Physics

Architecture

Sociology

Meaning (existential)

Optics

Aesthetics

Epistemology

Visual arts

Philosophy

Focus (optics)

“What is contemporary architecture?” This question may have been the most important preoccupation of the modernist pioneers at the start of the 20th century. The importance of an architecture that is “true to our time” still lingers today. This text demonstrates how the meaning of this notion changes with time. The focus of the study is three years, 1927, 1964 and 2002: Three points in time, represented by three architectural competitions. Today, the idea of modern-day architecture no longer corresponds with the original meaning of the term. What could be a new definition for an architecture that is truly contemporary?

What is Contemporary Architecture? Changes in Architectural Competitions and Architectural Discourse