Neįgyvendintų projektų reikšmė Lietuvos architektūroje ; The Significance of Unimplemented Projects in Lithuanian Architecture

Abstract

The thesis explores the subject of unimplemented architectural projects in the context of Lithuanian architecture, the country's history and socio-political and cultural phenomena. The object of this research is architectural projects that, due to certain circumstances, did not result in completed buildings. The purpose of the thesis is to reveal the significance of unimplemented projects through their connections with social, sociocultural and political phenomena. In order to fulfil this objective, the following tasks where set: defining the concepts important to this research; constructing a typological model of unimplemented projects and uncovering the origin of the phenomenon of unimplemented projects through examining the structure of the architectural process; reviewing the development of unimplemented projects and the corresponding historical context between the end of the 18th c. and the end of the 20th c. in Lithuania; examining the societal significance of unimplemented projects of the 21st c. and before; uncovering the relationship between unbuilt projects and social-economic and political structures; analysing the reasons behind the non-implementation; formulating the guidelines on how to reduce the risk of non-implimentation in high-quality architecture; identifying objective and subjective values of unbuilt projects and providing theoretical and practical possibilities for their application. The thesis achieved the following outcomes new for art criticism: an integrated analysis was conducted on the previously scarcely-studied subject of unimplemented projects in Lithuanian architecture; previously unexamined terms relevant to this subject were formulated; the main types of unimplemented projects were defined; the phenomenon of unbuilt architecture was revealed as resulting from an interrupted architectural process; the reasons behind the non-implementation of projects were explained, making it possible to view unimplemented architecture as a both direct and inverse identifier of the state of historical structures; it was proven that unimplemented projects bear some influence when relevant public issues are being raised and that they may be used as a political-ideological tool; the non-implementation of projects was shown to be a constant phenomenon in the history of architecture that reflects the sociocultural, political and economic tendencies; as an entity of artistic and technical ideas and solutions, unbuilt projects can provide theorethical and practical benefits. The outcomes of this research may encourage architecture theorists to widen the range of research objects studied and to involve cases of unimplemented projects as an integral part in the development of architecture when researching issues relevant to the history of architecture.