architect, verb.: The New Language of Building - Softcover

De Graaf, Reinier

Softcover

ISBN 10: 183976192X ISBN 13: 9781839761928

Publisher: Verso Books, 2024

Synopsis

No longer does it suffice to judge a building solely by its appearance; it must be measured and certified. When architects talk about 'Excellence', 'Sustainability', 'Well-being', 'Liveability', 'Placemaking', 'Creativity', 'Beauty' and 'Innovation', what do they actually mean? And what does this jargon tell us about the future of our homes, cities and planet?

'With dry wit, humor, and honesty, sets out to debunk the myths of contemporary architecture.' Jaxson Stone, Metropolis

'feels like a stealth mission - an effort to slip something explosive into the carry-on luggage of the TED Talks class.' Will Wiles, Literary Review

'Reflects on the current state of his field, arguing that constraints on creative autonomy, overcommercialization and a poor understanding of good design have transformed 'spaces of spontaneity into preprogrammed, overdetermined areas.' The New York Times Book Review

'No one else is identifying the problems or suggesting potential exits from them as wittily or as intelligently as he is.' Tim Abrahams, Architectural Record

'Acerbic on an industry that continues to wallow in its self-congratulatory vocabulary while ignoring its role in the climate crisis and the brutalities of late capitalism' - Edwin Heathcote, Financial Times

About this title

About the Author

Reinier de Graaf (1964, Schiedam) is a Dutch architect and writer. He is a partner in the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), where he leads projects in Europe, Russia and the Middle East. Reinier is the co-founder of OMA's think-tank AMO and Sir Arthur Marshall Visiting Professor of Urban Design at the University of Cambridge. He is the author of Four Walls and a Roof: The Complex Nature of a Simple Profession and the novel The Masterplan. He lives in Amsterdam.

From the Back Cover

Leading architect Reinier de Graaf punctures the myths behind the debates on what contemporary architecture is, with wit and devastating honesty. Architecture, it seems, has become too important to leave to architects. No longer does it suffice to judge a building solely by its appearance, it must be measured, and certified. When architects talk about 'Excellence', 'Sustainability', 'Well-being', 'Liveability', 'Placemaking', 'Creativity', 'Beauty' and 'Innovation' what do they actually mean?

In Architect, verb, de Graaf dryly skewers the doublespeak and hot air of an industry in search of an identity in the 21st century. Who determines how to measure a 'green building'? Why is Vancouver more 'liveable' than Vienna? How do developers get away with advertising their buildings as promoting 'well-being'? Why did Silicon Valley become so obsessed with devising 'creative' spaces or developing code that replaces architects? How much revenue can be attributed to the design of public space? Who gets to decide what these measurements should be, and what do they actually mean? And what does it mean for the future of our homes, cities, planet?

He also includes a biting, satirical dictionary of 'profspeak': the corporate language of consultants, developers and planners from 'Active listening' to 'Zoom Readiness'.

Edition details

• Publisher: Verso Books
• Publication date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 183976192X
• ISBN 13: 9781839761928
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272