Metamorphosis of the Modern Shadow:
Architectural Image and Tectonics through the Photography of Germán Téllez in Bogotá, Colombia (1960-1975)

This dissertation examines how the work in architectural photography of Germán Téllez reveals a metamorphosis in modern architectural expression of shadow in Bogotá, Colombia, during the 1960s and 1970s. After an initial phase of modern architectural influence in the 1940s and 1950s, some architects began to develop a local approach to façade design that responded to the particular environmental conditions of the region. Téllez's photographs are characterized by strong contrasts in which large areas of shadow frame architectural elements. His visual compositions reflect a deep architectural understanding, capturing the tension between materials, tectonic elements, and spatial forms. His photographic processes offer a clearly defined geographical and temporal framework to analyze the transformation of façades and investigate the underlying causes of this shift.

Of particular interest is the expression of local modern architectural photography, especially the representation of the mediation between interior and exterior space through deep structural forms, shadows, and tectonic articulation. By considering shadow not only as a material component of façades but also as a method of analysis, this dissertation explores architectural photography, texture, climate, environment, perception, and aesthetics. While in Europe the emphasis often lies on light, in the Latin American context, shadow becomes a key element of tectonic design, enabling the emergence of an independent architectural visual language. This perspective makes it possible to view the history of Colombian architecture through the prism of migration, development, and the exchange of ideas between architects and photographers, revealing how different actors shaped the material and visual expression of façades in a specific time and place.