Abstract
For centuries architecture and the architectural objects constitute the characteristic landscape’s elements of the particular land or region. They were a vivid illustration of the given culture’s achievements, they constitute the aesthetics and engineering accomplishments of their time. Nevertheless in the last few decades a distinct transformation took place. Architecture is not only the reflection of the current state but it became an instrument in process of creating yet unexciting – but carefully planned in marketing strategies – economic potential of a space. While monitoring the tendencies occurring lately in global architecture and the urban design five essential parts of architecture as an economic device can be pointed out: 1/. architecture and space branding where the intentional designing of a particular, imagined picture of any defined space starts to be a way to impart it a new meaning; 2/. architecture and tourism destination where architecture can be utilized as a basic instrument to stimulate the tourism development in particular regions; 3/. consumerism where architecture becomes a device of the behavioural economics; 4/. corporate architecture where architecture is used to distinguish companies’ image on the concurrence background thus to enhance their economic position on the market; 5/. architecture as an integrating and holding together factor in local communities.
