Grace Quirogastudiedarchitectureatthe - 1970’S”

378 | Quiroga | Pants on Fire? vince ofSichuanforathousandfamilies of ahousingprojectintheChinesepro architectural projectsincludethedesign University ofTechnology. Herongoing University ofMichiganandattheVienna Grace Quirogastudiedarchitectureatthe - 1970’s”. the architecturecultureofAAin dissertation titled“RemKoolhaas and addition, sheisworkingonadoctoral displaced bytheearthquakeof2008.In Grace Quiroga Grace TU Wien PROJECTIVE AND CRITICAL PRACTICE | 379 - - - - , - Online Deliri the eve Guardian was http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/feb/10/ In the Ashes of Rem Koolhaas’s TVCC, a Chance for Revision? In the Ashes of Rem Koolhaas’s , this must have had its paranoid justification, since it , this must have had its paranoid justification,

, Steve: “Will the Beijing blaze come back to haunt European architects?” Beijing’s $40 billion Olympic modernization campaign encompassed Herzog campaign encompassed Herzog Beijing’s $40 billion Olympic modernization

1 Western commentators have speculated that the destruction of the TVCC commentators have speculated Western Rose Cf. Pasternack, Alex: Alex: Cf. Pasternack, http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/03/rem-koolhaas-tvcc-fire-and-the-future-of-cities. at php?dcitc=TH_sbr_design. 1 2009. Online at Tuesday 10 February beijing-fire-architect-cctv. Parts of the Forbidden City—Meridian Gate, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and Gate, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, City—Meridian of the Forbidden Parts tra Qianlong Garden—were also renovated, although in this process much of the projects were erected in different parts of the city, such as Paul Andreu’s National such as Paul of the city, projects were erected in different parts Trade Cen SOM’s World Hybrid complex, Steven Holl’s Linked Grand Theater, along with new subway lines and new roads. airport terminal, ter and Foster’s & de Meuron’s Olympic Stadium, PTW’s National Swimming Center, Schuermann & de Meuron’s Olympic Stadium, PTW’s Swimming Center, National the same time, many other major and so on. At Architects’ Laoshan Velodrome tower might be seen by the Chinese as a bad omen that could put an end to the tower might be seen by the Chinese as architects to design major monuments in the capital star habit of inviting Western city. Beijing residents; later it was reported that the rockets had been fired by an ille that the rockets Beijing residents; later it was reported gal crew hired by the CCTV itself. headquarters of the Chinese State Broadcasting company. According to the CCTV According company. headquarters of the Chinese State Broadcasting set off by was ignited by illegal firecrackers news, the fire that demanded one life ous New York that marks the end of the Chinese New Xiao or ‘Lantern’ festival ning of the Yuan that also includes the part