Linking the past and present through symbolic housing features: North Cyprus

Abstract

Linking the past and present has been a major challenge in contemporary architecture as it raises the question of authenticity in design. While the influence of the past in residential architecture seems unavoidable, housing should also incorporate cultural features to uphold communication with their residents. Accordingly, this study suggests that the symbolic use of traditional features could be a useful approach to preserve the link between the users and contemporary housing. Based on deductive reasoning, this research has formulated the theory, and the results have verified the proposition. The case study focuses on the symbolic use of facade features of two recent periods of traditional architecture in Cyprus: the Ottoman (1571-1878) and British Colonial (1878-1960) in the contemporary mass housing facades. The results indicate that six facade features (arch, shutter, eave's brackets, cumba, window form and dimensions, overhanging elements, and horizontal separators) are the most preferred traditional features which, in view of a new interpretation, were used symbolically in the present mass housing facades.