![]() The problem with Content is that much of what it says, was already present in SMLXL and that, insofar as it tries to broaden its scope, the further it gets away from its core of architecture and urbanism, the shallower it becomes. They reveal fascinating insights into architecture and urbanism. I still find the essays in SMLXL interesting and relevant to this day. On a critical note, some of the texts in Content work a bit like the lyrics of many pop songs: they look good on the page, but don't read them for their "content". If you’re interested in the drawings I’m pretty sure you can find them in the next OMA|Rem Koolhaas issue of El Croquis. By leaving them out OMA|Rem Koolhaas make a clear statement about the direction the architectural monograph is heading into and the audience it aims at. Anyone else only sees a dense pattern of black lines and some unreadable numbers. ![]() Architectural drawings are only of interest to architects. One of the most notable differences is that in Content, with the exception of a two-page layout of the CCTV Tower in Beijing, architectural drawings have been left out altogether. Paintings by Vermeer are paired with stills from Big Brother and there's a lot of cut and paste layering of images. Both are a real treat if you enjoy an eclectic mix of text and images. Says one of the interviewers: "I think you’re a role model for modern women – extremely successful, busy and ever-expanding."Ĭontent and SMLXL have much in common. At that time an inquiry into Stewart's alleged insider trading was already on its way. One of the interviews is with Martha Stewart and I can imagine some heated debate at AMO|OMA as to whether to include it or not. A recent issue of American Vogue, "our thickest issue ever", had 675 or so pages. But with many fashion magazines getting thicker and thicker, Content's 544 pages are actually relatively modest. As a cartoon building says on page 12 "I'm not sure if this is a book or a magazine" to which another cartoon building responds "Actually, I find the tension between the two super-interesting." It features advertisements, short essays by invited authors and a number of interviews, all of which underscore the magazine aesthetic. Whereas SMLXL is a massive book, Content, with its soft cover and cheap paper, aims to be a cross between a book and a magazine. For Content Koolhaas has collaborated with British design team Simon Brown and Jon Link of &. ![]() SMLXL was conceived in collaboration with the Canadian graphic designer Bruce Mau, who was credited on the cover alongside Rem Koolhaas and OMA and who subsequently went on to publish some equally voluminous books of his own. ![]() ![]() In the wake of SMLXL several architects published equally bulky books, - I'm thinking of Farmax by MVRDV and Move by Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos/UN Studio -, but none could even begin to rival the impact of SMLXL when it was first published.* With SMLXL Rem Koolhaas redefined the architectural monograph. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |