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June 28, 2005
Books: The Edifice Complex
Deyan Sudjic's new book looks highly entertaining. An established critic of modern architecture, the Belgian author takes a flaming pitchfork to the motivations and aspirations of contemporary architects. Architecture is a product for the affluent and the powerful -- such a client base by its very nature twists the architect as well as her buildings.
His implicit lesson is: a principled architect is an architect who does loft conversions. The qualities on which a career in the big time depends include venality, opportunism, egomania, self-delusion, a vacuous manifesto, an insatiable appetite for sycophancy and a willingness to treat with tyrants. A gift for plagiarism is also useful.
Book Review: Are architects venal, vacuous and ego-driven?