Astrology and Architecture: a Skyscraper designed as a Dragon – Scorpio as the sign of dragons, sculpting, imaging, visualization and iconical use of symbols
Related articles: Scorpio as the Sign of Sculpting, An astrogeographical history of skyscrapers, Drachenfels (dragon mountain) in Scorpio the sign of dragons. The polarity of Aquarius with Scorpio: Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre, Cancer and Taurus – Burj Khalifa in Dubai,
Vattanac Capital Tower in Phnom Penh, Cambodia was designed and built to represent a dragon by TFP Farrells Architects between 2009 and 2014. The tower is 183m tall. The ideal of a dragon depicted here derives from a cultural inheritance in which dragons are seen as symbols of luck and their threatening powers are interpreted in a positive way. Wether one actually sees a dragon in the shape of Vattanac Tower or not is of course a question of the point of view. The building could also be seen as depecting a snake or a snail with it`s snail shell on the back.
Astrogeographic position for morphogenetic field level 3 which describes the atmosphere and energetical topics of the buildings and area around it: the construction ground for the tower is located in highly alert, defensive, solid and fixed water sign Scorpio the sign of strongholds and fortresses, sculpting, sculptures, imaging, visualization, transformation, trauma and the underworld. Scorpio is also the natural indicator for dragons, snakes, reptiles and their capacities for skinning. In regard to the qualities associated to dragons Scorpio relates to threatening and self-defensive poses. This relates to the Chinese inheritance where emperors used the dragon as a symbol of their imperial power and strength. As the sign of metal working Scorpio resonates with the importance of the role of stability of the structure and of steel enforced concrete. The tendency to rely on stoutness, strength and large proportions relates to Scorpio`s correspondence with giants. For the equivalence with dragons see the example of Drachenfels (dragon mountain) in Scorpio having both coordinates in Scorpio.
In astrological tradition eagles are associated with Scorpio too. The image the eagles was used as a symbols of the power and strength of the Roman Empire. Therefore the question arises in how far the iconic use of the threatening pose of animals as such is to be understood as a “scorpionesque” method.
In astrogeographical field study the “scorpionesque” aspect of this method is reflected in the position of the lion claws at the gate of Sirgiriya fortress in Sri Lanka where both coordinates lie in Scorpio.
The 2nd coordinate is located in creative, innovative, spiritual air sign Aquarius the sign of the sky, heaven, paradisem abstraction and of connecting the earth and ground with the sky and heavens. In skyscrapers Aquarius particuarly relates to the in the early era in the history of skyscrapers. Furthermore Aquarius as the sign of inspiration, contrast and going new ways stands for the exceptional and unusual character of the building here as the only one of it`s kind. Aquarius is the natural indicator for alternative concepts and for all kinds of quests where people try make their ideals reality.
The archetypal principles Scorpio and Aquarius relate ro each other through a square – an aspect of tension, contradiction and conflicting points of views. The fact that the depiction of the dragon image as represented by Vattanac Capital Tower appears in an abstract (Aquarius related) form suggests the intention here to contradict the patterns of habital perception as in the classical, ornamental use (Scorpio related) of the symbol.
