A Suggestion of the Optical Illusion Blocks for an Architectural Theory: Toward an Architecture in the Near Future

Abstract

The authors classify the relationship between toy blocks with patterns that comprise optical illusions and architectural theory. They confirm the latter explains the phenomena about the former: especially remarkable is the phenomenal transparency that applies transparent physical layers to optical phenomena with virtual layers. They describe notable essences of the phenomena around the blocks in its depth in our vision and wide-angle effectiveness. These essences account for contemporary tendencies in architecture: semi-transparency after realizing a complete transparency and frequency of change in its appearance. These tendencies are partly realized by technical inventions but the authors emphasize its basis on the formal and spiritual properties in our age referring to examples with relatively low technology. They require mainstream architectural theory in modern times to be revised in historical and aesthetic points of view, though its involving issue of equivocalness of the message on a surface in architecture. They possibly stem the trend for transparency in a broader modern times with turning architectural surface to the place of expression with transparency and opaqueness, and raise a question about a cityscape filled with different buildings and monitors in terms of aesthetics.