i don't think tafuri is dated. he said architecture would have to leave the boudoir to move forward, which it did. he called for the strategy of the author as producer, based on walter benjamin, and i think this is where architecture is or should be moving to. but more on this later.
I was just reacting to using a dead theorist to beat down the work of a living architect—especially one who is young and maybe doing something new and not fully understood, like R&Sie. How unfortunate when you're just realizing your first few works, and they seem promising, to be clubbed over the head with how "self-referential" your project is.
Thinking about Tafuri reminds me of a time when theory really, really mattered to architecture. The result was that all these architects weren't building, they were just discussing theory. Luckily, that's no longer the case. The nice thing about theory now is that you can choose to read it or ignore it. Unlike, say, gravity. Or rain. Or the contractor. Or your client.
now, looking for something else on the web, i just ran into this: http://www.rocioromero.com/ ...more modernist boxes, so i came back to this thread. anybody know about this? i'm intrigued because i ran into the name initially looking at an old [1999] thresholds journal on money and design.
Kazys Varnelis is concerned both with contemporary critical discourse and with practice. In a return to Frederic Jameson’s outline for a postmodernism of resistance, Varnelis activates the space between theory as autonomous and theory as a well to which a practitioner can return to reinforce a position. The work of Rocio Romero here is a case in point. Romero literally invents a site for a non-privileged practice within the digitally circulated images of our prevailing avant-gardes work. Inspired by the operating program Linux as an antidote to corporate influence on the creation of design, Romero introduces a methodology grounded in decentralized production. She explores how the syncretic process can be extended from building components to aesthetic concepts hacked from an avant-garde.
I think that's Varnelis's way of saying that she built her first modernist box as a vacation home for her parents in Chile, and later went on to try to make the boxes more affordable. She ships the components out to you, and they can then be assembled by any reasonably competent contractor (or homeowner.) An inexpensive, prefab modernist home for under $100,000, built by its owner.
Rather than saying that she's emblematic of a postmodernism of resistance, of a syncretic process, of a non-priveleged practice—I'd just say she's trying to make an affordable modernist home.
see, that's the impression i got, but the article is presented as a joint thing:
Kazys Varnelis / Rocio Romero
Postmodern Permutations / Sampling Linux
[i don't have access to the actual article, thresholds only shows me the contents page and introduction by editors]
... i tend to agree with you, but the intriguing thing here is that she wrote or presented something with varnelis and thus seems to be presenting herself as that postmodernism of resistance that you mention, although her website shows a straightforward business [which, well, is understandable to a point. she's not going to sell those babies telling people they are meant as antidotes to corporate influence].
is this wrong, though? does that make her product commodified? [i don't have answers to this but i think it returns us to the start of this discussion]
barry: kazys varnelis has all his essays on the web, but the link to that one doesn't work. however, i'm intimidated because i sent a comment last week and it wasn't published, and i don't know if i just screwed up and clicked at the wrong button or my comment was too dumb to publish. so now i'm too scared to email him. there, i said it. but thanks.
My point above (regarding the Varnelis/Romero connection) was:
Why is it necessary to cloak real intentions behind a veil of jargon? Varnelis's statement about Romero is almost illegible unless you have access to a special kind of language or knowledge. What average human understands what is meant by a "postmodernism of resistance" or a "syncretic process"?
It seems hypocritical to talk about making accessible, non-privileged architecture, but then to talk about it in the most inaccessible, privileged language. That's what has always irked me about a lot of theory (Tafuri, for instance.)
I has a very brutal aproach the structural issues. but if delivery are to be expected, unless we realy are a bunch of chikens, are the fabric ; the instance, structure ; the weapon to victory in an outdated old architecture ; you want something that sparkle.
3Dh do that to, it's what you create and uses your computer for creativity, fun engagement and a mountain of money.
Offcaurse you can generate a structure with a computer, easy fabricated, projected with a standard pc. a standard CAD program ,and a modern production.... But what is that, What this world need, it is to have 200 various skunks and pillows, nuts and bolts, replaced with one only .
One material or rather, one type of material , sheets materials ,at your wish of properties but also choice of.
3dh do just that it work. Then why try make love to the tools and start make some beauty, use the computers different, using them to deliver the exact cut frames for whatever, if you guy's wanted a mountain of money, here are ten.
The End of Boxes
unthinking: thanks! very interesting project.
i don't think tafuri is dated. he said architecture would have to leave the boudoir to move forward, which it did. he called for the strategy of the author as producer, based on walter benjamin, and i think this is where architecture is or should be moving to. but more on this later.
I also think Tafuri still has relevance.
I was just reacting to using a dead theorist to beat down the work of a living architect—especially one who is young and maybe doing something new and not fully understood, like R&Sie. How unfortunate when you're just realizing your first few works, and they seem promising, to be clubbed over the head with how "self-referential" your project is.