of the CCTV complex celebrations. The tower was Year On February 9, the TVCC building in Beijing, designed by Rem Koolhaas and Ole designed by Rem Koolhaas 9, the TVCC building in Beijing, On February the author of Scheeren of OMA, lantern. For a giant went up in flames like PANTS ON FIRE? 380 | Quiroga | Pants on Fire? mercial orresidentialdevelopments. ditional courtyardhousestreets,orhutongs,werereplacedbylarge-scale com haas’ ideas,theinspirationmayhave comefromLeCorbusier. After visitingtheSoviet Unionin S,M,L,XL. 4 in;%20charset=iso-8859-1. printable&P=15641874&B=------%3D_NextPart_000_0005_01C713FF.4F8DA6A0&T=text%2Fpla Online athttps://listserv.miami.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A3=ind0611&L=TRADARCH&E=quoted- 3 Journal ofCommunication2 Shannon: “BroadcastingSpace:ChinaCentralTelevision’s NewHeadquarters.” Beijing, humanrightsgroupssuggestthatthenumbermaybeashigh as1.5million.SeeMattern, 2 “Bigness.” it actuallyresonateswellwithKoolhaas’ ownrhetoric,especiallyintheessay tructure inBeijing’semerging CentralBusinessDistrict.” from thebrilliantflashmadebyKoolhaas-Scheeren’s 768-foot-high,uh, megas equivalent ofthebomb.Aswithatomicversion,it’shardtoavertyoureyes remembered astheoneswhogaveChina’sstateTVmonopolyarchitectural try’s frenziedconstructionboom.ButKoolhaas andpartnerOleScheerenmaybe nent, andnotsoprominent,designershaveprovidedtheblueprintsforcoun guilty ofaidingandabettingChina’sauthoritarianregime.Alonglistpromi Rem Koolhaas’ OfficeofMetropolitanArchitectureisn’ttheonlyWestern firm the street creed.”Manyothercriticsfollowedsuit.IngaSaffron,architecturecriticfor the 1970sbuildingatelevisionstationforPinochetwithoutlosinggreatdealof billion peoplewhattothink.…It’shardimagineacoolEuropeanarchitectin is thevoiceofparty, thecentreofstatepropaganda,organ whichtellsa was criticalofthestateTVprojectfrombeginning,pointingoutthat“CCTV The architecturecriticofthe coming toahalt– evenwithouttheimpactofTVCCfire. present downturninglobaleconomy, alsotheChinesebuildingboomseemstobe supply thatshouldnotbeexhausted foratleastthenext fourteenyears.Withthe government projects.To date,100millionsquarefeetofofficespacearevacant,a more thanalltheofficespaceinManhattan,andthisnumberdoesnotinclude square feetofcommercialrealestatehavebeendevelopedinthecitysince2006, Koolhaas, Saffron, Inga:“ChangingSkyline| For China,ahuge,icylandmark.” While theChinesegovernmentestimatesthat15,000residentshave beenrelocatedthroughout Admittedly, thebombmetaphorsoundsabitextreme butontheother hand Bomb Philadelphia Inquirer, Köln,BenediktTaschen Verlag, 1997,pp.495 4 The Rem: “BignessortheProblem ofLarge.” In: SMLXL declaresthatthe“programmaticalchemy”ofBignessre (2008), pp.869–908. sawintheCCTVagiantmushroomcloud:“Obviously, Guardian 2 According tosomeestimates,500million andafriendofKoolhaas’, IanBuruma – 516�� Rem Koolhaas andBruceMau(Ed.): . �� As isthecasewithmanyofKool 3

