Compulsão obsessiva


Image by Andy Ryan.

«An Obsessive Compulsion towards the Spectacular»: Rem Koolhaas levanta algumas questões importantes sobre o declínio do domínio intelectual ocidental no campo da arquitectura, perante a afirmação da China e do Médio Oriente como pesos pesados da economia mundial. As manifestações imprevisíveis de urbanidade nas nações do Oriente estão a promover novas linguagens de arquitectura que irão inevitavelmente contaminar a nossa realidade.
Koolhaas questiona também a ideia de «sustentabilidade» enquanto categoria de conotação política. Uma observação acertada quando se verificam tantos projectos vestindo-se de verde - «a sustentabilidade tornou-se um ornamento», diz ele. As suas asserções sobre o Dubai e a queda da cidade Europeia são, no entanto, mais questionáveis. O que pensar do futuro destas megacidades do Oriente quando o fulgor económico que alimenta o seu espectacular crescimento se extinguir – em especial no Médio Oriente, actualmente sentado no topo da crise energética mundial.
Seja como for, Koolhaas é sempre estimulante e vale a pena ler na íntegra a recente entrevista no Spiegel online.

«An Obsessive Compulsion towards the Spectacular»: Rem Koolhaas raises some disturbing questions about the declining Western intellectual dominance in the realm of architectural ideas, upon the rise of China and Middle East as driving forces of the world’s economy. The unpredictable manifestations of urbanity in Eastern nations are promoting new languages of architecture that will inevitably contaminate our own.
Koolhaas also questions «sustainability» as a politically charged category of architecture. It’s a spot-on remark when you start to see so many projects dressing up in green - «sustainability has become an ornament», he says. His assertions on Dubai and the fall of the European city are, however, debatable. It’s disquieting to think what will happen to these megacities of the East when the economic momentum that’s feeding their spectacular growth slows down – most noticeably in the Middle East, currently sitting on top of the world’s fuel crisis. Koolhaas is always stimulating though and you shouldn’t miss to read the full interview.

      2 comentários:

      1. Anónimo4:53 da tarde, julho 24, 2008

        For those that have read the true definition of sustainability, and reflecting about its content on a global scale, soon realize that the majority of mankind is on a crash course with extinction simply because our way of living is unsustainable.

        Labeling sustainability as a political trend is partly true in the energetic aspect of buildings. So it should be called an energetically efficient or autonomous building, and not 100% sustainable, write? This is kind of obvious. Energy efficiency is a piece of overall puzzle. Many architectural practices today label there creations as sustainable and green as a form of marketing scam, purely opportunistic, and unethical, GREEN SELLS, and in the process makes sustainability approach look like a joke.

        The Star Architects of today are just afraid of the implications of true sustainability because it will castrate artistic egos, forcing them to rethink everything that has been done, making them a just part of architectures history and the evolution of mankind.

        Sustainability is not an empty formula, it is just the beginning of Cultural Revolution that is taking place.

        Cheers

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      2. Anónimo12:59 da manhã, julho 29, 2008

        Curiosa, a afirmação de que não se sente obrigado a validar as suas teorias na sua obra quando na verdade o seu discurso está impregnado de tentativas de validação da sua obra com as suas teorias.

        Como é que alguém que constroi em Beijing e no Dubai se atreve a dar lições de sustentabilidade?

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