ACADEMIC BOOK REVIEW – The Edifice Complex - How the Rich and Powerful Shape the World.
BOOK R EVIEW
A PROSPECTIVE LOOK B ETWEEN ARCHITECTURE AND POWER Nacada 2020, Volume 12 Page 8 nacada@ksu.edu Deyan, S. (2006). The Edifice Complex - How the Rich and Powerful Shape the World. Penguin Group. New York, USA:, 416 pages, First Edition ISBN-10: 1594200688
REVIEWED BY: Bermeo Diego, Johanna Tinillo - dbermeo.arq@uisek.edu.ec, jtinillo.arq@uisek.edu.ec
INTRODUCTION The context of the book comes from the author's thought over 20 years about the identity of spaces and the social and spatial impact have suffered society like (* 1) Cult Objects also by Deyan which is the one that precedes of the text with a bond of repressed emotions. The "complex" due to the psychological state of some projects, such as (*2) Cult Heroes: How To Be Famous For More Than Fifteen Minutes by Andre Deutsch to explain how the powerful people moves the world or because it marks context between so many old buildings monument-type that draws attention to the reflection on its construction, however this does not mean that Sudjic has a conservative mind, that is the reality of his vision, a lot about nowadays. During the book "The Edifice Complex", Deyan it recounts the way in which architecture and power combine to represent a political, economic and social issue, denoting the way in which architects end up pleasing the wishes of their client, who in this case are people with power in all areas spoken. He emphasizes the way of expressing architecture and how he is using it, which is not only seen as an artistic two points, but also as a means of communication, through the use of implicit signs, thus creating propaganda. Generally, Sudjic also leaves a question mark on why important projects are judged by the same groups of architects and are not accepted from the opinion of the general public.The projects featured in the book are executed by architects who reflect his thinking and other interests all revealing the power that is important people have behind architectural design, monuments as Sudjic calls it function until the early 20th century. In common, powerful people still have the same dynamics but in a different way in their typology and execution. Definitely Generation after generation, architects have served the economic power of cities and that users are the ones who assign their function, since they are the ones who experience time and space. However, all the projects of the Edifice Complex are majestic monuments so that throughout history they remain in the minds of citizens. In addition Deyan by his profession as a journalist makes his writing very subtle but seeks to create that readers think like the author, in this way he analyzes the function of architecture and its characteristics. Lastly, reading is very dynamic and engages readers, especially those interested in the controversy between architectural power and political power. so the title of the book is well chosen by the author for its architecture with delusions of greatness Universidad Internacional SEK – 2020-3
BOOK REVIEW Beginning with the title of the book, the "complex" is a psychological state of how buildings become monuments due to the power they have becoming a megalomaniac architecture. In that case Sudjic mentions this term to describe his preface and that this is generally evidenced by the link of repressed emotions if we analyze it with the meaning that it gives the Rae "Mental disorder suffered by the person who believes himself to be very important socially, possessed of enormous wealth and capable of doing great things.". Therefore, it is confirmed that what Sudjic is going to talk about in How the Rich and Powerful Shape the World is relevant. The reflection that Sudjic wants to leave in his mind is how the madness of having power can be fleeting, but the architecture is the one that has been preserved and how the world has made bold statements about the ideologies of the people who once came to power . Sudjic as a journalist compares the events of various events and crises that in the news easily tends to be forgotten and even erased with the passage of time, it is ironic not to use images in his book but with the account that he has that on the different monuments he makes that while you read you imagine the space and it plants you with indelible memories. For Example, Sudjic has the analogy that when a person mentions New York the World Trade Center automatically comes to mind, likewise with the Eiffel Tower in Paris. In addition, the fine arts are the ones that generate power to dominate everyone, whether we realize it or not. It is interesting the statements that Sudjic makes about architecture in specific is the declaration of raw power, because it is a legacy that will last forever and will never be forgotten, even so they demolish the building. It is important to note that the theme for the year it was written is new. In fact Sudjic descriptions of the monumentality of any building encompasses various typologies from pyramids, cathedrals to even major Victorian galleries in Britain, enveloping all of how powerful people shape the world. To illustrate the book Takes you on a journey through time especially on the history between architecture, economic, political and cultural power, according to the theme (it is not chronological) defending