Philadelphia Inquirer International ------. PROJECTIVE AND CRITICAL PRACTICE | 381

- 5 - - - - Das , Nov. 16, , Nov. Jormakka, Kari:

. New York: The . New York: . München: Carl Hanser

New York Times New York 8 “Bolshoi... or the Notion of Big The Radiant City . Tampere: Tampere University of Tech Tampere . Tampere: Le Corbusier: “Schöpferisches Städtebau.” Datutop 11 Ole Scheeren goes on to elaborate that “if it Ole Scheeren goes on to elaborate that 7 Kunst und Konterrevolution Kunst . of 1934. Le Corbusier: This reference accentuates the aggressive rhetoric about the aggressive rhetoric about This reference accentuates ” These ideas were expressed by many others at around this time, ” These ideas were expressed 6 . The Radiant City , 9/1928; the quotation from Hitler from his speech in 1937, see Hinz, Berthold: , 9/1928; the quotation from Hitler from his speech Void Pogrebin, Robin: “Embracing Koolhaas’s Friendly Skyscraper.” Friendly Skyscraper.” Robin: “Embracing Koolhaas’s Pogrebin, Ibid. Koolhaas, see note 4, p. 511. Koolhaas, are comparable, as both Even the design strategies of the CCTV building and the Pentagon 2006. Online at http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0DE1D8173EF935A25752C1A9 609C8B63 8 6 apply a strong, iconic form collected around a void. 7 Neue Frankfurt Die Malerei im deutschen Faschismus 1974, p. 180. Verlag, 5 as the technical possibilities today allow and yet build for eternity.” As quoted in As quoted yet build for eternity.” as the technical possibilities today allow and “Functionalism, Zeitgeist, Authoritarianism.” 1987, p. 41. The former quote comes from nology. consider the consequences the poten conservatism were eager to exploit including the Nazis, who despite their ideological our buildings as big that “we must make Hitler demanded tial of new technologies. In 1937, Adolf Orion Press, 1964, pp. 182–184. Even earlier, in 1927, he explained that “in every epoch, urban in 1927, he explained Orion Press, 1964, pp. 182–184. Even earlier, available and in fact has become the expression design has made use of all technological devices with 60 stories. That is the new fact. Let us we can build houses And today? Today of technology. the early thirties, the functionalist master wrote an essay titled �� the early thirties, the functionalist master wrote ness,” included in circuit of life inside, it’s a huge social catalyst,” he said. circuit of life inside, it’s a huge social is what Koolhaas thinks, explaining that “amidst all the skyscrapers there, it’s thinks, explaining is what Koolhaas It will feel accessible.” relatively low. be frightening. “But since it’s actually a was a pure gesture,” the structure might Despite its immense size, the CCTV building is not overwhelming. At least this is not overwhelming. At Despite its immense size, the CCTV building the largest building in the world. This distinction belongs to the huge flower auc building in the world. This distinction the largest country. home in Koolhaas’ tion warehouse in Aalsmeer Koolhaas and Scheren like to claim that the only building in the world that is still that the only building in the world that to claim and Scheren like Koolhaas bigger is the Pentagon. not D. C. is U.S. military headquarters in Washington, but in truth the the CCTV, world: “Like plutonium rods that, more or less immersed, dampen or promote dampen or promote or less immersed, rods that, more plutonium world: “Like coexistence.” intensities of programmatic the regulates Bigness reaction, nuclear of Bigness as yet. best realized example the CCTV building is OMA’s Certainly, creates freedom, provides serenity and excites perpetual intensity; enthusiasti perpetual and excites provides serenity creates freedom, social reaction in the will start a nuclear that big buildings he even promises cally, invents the collective, reclaims maximum possibility, engineers the unpredictable, engineers the unpredictable, maximum possibility, collective, reclaims invents the 382 | Quiroga | Pants on Fire? ism. able adaptation,andwhathasnot thatfor(actual)usefulness.”Legge,James: space (within),thatitsusedepends. Therefore,whathasa(positive)existence servesforprofit The doorandwindowsarecutout (fromthewalls)toformanapartment;butitisonempty pends. Clayisfashionedintovessels; butitisontheiremptyhollowness,thatusedepends. unite intheonenave;butitison emptyspace(fortheaxle),thatuseofwheelde 10 9 which shouldbebuilt,butthatareasleft asvoidsintheurban Senart competitionin1989.The“strategyofthevoid”involves definingnotthat This notionwasdevelopedintoadesignmethodforOMA’s entrytothe architecture, nothing(else)ispossible”—definitelyrecalls Easternmeditation. the famousquip,“Wherethereisnothing,everythingpossible. Wherethereis theory. Eventhetitleofhisessay “ImaginingNothingness”—whichbeginswith the late1980s,althoughtingedwithbothZenBuddhismandovertonesofchaos ji thereby getsusability.” usability /Therefore:thebeing—ittherebytakes advantage,nothingness—it out doorsandwindowsthusformalivingspace:justthisnon-beingistheroom’s Mould clay, thusformavessel:justthisnon-beingisthevessel’susability/Chisel “thirty spokes jointogetherinonehub–justthisnon-being:thewheel’susability/ tion. Tao Te Ching famouslymusesover popular amongarchitectsatleastsincethe1960s,i.e.Koolhaas’ genera activities intothebuilding.” building leavesopenthespaceitencapsulates.Itactivatesground.draws engages space,”Scheerenmaintains.“Mostskyscrapersexhaust space.This ing thatmatters,butratherthevoiditcircumscribes.“Hardlyanybuildingreally ) oranaturalchaos(

