The Trend Of Architectural Surface Under Consumer Culture Context

Into the 20th century, modern architecture of the world presents a complex situation under the influence of a rapidly changing social environment. Modern culture which consumption is the main feature, the visual culture plays an influential role due to the rapid development of media and the tremendous changes of electronic technology. Visual culture even changed every aspect of society, such as the public's aesthetic generalization and the modus operandi of the economy. Technological advances have immediately affected the architectural design. In the history of architectural developing, the relationship between form and function has always been a controversial topic. Being driven by consumer culture they appeared to melt and transform to each other. My article believes that this trend comes from the growing emphasis on the design of architectural surface. At the beginning, my article analyses the architectural design methodology, human point of literature, art and aesthetic developments and changes, science and technology point of view, then demonstrate architectural surface developed from the beginning of classicism, modernism and after post-modernism, gradually to the current evolution of expression. By following the analysis of contemporary consumer culture, we know that the changes of architectural surface are the result of multiple, Such as cultural, economic and technological development. After that I get a conclusion that architectural surface built in the context of consumer culture is acting as a catalyst which causes architecture art transformed as visual arts. The catalyst spur the expression of architecture art combine with Pop arts, abstract paintings, Cubism paintings, Sculptures, fashion, film, and other modern art. In addition to function of embodying the artistic, architectural surface reflects the contemporary cutting-edge technology. As a result of this, the combination of artistic and technical characteristics let architectural surface as the most effective medium of dialogue between human and architecture. Therefore, to understand architectural surface in isolation or in the static way has lost its meaning, we have to understand and grasp the design of architectural surface problem in a whole and the dynamic point of view urgently. Architecture which reflects culture, art, science may regard as art. Architects should integrate visual and psychological factors into the design of architectural surface and eliminate the tendency of subjective performance, and let the public receive information from the architecture easily. This is the only way to create a great building which reflects rich emotional significance and the characteristic of this age.