a friend recently asked me if i knew of any good, recent critical writings on the phenomenon of superstar architects who become media darlings for their work with fashion houses, international museum conglomerates, etc.
unfortunately, i had to say no, even though i know that someone must be writing about this (since everyone is or was talking about it).
i guess i was wondering about theoretical articles or books in particular. there's so much press about the phenomenon (including press about the press about the phenomenon) but i couldn't think of anything that fell in the academicky, critical-theoretical range.
read anything by muschamp - there was that industrial design student who
made baseball like trading cards of designers (not architects) - they were
really funny
It wasn't exactly what I would call 'critical' in the sense that we usually use the word, but a year or so ago either Architectural Record or Architecture had an article about how Muschamp exalted the stars. They did a survey of his reviews and calculated how many times in a year he might mention Rem, Diller-Scofidio, etc., even in a review of someone else. Kind of took him to task for overexposing his favorites and ignoring the variety of work out there for review. If I remember right, the article included graphs and charts of their cameos/reviews.
Can't find it online, but I found a reference to the article. I think it was called 'The Favored Circle', was in Architecture magazine, and was by Michael Sorkin. Don't know what issue.
Sorry to keep adding to this one but this just occurred to me:
Sorkin's book 'Exquisite Corpse', a compilation of his Village Voice articles from the '80's, made fun of the star architects and the star phenomenon as kind of a running theme. Back then, of course, it was PJ and Stern-o that he liked to pick on.
Steven, You're correct that it was a Michael Sorkin article, and I think it was from the summer of 2001, possibly the May or June issue of Architecture.
Sorkin's written quite a bit on this topic, and while Exquisite Corpse is a great collection, you can read more recent essays in Some Assembly Required.
STARchitecture is not new. check out old issues of publications, domus ect.. dating back to 50's and 60's... architects and designers have always been superstars....it is just now that consumerism forces us to market personalities for differation, we are more aware. Charles and Ray eames ...
look at covers of these magazines and how the personality of the architect reflects the design. putting architects on the cover, rather than the design..sells....there is a recent issue of metropolis with Thom Mayne on the cover that mimics a cover of artnews that had Andy Warhol
I suggest Sharon Zukin's Landscapes of Power, esp. chpt 3 "The Urban Landscape" which includes a segment called Architects and the Landscape of Power. She explains something that many more have echoed ever since (but this book came out in 91): that corporations unhinged from any particular place and operating in an abstract market need the image of a starchitect more than a great building itself because the images have a global currency and travel at a much faster speed.
Yeah, but the accompanying article by Sorkin would probably be more interesting to batgirl, since she's looking for criticism/commentary on the phenomenon. The list was almost a prop for Sorkin to riff on, and he's great when he riffs...
There was a special edition of ANY in honor of Philip Johnson's 90th birthday (1996) that covered his role as star-maker. Articles were all paeans by other architecture stars. Includes James Rosenquist, Suzanne Stephens, Meier, Isosaki, Gwathmey, Jencks, Kipnis, Jaque Robertson, Phyllis Lambert, Fritz Neumeyer, Rudolph, Tigerman, Muschamp, Hadid, Terence Riley, Goldberger, Eisenman, Scully, Stern...not very recent, though.
is that picture with all of them at his b-day in it? i'm dying to find that shot. zaha and rem give each other the "look" (or is it a stand-offish gaze?)
Sorry not to write back any sooner, I teach most days and am far from the computer during daylight.
The ANY Philip Johnson special issue sounds like quite the thing, I can't believe I missed it and have to check it out too. I've passed on the recommendations--thank you.
The friend asking about starchitects studies architectural media culture in Tokyo, and was telling me about what he's done with Japanese architecture magazines and starchitects there. Starchitecture has been around for a long time (FLW knew what he was doing, in the US and in Japan, and that's still comparatively recent when you start to think about Christopher Wren etc.), but he's interested in how it's gotten more global and also more popularized ie. not just architects interested with the appearance of multi-nationals, the growth of Venice, Prada stores, the Guggenheim etc.
For another crazy state-of-our-culture case study, he also might look at the Michael Graves-produced, Target-marketed book that, strangely enough, tells the fascinating and self-congratulatory story of the products from --- yes, Michael Graves/Target!