Lao-Tzu: Ibid. Some ofthecentralconceptsTaoism, suchasthoseofaformlessvoid( The emphasisonthevoidresoundswithTaoist metaphysicsthathasbeen To putitinmorepreciseterms,isnotjusttheimmensemassofbuild Vol. 1.NewYork: Dover, 1962,§11. Tao Te Ching , §11.AnalternativeLegge:“Thethirtyspokes translationbyJames 10 hundun 9 (fig.1) ), seemtocomeupagaininKoolhaas’ theoriesin “creative nothingness pornography. NeWhitney vs.Japanese Fig. 2.Diagramof Opposite page: 2008. CCTV, Beijing,July30, Fig. 1.Guardsbeforethe ”, arguing that The Texs ofTao Melun-

wu - - - - - PROJECTIVE AND CRITICAL PRACTICE | 383 - - , - - - that - S, M, L, XL Content , subtlety, and flexi , subtlety, Is it just an ac 13 It should be mentioned 14 context”, until “a kind of liquefac context”, p. 102. fucks , p. 228. S, M, L, XL, S, M, L, XL

12 In Koolhaas’ project, the voids eventually trace a figure that he describes project, the voids eventually trace In Koolhaas’ 11 Recently, though, Koolhaas denied making any sexual suggestions, despite the denied making any sexual though, Koolhaas Recently, Elsewhere, Koolhaas explains that the first commandment of Japanese cen explains Elsewhere, Koolhaas Still, the origin of the strategy may just as well be Japanese. Koolhaas il Koolhaas strategy may just as well be Japanese. Still, the origin of the Koolhaas: “Surrender, Ville Nouvelle Melun-Sènart France competition 1987.” In: “Surrender, Koolhaas: “Learning Japanese.” In: Koolhaas: see note 4, pp. 511–512. Koolhaas, In 1993 Koolhaas wrote a text stating that the Berlin Wall was for him the “first demonstration was for him the “first demonstration stating that the Berlin Wall wrote a text Koolhaas In 1993

pp. 977, 981. 13 14 images, Koolhaas jumps from the void to the substitute. Koolhaas: “Field trip (A)A Memoir, The “Field trip (A)A Memoir, jumps from the void to the substitute. Koolhaas: images, Koolhaas as Architecture.” In: Berlin Wall 12 11 of the capacity of the void—of nothingness—to ‘function’ with more efficiency in his discussion on pornographic bility than any object you could imagine in its place.” Here, like one. In June, 2009, retired architecture professor Xiao Mo accusing the architects one. In June, 2009, retired architecture pointing to illustrations in of the CCTV building of “genital worship,” fact the he liberally sprinkled all of his writings with sexual imagery since day writings with sexual fact the he liberally sprinkled all of his tion” follows and “elements react with each other to create new events” that con tion” follows and “elements react with other disciplines.” nect “with a web of umbilical cords to “Bigness.” one page of the essay, that all these obsessive tropes come from that “breaks with ethics” so that it can “sustain a promiscuous proliferation of that “breaks with ethics” so that it can plutonium rods that And “like its “rigidity.” events in a single container” through [are] more or less immersed;” “Bigness pornographic origin of the strategy of the void also suggests an explanation why the void also suggests an explanation pornographic origin of the strategy of size or Bigness, which he describes as something is so obsessed with Koolhaas sorship is that pubic hair may not be shown. This generates intellectual issue: … sorship is that pubic hair may not be shown. through elimination of responsible parts.” impact sexual larger buildings? The the shapes of Koolhaas’ cident that this figure looks so much like lustrates the essay on the void with a Japanese pornographic image, where the on the void with a Japanese pornographic lustrates the essay (fig. 2). have been covered by a black figure man’s private parts as “almost Chinese”. fabric. 384 | Quiroga | Pants on Fire? 18 17 16 php#xiaomo and Hindquarters CCTV headquartersbuilding.”XiaoMo: answer: itturnsoutthattheproblemisbecauseofstructuralsimilarity oftheassand went, orwhythetwoverticalswereinclinedoutwardata6-degree angle,butnowIhavethe 15 anywhere else.” said, a“diagram”of“collectiveinhabitation,”designthat “youwouldneverdo form embodiedtheChinesetraditionofcollectivism”.The CCTVtowerwas,he “was notanintellectualoraestheticexperiment …but,rather, abuildingwhose University inAugust 2003,Koolhaas assuredtheaudience thattheCCTVdesign as imaginedbyRussian Constructivistsinthe1920s.At asymposiumatTsinghua They areultimatelyvariationsofthesamenotion,that“socialcondenser”, The CCTVbuildingisamarriageoftwoKoolhaasian themes,‘void’and ‘bigness’. works (fig.3). important istoexamine whetherthereisbeyondtherhetoricaprinciplethat of achangingworldorder”andthattherenootherhiddenmessages. response, Koolhaas insistedthatthebuildingis“thepositiveandshiningsymbol “the worshipofprocreationisawidespreadcustominprimitivesocieties.” Youth Daily)tookamorerelaxed approachtothecontroversy, pointing outthat ating theChinese. writer, HeQing,declared:“DoubtingthenewCCTV, killthedesigner”forhumili “I cannotthinkofanyreasonnottoblowitup;”wasXiao’sconclusion.Another juxtapose thehindquartersofanaked womanwiththeheadquartersbuilding.

