Flying Dutchman: Motion in Architecture

Rating:
Summary: getting behind the rhetoric
Review: This book is of most interest in getting behind the rhetoric used by contemporary avant-garde architects in regards to developing an architecture responsive to the physical structure of reality, often propped up by questionable references to philosophers such as Deleuze and Bergson. Jormakka cleverly shows how the interest in movement is hardly something new. History indeed seems to be repeating itself. My only problem with the book is that it doesn't go far enough - Jormakka never questions the questionable "search for truth" which these endeavours are ultimately driven by - indeed, he seems to rather admire the works (such as that of UN Studio) he criticises. The question then arises, is the architecture of interest - even beautiful ! - regardless of the rhetoric behind it, thus putting into doubt theoretical approaches to architecture. It would also have been of interest to take on the question of the sublime - the overpowering feeling of large scale - which also lies behind many of these schemes.