Aesthetic perception of steel‐glass architecture in Japan

Abstract

Nowadays, steel‐glass designs usually prevail in modern architecture [1]. Glass has evolved from the material used mainly for windows into a material that is often combined with steel and used for curtain walls and various structural members in many types of structure, such as buildings, railway stations, airport terminals and passenger service centres on expressways ([2], [3], [4], [5]). Structural aesthetics, reflected in the beauty of objects of refined taste, is a major concern in both architectural and engineering forms [6]. Japanese aesthetics, based on tradition, has been widely shown in architecture itself as well as in the world of engineering structures [7]. This contribution discusses the perception of the aesthetic qualities of steel‐glass elements in buildings – considering their dimensions, visual lightness, texture, reflection, transparency, colour, light, translucence and design context.

The steel‐glass art of railway stations in Japan

“…Hereby, special concern is paid on landscape attributes ( [12], [13]). As it has been shown on several examples of Japanese architecture [6] and bridges [7], aesthetics results from the attributes of Japanese soul -such as harmony (wa), beauty (wabi/sabi), refined elegance, mystery (yu  gen), transience of nature, represented e. g. by the cherry blossoms (sakura), form -the mode of gaining and expressing the skills (kata), path -the spiritual advantage of strengthening the form (michi), craft (takumi), warrior's way (bushido), invisible motion of energy (ki), loyalty (chu) etc. [14].…”

“…Aesthetics of the new Japanese steel-glass architecture has been discussed in "Steel Construction" and "Stahlbau"with regard to buildings [2], railways stations [3], airport terminals [4] and passenger service centres on expressways [5]. Also, the general topic of the aesthetic perception of Japanese steel-glass architecture has been examined in [6]. As a particular problem of bridge aesthetics, the colour characteristics of steel bridges in Japan has been considered in [7].…”