http://www.danwei.org/architecture/rem_koolhaas_and_cctv_porn.php See alsohttp://bjtoday.ynet.com/article.jsp?oid=6355280 Zalewski http://china.globaltimes.cn/society/2009-08/461190.html http://www.examda.com/life/Other/20091009/103057225.html outwhytheoverhanggrewhigherfurtherit Xiao writes:“Iwasneverabletofigure Brain , Daniel:“IntelligentDesign:CanRem Koolhaas killtheskyscrap 18 , Onlineathttp://www.danwei.org/architecture/rem_koolhaas_and_cctv_porn. ByvirtueofbringingtogethertenthousandCCTVemployees in

The CommunistParty organ ZhongguoQingnianbao(China The StructuralSimilarityoftheCCTVHeadquarters - 17 Butmore 16 In 15 -

PROJECTIVE AND CRITICAL PRACTICE | 385 - . - - - - June 22, http://www.zeit. Over the years, 22 http://www.ft.com/cms/ The New York Times, The New York To put it in a nutshell, “the put it in a nutshell, “the To 19 Online at . , Nov. 9, 2006. Online at http://images. , Nov. (fig. 4) 20 Time , Nov. 19, 2007 , Nov. , he boasts that the project will be a “catalyst , he boasts that the , Aug. 5, 2008. Online at http://www.latimes.com/entertain , Aug. At the outset of the project, Koolhaas suggested that Koolhaas the outset of the project, At 21 Content . Consult also Hawthorne, Christopher, “Ethics’ place in China’s . Consult also Hawthorne, Christopher, Financial Times March 14, 2005. Online at http://www.newyorker.com/ Los Angeles Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/arts/design/22pogr.html?_r=1&oref=slogin The New Yorker, This last statement is not to suggest that the building would function as a con This last statement is not to suggest that Dickie, Mure: “Towering change for China: The new HQ of a Beijing TV station is proving change for China: The new HQ of Dickie, Mure: “Towering My client’s the autocrat.” Robin: “I’m the designer. Pogrebin, Dodd, Philip: “Interview with Ole Scheeren.” BBC Radio 3, Night Waves, March 26, 2008. On March BBCDodd, Philip: “Interview with Ole Scheeren.” Radio 3, Night Waves, See also “Die Freiheit ist größer denn je.” Die Zeit, 05.06.2008 Nr. 24. Online at See also “Die Freiheit ist größer denn je.” Die Zeit, 05.06.2008 Nr. Walters, H.: “OMA’s race to construct in China.” race to construct H.: “OMA’s Walters,

