Intermedialities in Architecture: An Introduction

Architecture and HypermediationAn architectural project, both in its conception and representation, is developed through a series of distinct media that continually refer to one another.An architectural design can only be conceptualized or made intelligible to others through a multiplicity of tools: plans, sections, elevations, but also models, sketches, 3D renderings, axonometrics, and collages.Only through the cross-referencing of these various media can a complete image of the project be mentally put together.The concept of "intermediality", as developed in media studies to describe forms whose identity is situated between multiple media, strongly resonates with this essential quality of the architectural project.This "intermedial" nature of architecture is arguably intrinsic to its foundation as a discipline during the Renaissance, when architecture began to be established based on the notion of the project rather than solely on the built object (Simonnet, 2001).Furthermore, this dimension is now becoming increasingly prominent in response to the proliferation of platforms for the dissemination of architecture.Over the last two decades, the means by which architecture is mediated have diversified and multiplied.On one hand, this evolution is the result of the growing institutionalization of architectural culture, which presents architecture through exhibitions, publications, conferences, and award ceremonies.On the other hand, this is a side-effect of the democratization of websites and the emergence of social networks where architectural work is displayed-ranging from specialized platforms such as Divisare to more informal spaces like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.This intensification of visual culture in our society is neither new nor unique to architecture.At the end of the 20th century, William J. T. Mitchell and Gottfried Boehm introduced the terms "Iconic Turn" and "Pictorial Turn", respectively, to characterize what they saw as a paradigm shift, in which images would take precedence over language (Boehm and Mitchell, 2013).Postmodern architecture has particularly witnessed this shift, assigning a new role to images in the design process, influenced by advertising and marketing.As the production and consumption of images continue to accelerate, the critical interpretation of visual culture in architecture remains highly relevant.The digital proliferation of contemporary images, which circulate and are exchanged to the point of saturation, is undoubtedly linked to their market value-a concept that Szendy describes as "iconomy" (Szendy, 2019).However, we should refrain from hastily condemning architectural images on this basis alone.Today, architectural discourse is increasingly conveyed through images, regardless of their intended purpose or content.It is essential to first acknowledge the discursive value of these images.A closer