it seemed perverse to us that architecture has become all about the aesthetics of a few iconic buildings whose main function is the glorification of those with the money to build them. As one prize after another celebrates the work of a selected band of world famous "starchitects", it seemed like humanity's most pressing problems are how to fold metal into the most obscure shapes, and how implausibly high a building can go. — Al Jazeera
As curated by Daniel Davies on how architecture and design can be used to build a better world, Al Jazeera sheds a light on what really matters as architecture moves into domains of architects and geographies where the works is making difference in people's lives.
"They are architects not paid by international NGOs to parachute in solutions, but working in their own countries with issues they understand at a deep level. They are architects who work independently, rarely getting developer backing, but funding projects themselves. And they rarely get media coverage outside specialist architectural and academic circles."
Seems like real "rebels" don't pose for elite audiences and their 20K a semester students.
Also, curators view.
3 Comments
I watched this episode but I'm confused as to why the Spanish architect, Santiago Cirugeda, is being singled out when the bulk of academia and industry do not attempt to address these issues at all.
Kirill, because most of the schools want architecture to be a profession of established firms and they are supplying that industry with professionals. Starting from first year design studio to all the way to Cesar Pelli.
Then there are people who are critical and creative in the same time and who built their own practice of architecture. Imaginative foot on the ground and self confidant, these architects are operating outside of that commercial real estate industry and hi end consumer machinery that gentrifies and homogenises everything on its path.
My friend Kurt Dillon who has been working on urban conservation and economic revitalization in Colon, Panama should be part of this series..
"As one prize after another celebrates the work of a selected band of world famous "starchitects", it seemed like humanity's most pressing problems are how to fold metal into the most obscure shapes, and how implausibly high a building can go."
Very interesting. Curious to see if this moves beyond the do-goodism sphere and actually have an impact on academia. Also, curious to see if the roots of starchitecture are actually explored as a way to solve this myopic view rather than this being a well-intentioned but peripheral excersize to the TMZ view of architecture.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.