Thinking about Tafuri reminds me of a time when theory really, really mattered to architecture. The result was that all these architects weren't building, they were just discussing theory. Luckily, that's no longer the case. The nice thing about theory now is that you can choose to read it or ignore it. Unlike, say, gravity. Or rain. Or the contractor. Or your client.
got it.
now, looking for something else on the web, i just ran into this: http://www.rocioromero.com/ ...more modernist boxes, so i came back to this thread. anybody know about this? i'm intrigued because i ran into the name initially looking at an old [1999] thresholds journal on money and design.
this is from the editors on that thresholds 18:
Kazys Varnelis is concerned both with contemporary critical discourse and with practice. In a return to Frederic Jameson’s outline for a postmodernism of resistance, Varnelis activates the space between theory as autonomous and theory as a well to which a practitioner can return to reinforce a position. The work of Rocio Romero here is a case in point. Romero literally invents a site for a non-privileged practice within the digitally circulated images of our prevailing avant-gardes work. Inspired by the operating program Linux as an antidote to corporate influence on the creation of design, Romero introduces a methodology grounded in decentralized production. She explores how the syncretic process can be extended from building components to aesthetic concepts hacked from an avant-garde.
I think that's Varnelis's way of saying that she built her first modernist box as a vacation home for her parents in Chile, and later went on to try to make the boxes more affordable. She ships the components out to you, and they can then be assembled by any reasonably competent contractor (or homeowner.) An inexpensive, prefab modernist home for under $100,000, built by its owner.
Rather than saying that she's emblematic of a postmodernism of resistance, of a syncretic process, of a non-priveleged practice—I'd just say she's trying to make an affordable modernist home.
The she in the previous entry being Rocio Romero, not Varnelis.
see, that's the impression i got, but the article is presented as a joint thing:
Kazys Varnelis / Rocio Romero
Postmodern Permutations / Sampling Linux
[i don't have access to the actual article, thresholds only shows me the contents page and introduction by editors]
... i tend to agree with you, but the intriguing thing here is that she wrote or presented something with varnelis and thus seems to be presenting herself as that postmodernism of resistance that you mention, although her website shows a straightforward business [which, well, is understandable to a point. she's not going to sell those babies telling people they are meant as antidotes to corporate influence].
is this wrong, though? does that make her product commodified? [i don't have answers to this but i think it returns us to the start of this discussion]
drop kazys an email via his website and ask him for a copy of the article...
I'm glad someone else is also sick and tired of these freakin' boxes.
also, this is pre-fab
for the life of me i cannot figure out this relationship drawn between "pre-fab" and "modern." there is no relationship.
the original box:
Griffin, 1912
Romero has been around making waves in the Prefab market for years now. Large name in the Dwell community.
Take a look at www.livemodern.com for others (like Michelle Kaufmann and Res4Arch)
barry: kazys varnelis has all his essays on the web, but the link to that one doesn't work. however, i'm intimidated because i sent a comment last week and it wasn't published, and i don't know if i just screwed up and clicked at the wrong button or my comment was too dumb to publish. so now i'm too scared to email him. there, i said it. but thanks.
trace,
avoid those like the plague!
I had kazys as a teacher. Don't be afraid of him. He's cool. Just email him.
aml,
My point above (regarding the Varnelis/Romero connection) was:
Why is it necessary to cloak real intentions behind a veil of jargon? Varnelis's statement about Romero is almost illegible unless you have access to a special kind of language or knowledge. What average human understands what is meant by a "postmodernism of resistance" or a "syncretic process"?
It seems hypocritical to talk about making accessible, non-privileged architecture, but then to talk about it in the most inaccessible, privileged language. That's what has always irked me about a lot of theory (Tafuri, for instance.)
I has a very brutal aproach the structural issues. but if delivery are to be expected, unless we realy are a bunch of chikens, are the fabric ; the instance, structure ; the weapon to victory in an outdated old architecture ; you want something that sparkle.
3Dh do that to, it's what you create and uses your computer for creativity, fun engagement and a mountain of money.
Offcaurse you can generate a structure with a computer, easy fabricated, projected with a standard pc. a standard CAD program ,and a modern production.... But what is that, What this world need, it is to have 200 various skunks and pillows, nuts and bolts, replaced with one only .
One material or rather, one type of material , sheets materials ,at your wish of properties but also choice of.
3dh do just that it work. Then why try make love to the tools and start make some beauty, use the computers different, using them to deliver the exact cut frames for whatever, if you guy's wanted a mountain of money, here are ten.
Now I understand the source of depression and creativity.
"Understand" ?
i don't understand.
pizza! pizza!
INAPPROPRIATE!
why? are you hungary bossman? is the tasty pizza too tempting?
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