Interaction of Durability and Dynamism in Architectural Flexibility: Interdisciplinary and Disciplinary Approaches

ABSTRACT: Flexibility as an ability to respond to changing circumstances is one of the vital characteristics of the natural and built environment. During the contemporary era, diversity of methods relating the architectural flexibility execution are suggested. But along with contemporary conceptual approaches toward pluralism and uncertainty, it seems that the multiplicity of approaches toward flexibility, not only does not have enough efficiency in providing quality in flexibility, but also their plurality produce a kind of ambiguity about the subject. Considering the conceptual roots of flexibility, this article tries to shift the approaches of flexibility from absolute ‘dynamism’ to interaction of ‘durability‘and ‘dynamism’. In this relation, considering the interdisciplinary theories and with dependence to architectural theories, the quality of interaction of durability and dynamism is analyzed. Studying theoretical ideas show that the interaction of dynamism and durability is a general reality in different phenomenon and so it can be studied as a transdisciplinary field. According to the results, in an architectural work, durability and dynamism can produce complementary characteristics. Quality flexibility have effected on reaching dynamic situation through preserving durable concepts and values of architecture. Coexistence of durability and dynamism is dependent on ‘change controller’. ‘Change Controllers’ are not only the preserver of durability and effective in producing unity, but also are the generator of dynamism.