic spatial and temporal identity. The personal knowledge, acquired by previously designing an interactive experience museum, has generated a strong background in analysing the features and accordingly creating immaterial, poetical space of experimentation and dialogue between the users / visitors and the desired cultural references. Thus, it will be essential in finding the optimal means to obtain an architectural equation or expression in which theory, lyricism, ambient poetry, practice and technology compliment themselves in a harmonious and efficient manner.