Visual Rhetoric and Architecture

Architecture is a ubiquitous form of visual rhetoric, whose influence on one’s feelings and subconsciousness may be analyzed in the context of both soft and hard power. Buildings were and still are often designed in a way that incites wellness. The Baroque architecture in general is one of the most vivid examples of that procedure, especially the forms proposed by the Society of Jesus, which played an important role during the Counter-Reformation. The more contemporary example is the architecture of Nazi Germany, which was supposed to invoke the feelings of superiority, power, terror and permanence. The monumentalism of structures and gigantomania are still visible in the 21st century in the shape of Burj Khalifa, which is now the tallest building in the world, constructed for the purpose of presenting the prestige of Dubai. Another example of architecture being a display of soft power is the general unification of a nation through art and culture, which can be found in the approach of the English towards the Gothic style and its perception of the British Isles. On the other hand, the instances of hard power in the context of architecture can be found in the countries which remained under the rule of Soviet Union. CCCP imposed their architecture in such areas using buildings and designs that were considered gifts from the superior nations to the subjugated ones, with the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw being an example. At the same time, the destruction of iconic buildings may be considered as showing dominance, the destruction of the World Trade Center being one of the most prominent cases.