This week, we devote the majority of our show to a discussion with Patrik Schumacher, about celebrity and the insularity of critical discourse in architecture. The idea of the "starchitect" is onerous to pretty much everybody in architecture, but that hasn't stopped us from using it. It's a popular media fabrication that, by becoming a potent cultural meme in its own right (thanks, Gehry), has derailed significant portions of architecture discourse into the murky realm of identity politics – the aesthetics and politics of a built object becoming an inextricable part of their designer's character. Schumacher's Parametricism may be an antidote to that. We discuss Schumacher's recent op-ed on these subjects, in the hope that keeping the discussion going will flush out something useful (or even flush away the "starchitect" concept entirely).
In the news, we touch on BIG's design for Two World Trade Center displacing Foster's, the resignation of five Cooper Union trustees (including Daniel Libeskind), and the scandal of Red Cross's contested use of earthquake-relief funds in Haiti. Our take on news is a bit different this episode; let us know what you think of it!
Listen to episode thirty-three of Archinect Sessions, "Stargazing with Patrik Schumacher":
Check out our news post on Schumacher's original post for more background on this episode's conversation.
Shownotes:
Daniel Kay Hertz’s article “Why is Urbanism So White?”
BIG's design for Two World Trade Center displacing Foster's
Renderings of BIG-Designed Two World Trade Center Revealed
Archinect's critical round-up of BIG's Two World Trade Center Design
Resignation of five Cooper Union trustees
Red Cross's contested use of earthquake-relief funds
Jai & Jai gallery in Chinatown
So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson
Curated interview feature with Kevin Roche, The Forever Unfinished Business
61 Comments
Miles I knew you would pick that up ;)
Nice troll.
anyway....speaking of Political Correctness, German, etc....
Die Ärzte "Manchmal haben Frauen"
Chris, I was going to ask you what your position in parametrics is but you've beat me to it. But here's my question.
Parametrics can be crazy sloppy. That's mostly what you see. But there are some rigorous projects out there (build and otherwise). It will be interesting how this transition in history gets treated 150 years from now.
With respect to Christopher Alexander, look at his thesis/book, Notes on the Synthesis of Form.
Architectural Design by Statistics
another great Free Thesis idea.
Statics through statistics
Just catching up on last few weeks of podcasts this weekend and I have to say I am a bit surprised (although perhaps shouldn't be given op-ed and other writings) how simply Patrick makes point (in response to Ken's questions) that (and I am clearly paraphrasing) "hey we can't be choosy about our clients 'politics' because then we wouldn't be able to practice".
Whether it is an architects "domain of competency", choosing to accept or not accept a commission based on politics or micropolitics of the project/patron is in fact a choice, just one he doesn't seem to want to make.
I would also be interested in hearing specifics from him regarding "highly questionable" arenas that he wouldn't want to engage in/take on.
You know Nam, when he said that, I was taken aback, and thought maybe I should follow up, but thought that a cynical response like he made, should linger, and to some degree haunt him.
Probably best that way anyways...
I got half way through before getting extremely pissed off with a lot of talk that is not backed up by research (or thinking). See ‘Walkable London’ as an example.
Lovely demonstration of not thinking. Thanks for sharing.
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