Architectural Narration of Memorial Architecture Throughout 20th and 21st Centuries

Abstract

The symbolic and meaningful richness of the architecture of commemoration reminds us of important events in the history of mankind, mixing past realities with present-day meta worlds largely created by architecture and place, as well as exhibitions, objects, or even our own experiences. Semiotic opulence, and therefore also the narrative richness of architecture and objects has a role that can mutually reinforce the message, which in practice occurs moderately often. With the help of four case studies, I tried to define strong elements that initiate a dialogue or conduct a monologue with the recipient. Through the following comparison of the examined objects and their features, partial conclusions characterizing each project were drawn, and then they were put together in order to answer the question about the hierarchy of the narrative of the architecture of remembrance and historical artifacts. The consistency of all forms of communication is very important for the overall impact on the recipient. The cooperation between artists and architects during the design of the memorials turned out to have a significant impact on emotions and thoughts. The completeness of the achieved narratives often means that the boundaries between architecture and objects blur. The presence of both components adds to the strength of the media’s transfer.