Architectural Expression and Its Double Articulation: A Case Study Analysis of a Conceptual Approach

Architectural expression plays a significant role in the process of conceptualization, representing the first impulse toward the recognition of meaning that an architectural design denotes. With the rapid technological development, the role of architectural expression became exaggerated, leading to an architecture devoid of qualitative aspects. This article demonstrates the underlying logic of two conceptual approaches, where the figurative aspects denote the essence of creative work but embody the aesthetic and qualitative value. These approaches relate to the visual appearance but impart distinct spatial and formal qualities, where the symbolic expression not only affects built form, but clearly defines the structure of space. This article sets out to define a theoretical framework and demonstrate its variety through several precedents. Precisely, it elaborates on the concept of enclosure as mask as a rich source of symbolic expression and the concept of mimesis and its manifold implications in architecture. A comparative method is used to make an in-depth analysis of contemporary precedents, where the symbolic and iconological value of the building design embody the essence of built work. The precedents will be evaluated according to several determinants of the architectural form in the design process. Finally, this article attempts to clarify the manifold connotations these approaches have, where the conceptual in architecture refers to the intention that carries universal qualities from design process to built work, and where the concepts of mask and mimesis represent tools in contemporary design toward an architectural expression denoted by a variety of meanings.