THE GLOBALISATION OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE

Published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing
First published in 2012
ISBN 9781443839051

Martin Wolf, Chief Economics Commentator, Financial Times

"In this stimulating book, Robert Adam demonstrates how a global economy has brought forth a global architecture, in the form of commercialised modernism and the demand for iconic new buildings. Professor Adam interweaves the demands of the global economy with the development of the global architectural language, while chronicling the continuing resistance to both. The book ends with a question: how far will either the globalisation that occurred before 2007 or the associated dominance of North Atlantic architectural styles survive the crisis?"

Charles Jencks, author of Modern Movements in Architecture and Iconic Building: The power of Enigma

"Robert Adam is that rarity, an architect who can think across the political and social landscape to find unexpected forces that shape the style and meaning of architecture. Taking us on a guided race through the 'isms' and 'starchitects' who have dominated the scene for ten years, he shows that globalisation is nothing new, but is still the strongest force that erodes cultural identity and results in the Janus-Facade of the iconic building. Adam's commentary is, as always, welcome, trenchant, wide-ranging and informed."

Dr. Scott Lash, Professor of Sociology and Director of Centre for Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths College, University of London

"Alongside its historical sweep and sociological understanding, this book offers a critique of the global cult of the star architect and identifies a 'reflexively modernist' architecture. Adam identifies an architecture for the post-2008 economic condition that is no longer self-obsessed but creates space through an intensive communication with the on-the-ground social and natural world."

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Price £44.99 - $67.99
Hardback
360pp

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