A short presentation at the Aga Khan University, in London (Bedford Square–across from the AA), as part of this afternoon’s roundtable discussion ‘Re-Considering Dubai’. Dubai is the Rorshach Test of contemporary architecture and urbanism: a place architects love or hate; promote or deny. In an era where strong opininions are rare, Dubai is, momentarily, a […]
Reading OMA
Rotterdam
9 June, 2009
An afternoon with Rem Koolhaas and his collaborators, researching the books of OMA.
—9 March, 2009
’61 Sentences in the form of 1 Long Paragraph
An introduction to the demi monograph ‘Xefirotarch’, just published by HUST Press in Beijing. The book documents the decade-long career of the Los Angeles-based architect (and frequent AA visitor) Hernan Diaz Alonso. The essay connects the surface sensibility of Xefirotarch to the sci-fi and special effects industries that surround the architect in his home town.
Wonder Welcome
AA
5 June, 2009
A 10am welcome in the AA Lecture Hall, at the start of the day-long ‘Wonder Stories’ international symposium at the AA School today, organised by Liam Young (tomorrowsthoughtstoday) and Geoff Managh (bldgblog). A day on the convergence of science fiction, film and architecture. ‘Today, everything is becoming science fiction’–JG Ballard.
—June, 2009
London Aga Khan University
‘Dubai Provocation’ is the working title of my roundtable presentation at the Aga Khan University in June. The talk will ask the question: Why is Dubai the Rorschach Test of contemporary architecture? A place architects can only love or hate–no one is indifferent.