Lights On Please
Rem Koolhaas discusses Metropolis as ironic scenarios where functionality and program disagree; a fantasy fabricated by man, powered by machine, and untouched by corrosion. However, in the examples he chose to use, Metropolis is not purposefully going against the nature of the world, but instead evolving with the technology of the times.
Coney Island transformed from a small beach to an amusement park packed with people. Restaurants replaced livestock, entertainment shifted from natural to man-made, and electricity offered an entirely new experience. While some could argue that the simplistic nature that made Coney Island special was overrun by technology, I say that thanks to technology, a new experience was created that is still loved today. Technology turned a simple beach into a destination appreciated by many. The argument dealing with Metropolis being a fantasy poses the question: Why wouldn't you want your vacation to feel like a fantasy away from the monotony of daily life?
Coney Island Postcard
Lights On Surf Avenue
I agree with the perception of the change/transformation as an act of evolution, not as an artificial replacement. The replacement is a natural part of evolution, caves were replaced by wooden/masonry houses and nobody really complains) I somehow believe that Koolhaas was intrigued by New York as a representation of it. With all its imperfections and absurdities maybe it is the next step in evolution.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I read this I thought about a saying I heard all the time when I was in Charleston, "Paradise found is paradise lost". Basically the people there feel that a surge in density has damaged the very things that were special about the place. I tend to sympathize with this perspective but also think the reality of any place occupied by any number of people is change, great post!
ReplyDeleteThe idea that evolution of technologies and density has brought fabricated experiences and a man-made reality is perhaps why people are resistant to it. People don't want their reality to become lost or covered up by a new one. However, Ksenia's comment about replacement being a natural part of progress brings a new, perhaps more positive perspective. After all, I would say it is true that nobody wants to go back to living in caves.
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