Nov 19, 04 11:32 am ·
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superstar architects, theory on
a friend recently asked me if i knew of any good, recent critical writings on the phenomenon of superstar architects who become media darlings for their work with fashion houses, international museum conglomerates, etc.
unfortunately, i had to say no, even though i know that someone must be writing about this (since everyone is or was talking about it).
does anyone have any suggestions?
read ARCHINECT, pimpin.... architecture since......:ob
i already recommended that!
i guess i was wondering about theoretical articles or books in particular. there's so much press about the phenomenon (including press about the press about the phenomenon) but i couldn't think of anything that fell in the academicky, critical-theoretical range.
read anything by muschamp - there was that industrial design student who
made baseball like trading cards of designers (not architects) - they were
really funny
It wasn't exactly what I would call 'critical' in the sense that we usually use the word, but a year or so ago either Architectural Record or Architecture had an article about how Muschamp exalted the stars. They did a survey of his reviews and calculated how many times in a year he might mention Rem, Diller-Scofidio, etc., even in a review of someone else. Kind of took him to task for overexposing his favorites and ignoring the variety of work out there for review. If I remember right, the article included graphs and charts of their cameos/reviews.
Can't find it online, but I found a reference to the article. I think it was called 'The Favored Circle', was in Architecture magazine, and was by Michael Sorkin. Don't know what issue.
Sorry to keep adding to this one but this just occurred to me:
Sorkin's book 'Exquisite Corpse', a compilation of his Village Voice articles from the '80's, made fun of the star architects and the star phenomenon as kind of a running theme. Back then, of course, it was PJ and Stern-o that he liked to pick on.
Steven, You're correct that it was a Michael Sorkin article, and I think it was from the summer of 2001, possibly the May or June issue of Architecture.
Sorkin's written quite a bit on this topic, and while Exquisite Corpse is a great collection, you can read more recent essays in Some Assembly Required.
STARchitecture is not new. check out old issues of publications, domus ect.. dating back to 50's and 60's... architects and designers have always been superstars....it is just now that consumerism forces us to market personalities for differation, we are more aware. Charles and Ray eames ...
look at covers of these magazines and how the personality of the architect reflects the design. putting architects on the cover, rather than the design..sells....there is a recent issue of metropolis with Thom Mayne on the cover that mimics a cover of artnews that had Andy Warhol
Ed Mitchell "Lust for Lifestyle," Assemblage #36 (i think)
"The Favored Circle"
(Herbert Muschamp's List, as compiled by Michael Sorkin, Arch_01.06) +++++++see here+++++
I suggest Sharon Zukin's Landscapes of Power, esp. chpt 3 "The Urban Landscape" which includes a segment called Architects and the Landscape of Power. She explains something that many more have echoed ever since (but this book came out in 91): that corporations unhinged from any particular place and operating in an abstract market need the image of a starchitect more than a great building itself because the images have a global currency and travel at a much faster speed.
On gabion there are several articles that give a remarkable insight in the Koolhaas-phenomenon...
Yeah, but the accompanying article by Sorkin would probably be more interesting to batgirl, since she's looking for criticism/commentary on the phenomenon. The list was almost a prop for Sorkin to riff on, and he's great when he riffs...
oops. my last was a response to mason.
There was an AD issue on Fame released in 2001 or 2002. I believe it had Philip Johnson on the cover and a mock Time Magazine header.
Speaking of PJ.
There was a special edition of ANY in honor of Philip Johnson's 90th birthday (1996) that covered his role as star-maker. Articles were all paeans by other architecture stars. Includes James Rosenquist, Suzanne Stephens, Meier, Isosaki, Gwathmey, Jencks, Kipnis, Jaque Robertson, Phyllis Lambert, Fritz Neumeyer, Rudolph, Tigerman, Muschamp, Hadid, Terence Riley, Goldberger, Eisenman, Scully, Stern...not very recent, though.
is that picture with all of them at his b-day in it? i'm dying to find that shot. zaha and rem give each other the "look" (or is it a stand-offish gaze?)
Rosalyn Duestch also has an article about starchitects and planners in her book Evictions in which she takes on the egos of Mike Davis and Sorkin.
Not in there, Javier. Just flipped through it. Sorry.
Try the ANYthing book. I know that after the conference they all went up to PJ's pad in New Canaan for a party.
Sorry not to write back any sooner, I teach most days and am far from the computer during daylight.
The ANY Philip Johnson special issue sounds like quite the thing, I can't believe I missed it and have to check it out too. I've passed on the recommendations--thank you.
The friend asking about starchitects studies architectural media culture in Tokyo, and was telling me about what he's done with Japanese architecture magazines and starchitects there. Starchitecture has been around for a long time (FLW knew what he was doing, in the US and in Japan, and that's still comparatively recent when you start to think about Christopher Wren etc.), but he's interested in how it's gotten more global and also more popularized ie. not just architects interested with the appearance of multi-nationals, the growth of Venice, Prada stores, the Guggenheim etc.
Before I forget, "The Favored Circle" is great.
For another crazy state-of-our-culture case study, he also might look at the Michael Graves-produced, Target-marketed book that, strangely enough, tells the fascinating and self-congratulatory story of the products from --- yes, Michael Graves/Target!
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