Joan Busquet Erasmus Prize

Joan Busquet is a sort of undercover heroe. He is the prototype of the discrete architect (the opposite of the star architect). His works intend to convert our cities into liveable places that respect history and traditions and are uptodated at the same time.

The brief of the Erasmus Prize describes it very well. The link is the news in the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

The Roaring Nineties in Architecture

In his book The Roaring Nineties professor Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Prize of Economy 2001, compares current situation (in 2003) to the time that drove the world into the Great Depression. Those days produced excesses in the economy and in architecture. It is true that at the same time the best modern architecture was built then (for example the Barcelona Pavilion and the Villa Savoye). In our times some virtual architecture is going to be considered an example of an "era of vulgarity and ambition" (read this article in the New York Times). Arup, the company that has built almost everyone of the frivolous and scandalous building of the recent “starchitecture” considers a rectification is on its way because of the financial crisis:

“One thing that has slightly disappointed me in the broad architectural world of late, and I think the difficult financial situation we all find ourselves in is going to improve this, is that I think some architecture became quite frivolous, it was doing things that were slightly crazy, just because we could.”

Philip Dilley, Chairman Arup

Nevertheless, there are some other critics who do defend the Star System leaning on a sort of architectural version of the "Trickle-down" theory of the neoliberal economy: Spectacle-Architecture supposedly benefits everybody as "it has opened up possibilities for the young and lesser known". Isn't that interesting?

Arquitectura integral

Make it Right (work in progress)

Iglesia Holy Rosary (2004)

St. Jean Viannery Church, Baton Rouge, Lousiana, USA, 1999

A través de Archinet me entero de la obra y el pensamiento de Trey Trahan, joven arquitecto norteamericano asentado en Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Da gusto toparse con un post como este por tres razones. Primero: la obra de Trey es ejemplar por su frescura, su compromiso y por su belleza. En segundo lugar: cuando Trey habla de su trabajo describe el punto de vista de un proyectista contemporáneo ejemplar (su mantra es la búsqueda paciente de la que hablaba Corbu). En tercer lugar la entrevista en sí misma es ejemplar: en ella se focaliza la atención en la arquitectura, la creación y la sociedad. La entrevistadora es Liz Martin, profesora del Southern Polytechnic State University que está en Georgia.

La arquitectura de Trey recoge el testigo de la buena época del despacho de Kevin Roche y John Dinkeloo (cuando hicieron la Ford Foundation de New York) e incorpora un toque sureño que reivindica lo local. La casa Make it Right es el encargo que le hizo Brad Pitt a Trahan a través de su fundación para reunir propuestas para reconstruir New Orleans: este sí que es el Star System con sensibilidad social.

Crisis del "star system"

William Curtis se mantiene como un referente crítico para la arquitectura actual. El historiador inglés (autor de la historia de la arquitectura recomendada en clase) arremete contra la frivolidad de la arquitectura más publicitada en la actualidad, y nos reafirma en la idea de que la arquitectura "tiene objetivos más serios que perseguir, ya que debe servir a la sociedad y a la cultura a largo plazo, contribuyendo de manera positiva tanto a la ciudad como a la naturaleza". Su articulo "La crisis del star system" ha aparecido en el Babelia de ayer y no tiene desperdicio por lo acertado, lo preciso y lo sintético.