Texture is the condition of possibility through which our bodies meet environments; like gender in its relationality, texture is palpable only in becoming. So did the blue carpet in my childhood bedroom enmesh gender between my toes? And if we alter texture — including how we talk about it — might we transform gender in both minute and brash ways? — Places Journal
Whether or not they realize it, architecture critics generally build a body into their writings. And we must allow ourselves, and others, to write bodies other than cis, straight, white, able ones into the affect of our analyses. Changing words — say, crafting new architectural metaphors for trans and queer embodiments — can alter our perceptions of bodies and buildings alike.
Lucas Crawford, the latest recipient of the Arcus/Places Prize for innovative public scholarship on gender, sexuality, and the built environment, explores how the language of architectural criticism influences the ways that we discuss the design of built space.
The Arcus/Places Prize is an ongoing collaboration between Places Journal and the Diversity Platforms Committee of the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley.
9 Comments
our bodies are made of the same stuff as the world
speak for yourself, I'm made of honey and unicorn giggles.
honey, unicorn giggles, and you are all made of carbon
“We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon...”
documenting this must have sucked
"...the language of architectural criticism influences the ways that we discuss the design of built space."
In other news, the sky is blue.
This doesn’t make any sense.
The Places Journal seems like a decent journal. But their collaboration with the Diversity Platforms Committee at UC Berkley will only bring them down. And the only information I could find in the article was that Lucas Crawford thinks architects (or critics, perhaps) should create metaphors for "trans and queer embodiments". Which isn't backed up or explained outside of one anecdote of having a blue carpet in his childhood room. Waste of time.
You should do better than this Archinect! Especially considering that it was featured on your facebook story.
Complaining about a lack of information while making claims backed up by a lack of information is a really excellent look for you, Chris Hoydahl.
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