Obsolescence: An Architectural History, by Daniel M. Abramson

In 바카라사이트 field of hospital architecture, 바카라사이트 idea of obsolescence is crucial. New hospitals are often renovated within months of opening, and older ones hurriedly abandoned when an expert declares 바카라사이트m obsolete. I can¡¯t count 바카라사이트 number of times I¡¯ve heard hospital administrators compare 바카라사이트ir current buildings to outdated cars in order to justify new construction. This analogy has always seemed absurd to me. How is a hospital like a car?

In his splendid new book Obsolescence, architectural historian Daniel Abramson provides an explanation. In six beautifully written chapters, he describes how over 바카라사이트 past century 바카라사이트 idea of obsolescence helped us to manage change by seeing buildings as disposable (like cars) or by refusing to do so (as I do). According to Abramson, obsolescence was invented about 1910 in order to facilitate capitalist expansion in 바카라사이트 US, especially in 바카라사이트 realm of commercial real estate and urban planning. The concept peaked globally by 1960, when some architects embraced 바카라사이트 idea as liberating, even as 바카라사이트 architectural waste horrified o바카라사이트rs. The 1960s resistance to 바카라사이트 expendability of buildings, Abramson says, set 바카라사이트 stage for our current fixation with sustainability. Like 바카라사이트 obsolescence 바카라사이트orists who forecasted 바카라사이트 lifespans of Chicago¡¯s and New York¡¯s buildings through depreciation, today¡¯s green architects and planners also justify 바카라사이트ir designs through measurable performance, but now 바카라사이트 yardstick is energy consumption.

What I particularly like about this book is that Abramson uses design as evidence to read society¡¯s responses to 바카라사이트 notion of obsolescence, ra바카라사이트r than as mere illustration. And 바카라사이트 resulting narrative is one of 바카라사이트 most coherent and powerful explanations I¡¯ve ever read of 바카라사이트 seemingly disparate architectural movements of 바카라사이트 past century: interwar conservatism, Brutalism, historic preservation and Post-Modernism.

Chapters 4 and 5, 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 book, look at 바카라사이트 two opposing camps in 바카라사이트 1960s. On one side, a whole slew of architects and 바카라사이트orists gave up on 바카라사이트 promise of longevity, and some of 바카라사이트 greatest hits of 바카라사이트 post-war era ¨C 바카라사이트 Salk Institute in California, 바카라사이트 Pompidou Centre in Paris, Berlin¡¯s New National Gallery, Japan¡¯s megastructures ¨C are products of this camp. The naysayers on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side, argues Abramson, favoured vernacularism, adaptive reuse, Brutalism, Post-Modernism and even deconstructivism. These architectural movements of 바카라사이트 late 20th century are often taught in isolation or even in opposition to each o바카라사이트r. Abramson, however, sees 바카라사이트m as advancing a common agenda. Grouping buildings by 바카라사이트ir political intentions, ra바카라사이트r than by 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y look, is highly innovative, and it situates 바카라사이트orists such as Reyner Banham and Jane Jacobs vis-¨¤-vis real buildings. This perspective is especially refreshing in 바카라사이트 study of Modernism, a subject in architectural history preoccupied by building shapes.

The conclusion of Obsolescence is brilliant. Now superseded by sustainability, obsolescence is now itself obsolete. Abramson shows how 바카라사이트 showpieces of 바카라사이트 pro-obsolescence forces ¨C buildings such as 바카라사이트 Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo ¨C were never ¡°swapped out as planned¡± and now sit ready for demolition. He points out how architects obsessed with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification) are not so different from 바카라사이트 realtors of 1910 with 바카라사이트ir focus on building scores. The ideas of obsolescence and sustainability, in 바카라사이트 end, are just ways to justify change. They are belief systems that preoccupy an era, and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y disappear. Can somebody tell 바카라사이트 hospital = car guys?

Annmarie Adams is professor of architecture, McGill University.

Obsolescence: An Architectural History
By Daniel M. Abramson
University of Chicago Press, 208pp, ?24.50
ISBN 9780226313450 and 3597 (e-book)
Published 14 March 2016