Abstract
The history of transparency in architecture demonstrates a long relationship between glass and architecture. Transparent glass architecture has become one of the significant characteristics of 20th century. It has been one of the materials, which were used extensively in construction; and caused a significant change in the built environment, specifically in the 21st century. Nowadays, glass can be seen as one of the basic materials used in contemporary buildings. The usage of glass in architecture, specifically in public buildings, has increased during the recent few decades, and this trend is still continuing. In addition, Modern architecture has grown rapidly around the world and it has been investigated from various aspects. However, relationship between architectural meaning and modern architecture has been one of the less investigated issues. Therefore, despite the many benefits of transparent architecture, looking for meaning is one of the important factors that need to be investigated. Since search for meaning has been one of the challenging issues for contemporary architecture, the purpose of this study is to find the link between transparent architecture and symbolic meaning in contemporary architecture to recognize how it is possible to bring these two together. To achieve this aim, the research method in this study consists of combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, besides; literature review has been analyzed based on “content analysis method”. Under this scope, three famous transparent buildings in London have been selected as sample study. To compare and verify symbolic meaning of transparent buildings, in sample study, paper focused on recent transparent buildings in Famagusta. Accordingly, an interesting and arguable finding is that symbolism is interpreted differently by everyone and therefore it is a matter of view point. Although in general transparent architecture is symbol of modernity, but according to user’s viewpoints there is different symbolic meaning for each transparent building. This finding is a proof to this important issue that people need to have meaningful built environment, so they even assign meaning for buildings.
Highlights
Transparency concept has important influence in twentieth-century architectural practice
One of the most parts of the built environment influenced by changes was public buildings
This paper is going to evaluate the significance of symbolic meaning of the modern buildings on some examples, which were selected according to their transparent facades from Famagusta city
Summary
Transparency concept has important influence in twentieth-century architectural practice. According to Ascher (2003), sometimes it is difficult to summarize and categorize the different definitions of transparent architecture because of the wide range and several interpretations of the term transparency (Ascher, 2003). Adrian Forty identified transparency in his dictionary as “key twentieth century architectural term while at the same time acknowledging the tendency to discuss transparency in its material sense rather than its theoretical metaphoric ones” (Forty, 2004). Historically the main role of glass in architecture has been established in respect of light’s transition. Glass allows the light in as it reflects the light, which is the phenomenon of glass in architecture (Corbusier, 1986)
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