Practice as Theory
Koolhass derives much of his work from his study of New York that cultivated his fascination with density, diversity and activity. While these conditions are not relevant in all settings, it is valuable to us as students to see the theories he espouses so integral to his work over that past 30 or so years. In the same way that we view Modernist theory to have failed the social needs of architecture, perhaps we can be equally critical of Koolhaas in the coming years. Perhaps a single building should not function as a city, maybe there is a certain critical mass of "Bigness" that is just too large, or we could determine that artificial congestion provides too complex an environment for some humans.
However we ultimately view Koolhaas' work. it is interesting to consider that both his era and the Modernist movement have followed their theory with great experimentation. These buildings may not work in all settings or for all users, something that may become more clear when studying local vs global architectural issues, but however we feel about Koolhaas work, it is rather impressive that he has so consistently produced architectural work that flows from his literature.
However we ultimately view Koolhaas' work. it is interesting to consider that both his era and the Modernist movement have followed their theory with great experimentation. These buildings may not work in all settings or for all users, something that may become more clear when studying local vs global architectural issues, but however we feel about Koolhaas work, it is rather impressive that he has so consistently produced architectural work that flows from his literature.
Stating his position on architectural theory early in his career was a good move on the part of Koolhaas, and I agree that it fostered his experimental designs. I would be interested to understand the evolution of his Practice as Theory - I wonder if his practice continued to evolve his theoretical position on architecture, or if his theory gained increasing solidity through continued practice?
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