Transparency: Literal and Phenomenal

The Context Debate: An Archaeology

“…During this period, Rowe and Slutzky wrote two essays introducing Kepes' Gestaltian definition of phenomenal transparency-"simultaneous perception of different spatial locations"-as distinct from the direct material condition of literal transparency. 46 Although they mostly explained their argument through façade analysis, they also introduced an analytical diagram of Le Corbusier's Palace of the League of Nations showing "spatial stratification" as the prime strategy for shaping the physical, visual, and perceptual context. 47 This multilayered context-debate of the 1950s and early 1960s was later submerged beneath the subsequent postmodern approaches of its protagonists.…”

“…46 Although they mostly explained their argument through façade analysis, they also introduced an analytical diagram of Le Corbusier's Palace of the League of Nations showing "spatial stratification" as the prime strategy for shaping the physical, visual, and perceptual context. 47 This multilayered context-debate of the 1950s and early 1960s was later submerged beneath the subsequent postmodern approaches of its protagonists. To mention a few, Colin Rowe became a subtle defender of liberalism with the influence of philosopher Karl Popper's advocacy of open societies against historicist and utopian social engineering.…”

Innsikt, utsikt og oversikt. Transparens og glassvegger i nye skoleanlegg

“…Den regnes som en av de mest betydningsfulle artiklene om transparens (Skoletjenesten Kunstindustrimuseet, 2006). Rowe og Slutzky kommer inn på at transparens i betydning gjennomsiktighet, kan knyttes til et iboende ønske vi har om at ting bør vaere lett å se eller oppdage, fremstå med tydelighet og ikke vaere fordekt eller skjult på noen måte (Rowe & Slutzky, 1963).…”

“…kan også betegnes og oppleves som transparente. I slike tilfeller er materialet gjennomtrengelig, ikke bare for lys, men også for luft (Rowe & Slutzky, 1963). Prudon mener transparens er et aspekt ved moderne arkitektur som er naert knyttet til design og designfilosofi; «Accordingly, glass and the transparency it affords became an integral part of design and design philosophies that are still prevalent today» (Prudon, 2008).…”

“…Transparency was part of sales appeal (Whiteley, 2003:12). Rowe & Slutzky (1963) identifiserte to betydningskategorier av transparens; literal (bokstavelig eller konkret) og phenomenal (som fenomen eller konseptuell) transparens. De to kategoriene er fremdeles aktuelle, men innenfor arkitekturfeltet har den konkrete materialbaserte kvaliteten vaert rådende; «phenomenal transparency (…) is indeed so difficult to discuss that generally critics have been willing to associate transparency in architecture exclusively with a transparency of materials» (Rowe & Slutzky,1963:49).…”