| Title |
Exploring Symbolism of Buildings on the KIT Campus |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2023.39.3.103 |
| Keywords |
KIT; Collective Memory; Technology; Glass; Transparency; Symbolism; Pragmatism |
| Abstract |
This research explores diverse meanings of buildings in the Kumoh National Institute of Technology (KIT) that embody the image of
cutting-edge technology. During the late 1970s, the construction of the campus was led by the state and completed quickly; it could be
assumed that the buildings on the campus reflected the image of technology, which was one of the nation’s goals at the time. This research
suggests multiple symbolic meanings related to its campus buildings; they range from the layout of buildings to finishing materials. For
instance, the glass curtain walls of the main building visualized progress and technology that produced a collective memory for those who
experienced these campus buildings. Simultaneously, the school pursued energy-saving tactics through the glass curtain walls due to the two
times of oil shocks that took place throughout the 1970s. Drawing on historical documents and interviews with alumni and faculties, this
school seemed to have visualized the image of technology by pursuing symbolism and pragmatism through the buildings on the KIT campus
producing collective memories. |