The aspects of modern Korean architectural discourses observed by applying MEME theory

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to measure and observe memes in Korean modern architectural discourse. Here, a meme is understood as a cultural gene or in other words, a popular architectural concept or practice that is passed from one generation to the next by imitation. After extracting memes from the text of the leading architectural magazine in Korea titled SPACE magazine, we used network analysis to investigate them. The findings of this study were as follows. First, by researching 601 issues of SPACE magazine published between 1967 and 2018, the total number of memes extracted was 708. These memes were divided into 291 types of memes, which were then classified into 24 memeplexes (groups of memes with similar contents). Second, because of analyzing the influence of these memeplexes over time, we found that the “Tradition” memeplex had great influence in the past, while philosophy-related memeplexes such as “Sense of place,” “Phenomenology,” “Philosophy of Becoming,” and “Post-structuralism” have been influential. However, the “Modernism” memeplex has been the most durable, having the greatest influence on Korean architects from past to present.

Keywords

• meme
• meme theory
• architectural discourse
• discourse analysis