This thesis aims to offer the reader a visual and textual introduction to the world of arches(vaults) in contemporary architecture. The topic for the main work has been narrowed down to the arch as a form beyond its structural significance. It raises questions such as: What are the reasons behind the use of arches in contemporary architecture? How do those reasons affect the architecture of the building, its construction, and its materiality? The crucial task of that work is to synthesise and harmonise the various codes indicated by the use of arches in chosen examples so the formal language becomes a structured interaction that enables communication and understanding for the one interested. To be more conscious as architects and recipients about the use of arches in shaping the character of buildings and spaces in contemporary architecture, as it is still gaining (remaining) its popularity these days.
By Aleksandra Shymanskaya, MSc in Architecture Typology, 2024.
