Simbolizmo būtis šiuolaikinėje architektūroje

Abstract

Nowadays it is worthwhile to look upon symbolism as a symptomatic phenomenon that reflects some of the current changes in the architectural consciousness, comprehending the meaning of qualities lost in the contemporary architecture. This text is also devoted to one of the values that have to be brought back - traditional symbolism. However, this article is restricted to exposing the essential qualities of this problem and thus becomes an introduction to presenting to the society a historical development of the symbolism in architecture. The situation dominating the architectural ideology of the XX century unequivocally contains strictly negative judgement of the archaic traditions of architectural creativity as well as of the canonical symbolism. Such situation has become a rule and the author infers that it is a culmination in the rationalisation of cultural development taking place since the times of Renaissance. The perennial fight against anything representing archetypal metaphysics, finally determined the current situation when a vast majority of architects either are completely ignorant of the genuine symbolism or they are content with a distorted comprehension. Some indication of the transformation of such a consciousness may be recognised in the acute criticism of architecture voiced in the Seventies which established that larger part of the new architectural environment is a discomfort in its semantic meaning and harmful in its lack of spirituality. Although post-modern stream has weakened the ramparts of pragmatism by flooding architecture with the waves of traditional shades, the works carrying archetypal messages are still meagre. More frequent are the cases of employing symbols as a single layer of designation. In the light of the analysed subject the current situation may be well illustrated by the fact a “free¬style” interpretation of meanings of the symbols has become a common practice. Various aspeects of the contemporary symbolism are discussed employing the outstanding works by L.Kahn, M.Botta, R. and A.Zumthor, K.Tange, A.Aalto, T.Ando, R.Pietila, R.Bofill, G.Peichl, and others. Although scarce but widely recognised, these works allow to generalise and disclose some regularities of the existing situation.