each theme with its current positions,looking at a perspective of the past, especially focused on Germany, United States. By creating an analysis of the structure of the book, we can see how it puts political architecture, based on experience and research. Although Sudjic does not take into account the art that was carried out several years ago with some dictatorships, it is denoted that the political representatives were not only well with their position, but you can see the desire they put in the architectural area and that they would have wanted to be a more direct part of it. For example, Hussein created his state Mosque, which was full of luxuries and comforts, which made way for thousands of faithful followers, thus creating the largest mosque in the Islamic world. In addition Sudjic names several leaders or people with high economic class of different styles. By the large, the points covered in the topic with respect to the fact that architects simply work in a submissive way with the power characters in a certain way are criticized because it is questioned that architects lose the power to make their own design for the users who will stay mostly in that place. Generally the architecture transform an object that transmits mainly by the form it takes to create a monument of power and so people see it this way, but is it really necessary to judge this position? Architecture not only responds in a functional way, but also has an impact in its form, so from the way architects form these works, we could not only point out that they create meaningless things, but also highlight the power that is created through the forms used in buildings. Universidad Internacional SEK – 2020-3
Sudjic through the book creates different positions, which can be seen from two points of view, something good and something not so attractive, such as intelligent observations and on the other hand, his point of view shown with superiority can be denoted. Therefore The Edifice Complex by Sudjic turns the book into an interesting prospect. They create connections between architecture and the political and economic power of cities in order to show the greatness and low humility of the architects' clients. Such as, Albert Speer's work for Hitler or the iconic battle of Saddam Hussein. Furthermore the ideals of the building of the World Trade Center or the Rockefeller with its opposition even of socialist vs. capitalist tendencies. In short, many buildings of the book have the objective of deconstructing social realities. One of the negative aspects of the book is that although it is true it has a lot of research, it makes judgments before the architects and the cities that are in the book and this can be subjective for the readers. Another negative perspective is that although it is true in a book it is not essential that it be illustrated by the complexity and concentration that the Edifice Complex requires if it would benefit from adding images of the mummies that Deyan mentions. To conclude, Architecture books have different variations, such as the monograph, illustrations, academic thesis, or theoretical history, this book does not belong to any of them, as it is intelligent, stimulating and thoughtful. CONCLUSION
The first Sudjic chapters are by way of an introduction or a thesis and then selectively submerges the rest, which makes the book and the personality of a journalist from Sudjic arouse the interest of an architect to continue reading, also has produced books on architecture and design that are easy to understand, which are also closely related to the issue of power, not only with the architecture that has been resulted from this, but also talking about the regimes of these corporations. Although he makes a not-so-profound analysis of the psychological aspects of why these powerful people always try to put themselves on an altar, glorifying themselves through architecture, through desires for spectacle, and challenging forms. For example, The author analyzes different cases of small studies, which speak about the Nazi regime, Stalin, Speer, Mussolini, Saddam Hussein, and also about various politicians and known businessmen next to their well-known buildings, such as presidential libraries in the United States, connections with Gehry, the construction of the WTC in NY, in that case, the author could have written the book with fewer examples and illustrate the necessary ones, because as it stands, his emphasis is confused and it seems to be an investigation that somehow forced himself to put certain iconic works, which makes it book is longer than necessary. However, Sudjic assures that in this equation one must have both points of view, that is, the man who is who makes the design (architect) and the accomplice of the political regime that supports him to produce monuments. Reason why it is concluded that the book, despite being simple to understand, must have a clear knowledge of the history of architecture, mainly of the works that have transcended and that have endured through time because the book tends to be slightly encyclopedic. REFERENCES
(*1) SUDJIC’S DEYAN (1985) CULT OBJECTS. PALADIN BOOKS.ISBN 0-586-08483-5. (*2) ANDRE DEUTSCH (1898) CULT HEROES: HOW TO BE FAMOUS FOR MORE THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES. ISBN 0-233-98355-4
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