Uniqueness or Uniformity - Studies of Media Architecture

Abstract

A development of media architecture is presented in light of such phenomena as aesthetization, consumerism and digitization. This article deals with media architecture in commercial spaces. Media solutions has impact on the architectural skin, making it into visible and dynamic points of the image of a post-modern city. This article presents the specificity of media solutions, depending on the function of commercial activity buildings (museums and other cultural objects, sports facilities and multi-functional halls, shopping malls, hotels and offices). The analysis was based on a set of 60 representative examples of media architecture objects. Staring with our own definition of a media solution (understood as a synergy of form, transmission and display element), the article presents the main relations between the range of solutions, the content of transmission (from commercial to non-commercial content) and technologies (from media mesh to architectural media details). The analysis allows us to point out main similarities of components of media solutions among functional groups. The scope of uniformity of media of architectural objects is in the whole group of representative examples. The article stresses that the form, the discretion of media solutions (connected to artistic content, nonfigurative transmission and slow speed of changing images) and architectural media details are the most important factors influencing the uniqueness of media architecture. The relation between the discretion of media solution and the occurrence of media detail is also examined.