Abstract & Overview
The article examines the history of the concepts of transparency in the 20th century architectural theory. The meaning of transparency in architecture is as broad as that in social sciences, avant-garde art, and philosophy. Mutual enrichment between disciplines has led to the fact that the category of transparency in architecture remains undefined. Its further analysis requires a systematic description of the meanings of this category. The paper presents a chronological analysis of the history of the concepts of transparency in contemporary western architectural theory taking into account the social prerequisites and theoretical foundations for their emergence. Stages in the evolution of these concepts are outlined, and related approaches to understanding transparency in the theory of western architecture throughout the 20th century are reviewed.