Clara 9's thematic section, Intermediality in Architecture – Representation and the Aesthetics of Reflexivity, guest-edited by Victoire Chancel, Carla Frick-Cloupet and Wouter Van Acker, examines the relevance of injecting the concept of “intermediality”—which refers to forms being situated between multiple media—into the discourse of architecture. The discipline of architecture has been fundamentally constructed around the concept of the project, which, by its very nature, materializes through its expression across various media—from drawings and photographs to the built structure itself. This inherent characteristic of the architectural project is increasingly reinforced today by the intensification of visual culture. The introduction to the thematic section traces the historical development of the concept of “intermediality” and observes the comparatively limited academic efforts to develop this concept within the field of architecture, particularly in terms of reflecting on what constitutes a medium. Subsequently, the 9 articles of the thematic section explore the various ways in which architects engage with the media condition and iconic dimension of contemporary architecture. By examining situations where content shifts from one medium to another, as well as the blurring of boundaries between media space and advertising space, this issue interrogates the contemporary nature of architecture’s intermedial condition.
In the “Archives” section, Pablo Prado Serrano explores how archival and cultural politics of remembrance distorted the perception of Berlin’s former Turkish Bazaar.
Finally, in the “Aparté” section, Carlo Menon looks back at three public round tables, organized at ENSA Versailles and at ULB Faculty of Architecture on the troubles that are agitating architectural education.
Issue 9 of Clara, Intermediality in Architecture is available in hard copy (order via clara.archi [at] ulb.be). It will soon be available on Cairn.info (with a subscription), and freely available, also on Clara's website, as of December 2026.
Published: 2024-11-21
Thematic section
Archives
Miscellaneous papers
Écoles troubles
186-194