A symbol is a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract. Symbolic architecture is architecture with meaning, architecture that represents more than something that is seen with naked eyes.
Architecture started with man’s basic need to survive and to do that it needed shelter, man needed a place to retreat but as time passed man started to think differently and started to ask questions like how? why? what? With an increase in sophistication, symbolic architecture emerged. Emerged of civilisation, democracy, religion, politics, culture, order etc.
This dates back to ancient Greece beginning with Acropolis of Athens, Greece which was located on a hill top above the city to signify importance. It is perhaps the ultimate expression of symbolic architecture of the old world. The etymology of the word Acropolis is from akron (highest
point or extremity and polis (city). The site was gradually developed over numerous centuries. One of the main parts of this structure is the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena whom the Athenians considered their patron. Although, this structure has a complex past, destroyed and rebuilt for different purposes religious and otherwise, it remains an important structure.
Then there is The Grand Mosque in Cordoba, 784Ad. This was originally the location of an early Christian church. It was heavily decorated in ivory, bronze, gold, silver and copper with 856 columns but it was constructed over a period of time. In 1236AD, Cordoba was overthrown by Ferdinand of Castille and became a catholic cathedral although later on in 2000, Spanish Muslims made representation to share the prayer space but it was never resolved.
Next is the Forbidden City Beijing, China (1406AD) a palace complex for the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was given it’s title ‘forbidden’ because it was home to the Celestial Emperor and considered a divine place, it was certainly ‘forbidden’ to ordinary people. As one of the five most important palaces in the world, the grand halls and walls proudly display the essence and culmination of traditional Chinese architecture, fitting for the capital city of the world’s largest nation. It has incredibly complex colourful details and it represents the class and cultural values of this period of Chinese history.
Next is the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO since 1982, which is the masterpiece of Claude Nicolas Ledoux (1736-1806), visionary architect of the Enlightenment. Its construction was begun in 1775 and the commissioning of the plant took place in 1779, under the reign of Louis XVI.
Innovative for its time, this is an outstanding example of the type of structuralization of space that would be developed during the 19th century. Though Ledoux’s initial project was to realize the ideal city, this project would never be realized. Because there is no salt in Arc-et-Senans, it was transported from Salins-les-Bains to be treated here. Today the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et- Senans is most famous for the architecture of its buildings for its innovative industrial activity and it symbolizes cultural sophistication of that period.
Lastly, TVam Building Camden, London by Terry Farrell which features a Japanese temple, a Mesopotamian ziggurat and 11 rooftop eggcups which is a symbolism of decoration.
To conclude classical architecture symbolises order, authority, sophistication and civic power, neo classicism representing post revolutionary France.
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Architecture & Me 