Eine Plattform für die Wissenschaft: Bauingenieurwesen, Architektur und Urbanistik
Eine Plattform für die Wissenschaft: Bauingenieurwesen, Architektur und Urbanistik
The Role of Consumerism in American Architecture
Consumerism is an important social and economic organizing force. It is a key aspect affecting the production of buildings, and much building production can only be understood by analyzing its relationship to consumerism. Different types of building production have different degrees of relationship to consumerism. A shopping mall may have a strong relationship because its appearance may serve to attract shoppers and add an additional cachet—another value to the experience of acquiring the goods offered inside. On the other hand, corporate tenants in an office building may have a less intense involvement with the appearance of the building in which they are housed. The services they have to offer are separate from the experience of looking at, and being in, their headquarters building. Because consumerism is dependent on stimulating consumption and adding intangible qualities of identity-definition, consumerist buildings are an inherently populist category of architectural production that must communicate with the public.
High art or avant garde architecture by contrast is an internally oriented self-referential art form that does not necessarily have to communicate with or involve the public. High art architecture itself has in many ways become a consumerist commodity itself. Most architectural criticism and analysis have been focused on high art architecture with the result that we lack an understanding of the new suburban landscape, in which consumerist architecture plays an important role. Consumerist architecture has the power to create public gathering spaces that actually attract large numbers of people. These are the reasons why the subject merits greater critical investigation.
The Role of Consumerism in American Architecture
Consumerism is an important social and economic organizing force. It is a key aspect affecting the production of buildings, and much building production can only be understood by analyzing its relationship to consumerism. Different types of building production have different degrees of relationship to consumerism. A shopping mall may have a strong relationship because its appearance may serve to attract shoppers and add an additional cachet—another value to the experience of acquiring the goods offered inside. On the other hand, corporate tenants in an office building may have a less intense involvement with the appearance of the building in which they are housed. The services they have to offer are separate from the experience of looking at, and being in, their headquarters building. Because consumerism is dependent on stimulating consumption and adding intangible qualities of identity-definition, consumerist buildings are an inherently populist category of architectural production that must communicate with the public.
High art or avant garde architecture by contrast is an internally oriented self-referential art form that does not necessarily have to communicate with or involve the public. High art architecture itself has in many ways become a consumerist commodity itself. Most architectural criticism and analysis have been focused on high art architecture with the result that we lack an understanding of the new suburban landscape, in which consumerist architecture plays an important role. Consumerist architecture has the power to create public gathering spaces that actually attract large numbers of people. These are the reasons why the subject merits greater critical investigation.
The Role of Consumerism in American Architecture
Chase, John (Autor:in)
Journal of Architectural Education ; 44 ; 211-224
01.08.1991
14 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
| Online Contents | 1994