Before the financial cataclysm, the profession seemed to be in the midst of a major renaissance. Architects like Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, and Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, once deemed too radical for the mainstream, were celebrated as major cultural figures.NYT
"WHO knew a year ago that we were nearing the end of one of the most delirious eras in modern architectural history? What’s more, who would have predicted that this turnaround, brought about by the biggest economic crisis in a half-century, would be met in some corners with a guilty sense of relief?"
barry, you seem almost happy that we as designers face having very little work, and even less work that pushes for innovative or beautiful architecture as a result...I think that this may end up creating more responsible standards in how we use resources in our buildings, but this is not a good thing, dude
unfortunately this reminds me of what i felt when the car makers were asking for bailout money. feel bad for the thousands of workers who will lose their jobs but simply cannot justify making cars (or, in this case, extravagant houses and fancy condos, pet projects for dictators, national symbols for nouveau riche countries...) that people do not really want and certainly do not need.
superinteresting and nam- I agre with both of your comments. The best we can hope for is that a new era of architectural typologies which address the needs of our emerging demographics and natural resources replaces that of this previous 'delirious' one. I express concern because I fear the unknown, and either way it seems a harder world for an architect to survive in.
Dec 26, 08 4:57 pm ·
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"WHO knew a year ago that we were nearing the end of one of the most delirious eras in modern architectural history? What’s more, who would have predicted that this turnaround, brought about by the biggest economic crisis in a half-century, would be met in some corners with a guilty sense of relief?"
rightly takes Ouroussoff to task for ignoring the flip side of the rampant starchitect prostitution that is finally ending.
barry, you seem almost happy that we as designers face having very little work, and even less work that pushes for innovative or beautiful architecture as a result...I think that this may end up creating more responsible standards in how we use resources in our buildings, but this is not a good thing, dude
Ks,
Why couldn't an architecture that uses resources in our buildings more responsibly be seen as innovative or beautiful?
For some reason, the title of this article has me thinking of the Phish song "46 days"
"...Leigh Fordham sold me out; 46 days and the coal ran out..."
unfortunately this reminds me of what i felt when the car makers were asking for bailout money. feel bad for the thousands of workers who will lose their jobs but simply cannot justify making cars (or, in this case, extravagant houses and fancy condos, pet projects for dictators, national symbols for nouveau riche countries...) that people do not really want and certainly do not need.
superinteresting and nam- I agre with both of your comments. The best we can hope for is that a new era of architectural typologies which address the needs of our emerging demographics and natural resources replaces that of this previous 'delirious' one. I express concern because I fear the unknown, and either way it seems a harder world for an architect to survive in.
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