Architecture and Social Responsibilty

In Culture of Congestion, Rem Koolhaas states, “Steeplechase combined in a single attraction the provision of entertainment with a form of emancipation through machinery-the elite experience of horseback riding democratized through technology.” To some extent, Koolhaas is critiquing the role of social responsibly of the architect. Though he alludes to this ideal throughout the writing, it is most obvious when he describes the development of the Brooklyn Bridge and the impact it had on Coney Island. Architects (and engineers) have a responsibility to the community and environment beyond design. It may be difficult to substantiate the effects of architecture on a community. However, we cannot live in a fantasy, as Koolhaas describes. In the 21^st century, architecture must act as a catalyst for positive social change. 

Brooklyn Bridge 1883

Coney Island 1883