Of tradition and imitation: controversy in contemporary Lithuanian wooden architecture

ENThe tradition of using wood in architecture, linked to ancient times by the historical heritage of wooden architecture (whether that heritage survives physically or is lost but preserved in the written record), has formed certain stereotypes and associations in society as well as among professional architects. Wood architecture and its expressions are frequently invoked when seeking to convey traits characteristic of Lithuanian architecture. When striving for architectural integration in a sensitive context, such as in older town centers or villages built of wood, the use of wood is often the primary factor in harmonizing new construction with its surroundings; but form is extremely important as well. In such designs, the architect must find a relationship between traditional form and contemporary architecture’s functional and aesthetic trends. On the one hand, the historicity of wood architecture and an effective application and interpretation of Lithuanian architecture’s ethnic characteristics may assist in creating a distinctive contemporary wood architecture. On the other hand, the object may be evaluated as an unsuccessful imitation. In this chapter, we examine when imitation appears in contemporary architecture and what its signs are, and discuss the methods used in those applications where traditional forms in new wood construction have been positively evaluated. In the decades since an independent Lithuanian government was established, questions about the artistic expression of wood architecture have become particularly pressing as wood gains in popularity and is increasingly used by planners and builders.