The Pluralist Metropolis: The Role of Architectural Eclecticism in the Design of Public Buildings in Major Cities
- Ukaegbe Ugochukwu BSc. Hons, MSc.1 & Dr. Ochi Ejimofor BSc Hons, MSc, Ph.D.2
- DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23615065
- ISA Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (ISAJAHSS)
Architectural eclecticism—characterized by the deliberate
synthesis of diverse historical styles, typologies, and material
vocabularies—has historically been evaluated through fluctuating critical
lenses, oscillating between accusations of pastiche and celebrations of
creative freedom. In the context of contemporary major cities, however,
eclecticism serves a vital pragmatic and symbolic function in the design of
public buildings. This paper examines the role of architectural eclecticism as
a mediating mechanism for urban pluralism. It investigates how borrowing ideas
across spatial epochs, leveraging similarities in structural design, and
employing interactive design methodologies allow public architecture to
negotiate the complex demands of identity, globalization, and social inclusion.
By synthesizing historical precedent with contemporary urban performance metrics,
this article argues that eclecticism is not merely a stylistic choice, but an
essential spatial strategy for the twenty-first-century metropolis.
Keywords: Architectural
Eclecticism, Public Buildings, Urban Design, Pluralism, Interactive
Architecture, Comparative Typology.
