ARCH+ Salon | Presentation of the Book Critique of Architecture

The author Douglas Spencer will discuss his latest publication, in which he renews his radical theorization of the relations between capital and architecture, with Harald Trapp, sociologist and architect. Angelika Schnell, professor for architecture theory and history at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, co-editor of Bauwelt Fundamente will introduce both.

Critique of Architecture explicates the theoretical gymnastics through which architecture legitimates its services to neoliberalism, examines the discipline’s production of platforms for happily compliant consumers, and challenges its entrepreneurial self-image. Critique of Architecture also addresses the discourse of autonomy, questioning its capacity to engage effectively with the terms and conditions of capitalism today, analyses the post-political turns of contemporary architecture theory, and reckons with the legacies and limitations of critical theory.

This conversation between Douglas Spencer and Harald Trapp can be seen as a sequel of their talk about “The Architecture of Neoliberalism Disavows Labor” which was first published in German in: ARCH+ 231 The Property Issue (sold out, available as E-Paper here). The English version was published in collaboration with Birkhäuser in the ARCH+ English edition The Property Issue – Politics of Space and Data

Attend the zoom-meeting here (no registration required)
Live stream on Facebook here (no private account required)

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