If we have to take the moral standards and political correctness into account, then we should instead be talking about where you can then even build at all. Then I can’t build in Russia, and I can’t build in China or Saudi Arabia. I’m not allowed to build for the Church, either, because it is morally depraved. My question for you is this: What am I supposed to do now? — DER SPIEGEL
In an interview conducted by Susanne Beyer and Ulrike Knöfel, Wolf Prix claims to be no “moralist” and explains why he hasn’t withdrawn from three gigantic construction projects in Russia, even as other Prominent architecture firms voice intent to suspend work in Russia as statements of solidarity with Ukraine.
9 Comments
Well, and he is Wolf Prix. The original Tom Wiscombe.
The hypocrisy is amazing "They will build there with or without me. And believe me, this war is tearing my mind apart."
Ahh the classic drug dealing defense. Priceless.
1- Good luck getting paid by the Russians.
2- The contractors will not take his plans seriously and do what they want.
3- The architecture of Coop is awful anyways- just like TWA
It's been interesting to watch this cohort of folks whose idea of radicalism is a sort of kneejerk opposition to whatever's popular age from young people fighting an older, more conservative zeitgeist into old people fighting a younger, more progressive zeitgeist.
There's always some mediocre figure that goes where others won't. Which is fine. Every despot regime gets second rate architecture.
Just a shame that the MoMA will probably celebrate it, in their love for regime architecture.
It is kind of amazing how frank he is in his responses. Maybe that comes from the translation from German but the content is still remarkable even without thinking about his delivery. Its half realism, have pessimism, half wishful thinking. blended with a huge portion of cynicism. I'm not sure what to make of it. At times it makes sense, at other times its more like WTF? And weirdly I get the sense he is thinking the same thing. He decided this isnt a black and white topic and that there are no good ways to move forward.
I wonder how MVRDV and others came to their decision. If we followed Prix' mindset I can imagine him saying all those firms realized they will probably not get paid, just like him, so they decided to use the impossibility of work as a way to make a stand. And somehow he didnt think that made sense. ... if so, it is hard to believe that is what the 68 generation learned in the last 50 years. Its a bit disturbing.
As Rem put it when criticized for building with the Chinese regime; Moral and politics aside... the work is ultimately for the benefit of the user-population.
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