INSTA-nt Gratification: Architecture for the Google Age

“Irrational exuberance” seems to me an apt introduction to an understanding of Rem Koolhaas in the ’90s and beyond; it foregrounds his great success in navigating the intersection of the pragmatic corporate sector, on the one hand, and the “delirious” and volatile realm of DESIRE and POSSIBILITY, on the other.”

“He uses his timely positioning of “bigness,”shopping, and “the ¥ € $ regime” in order to promise “a realignment with neutrality” and to liberate architects from the socially conscious obligations of the past.”

Google was launched in 1998, Facebook in 2004 and Instagram in 2010. Embedded within each of these wildly popular socials is capitalistic propaganda and the ability to indulge in areas surrounding your personality. What is it like to travel there? How would this look in my house? What is that person doing these days? Does he really love me?

My thought is, are we giving Koolhaas enough credit for his investigation into the intersection of the ‘pragmatic corporate sector’ and the ‘volatile realm of desire and possibility?’ While I do not necessarily agree that architects should morally design in order to support an INSTA-nt gratification generation, I do believe that his analysis is incredibly significant. However complex and multi layered the conversation, one cannot deny the existence and overall control of a modern day world by humans who are able to reach into their pockets to find exactly what they are looking for. (This is an exaggeration, but essentially one is able to find quite literally anything on the internet + on socials.)

We know that the rise of this cross-generational condition began around the time of urbanization and the notion of congestion. Instead of taking a taxi to Coney Island in order to take a ride in a ‘barrel of love,’ it is possible to swipe right and agree on a meeting time. This progression occurred in a 50 year timeframe, with the invention of the internet alone occuring in the last two decades.

What is the role of a building or of physical space for humans who will (seemingly) inevitably pursue INSTA-nt gratification? Will humans physically engage with space, or will we resort to virtual reality contact lenses for our next ‘move?’

(Obviously architects must combat this. But how, and will people successfully assimilate?)