Abstract
This paper examines ‘eclecticism’ as a significant technique in contemporary architectural design. Future projects are expected to emerge from existing environments rather than starting from tabula rasa, driven by the scarcity of resources that necessitates reusing existing buildings. They carry cultural influences and narratives reflecting diverse histories. Thus, architectural design addresses sustainability through both technological advancements and cultural perspectives. In response to these demands, the authors have explored an approach to eclecticism grounded in specific architectural examples and analyzed through literature and inquiry. In the 21st century, architectural design often reconfigures formal languages from precedents, emphasizing synthesis over inventing entirely new languages. These methods provide not only practical solutions but also foster aesthetic innovations. Eclecticism merges diverse narratives to create new forms, which often reinterpret original meanings as fictional constructs. Eclecticism is both a doctrine defined by its rejection of adherence to a single model or system, instead borrowing from a range of diverse sources. In architecture, it combines fragments differing from mannerism’s historical focus, pluralism’s socio-political context, and appropriation’s ethical concerns. It has evolved with design techniques over time. In the 18th century, imitation blurred originals and copies. By the 19th century, neo-styles emerged to represent the bourgeoisie. The 20th century saw collage techniques layering materials from diverse contexts. Today, realism introduces deliberate misfits between reality and representation. Eclecticism integrates multi-authorship, blending diverse contexts into site-specific narratives. Once criticized for fakery or compromise, it is now embraced in contemporary architecture. This paper explores its methodologies, intentions, and implications.
Presenters
Wonseok ChaeResearch and Teaching Assistant, Techniques of Representation and Design, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Holger Hoffmann
Professor, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Germany
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus— Sharing Practices and Sustainable Urban Fabrics
KEYWORDS
Eclecticism, Adaptive-reuse, Fragment, Multi-authorship