�� de/2008/24/Koolhaas-Interview building boom.” ment/news/arts/la-et-ethics5-2008aug05,0,7583948.story 22 2008. Online at businessweek.com/ss/06/11/1109_cctv/index_01.htm 21 somewhat controversial.” s/0/7a8db09e-970b-11dc-b2da-0000779fd2ac.html 19 line at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/nightwaves/pip/8fz0j/ 20 er?” In: archive/2005/03/14/050314fa_fact_zalewski well have changed and the country could be freer than Britain. well have changed and the country could repeated this suggestion, claiming that OMA “re and Scheeren have Koolhaas something like accountability . . . that is entirely new to CCTV—or perhaps to any accountability something like TV station,” says Scheeren. China’s censorship of the airwaves might by the time his tower was completed, trol device. On the contrary, “the building introduces accessibility and maybe even “the building introduces accessibility trol device. On the contrary, structure that would ultimately affect the way that people inhabit the structure, structure that would ultimately affect differently.” [so] that people work in the structure brains will know what the hands are doing”. for urban and social change” because it “eschews the atomized organization of organization change” because it “eschews the atomized for urban and social the building as a “three- Scheeren described More generally, media production”. inscribe a particular organizational dimensional physical construct that would dependence that promotes solidarity rather than isolation, collaboration instead solidarity rather than isolation, dependence that promotes book of opposition”. In the façade. create a “chain of inter space” the building is promised to a “shared conceptual Right: detail of Fig. 4. CCTV, Opposite page: vs. Fig. 3. Hindquarters headquarters. 386 | Quiroga | Pants on Fire? in becomingmoreliberalandindependentwasseekingabuildingthatwould ceived manyindications,includingexplicit statements,thatCCTVwasinterested the criticalityexperiments atLosAlamos. researchers,HarryDaghlianand LouisSlotin,diedduring would sustainachainreaction.Two 26 feedmecoolshit.com/interviews-archive/ole-scheeren/ 25 note 3,p.880. “Modernism minusutopia.” has letitselfbeusedforspectacleandpropaganda.”Theoriginalsource isHeathcote,Edwin: demonstrate itsmodernityandemerging economicandculturalpower. Radicalarchitecture its ownstructure.ThisisarchitectureasstagesetfortheOlympics, foraregimedeterminedto design cultureobsessedwiththegestureandicon,cleverness andcomplexity of where else.Beijingisbecomingarealizationofthemostsuperficial aspectsofacontemporary urban. Thesimple,singleimageiseverything.Anyofthesebuildings couldhavebeenbuiltany modernism minusutopia,andwithnocontext—physical, topographical,political,theoretical,or “In Beijing,theworld’sgreatestarchitectshavevirtuallygivenupon theideaofcity. Thisis fpc.org.uk/articles/243 24 msg00500.html 7, 2007.Onlineathttp://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Soc/soc.culture.romanian/2007−11/ 23 of realBigness. destruction. Andlastweek,theofficialsblocked YouTube inChina,onceagain. sersby forstartingthefire.Onlylaterdidittake partoftheresponsibilityfor posting videosandphotosofthefireonInternetaccusedunnamedpas support Koolhaas’ optimism.TheCCTVtriedtoblockthenetcommunityfrom Of course,theactionsofCCTVduringfireitsneighbordonotreally the criticalityexperiments thatwerepartoftheManhattanProject. “tickling thetailofasleepingdragon,”toquoteRichardFeynman’s description of the designerstake thecriticalityinherenttoprojectivepracticeitsverylimits, breaking thetraditionalhierarchofverticalline. hierarchical principle,withnobeginningandend,topbottom,”thereby cording toScheeren,freedomwillbegeneratedbytheloopthat“actsasanon- building thereisautopiannostalgiathatthefoundationofarchitecture.” facilitate thesechanges.”

Not everyoneagrees.MatternquotesEdwinHeathcote’sviewofnew architectureinChina: The goaloftheseexperiments wastodeterminethecriticalmassofnuclearmaterial that Ibid., p.882.The sourceisALian[sic]:“InterviewwithOleScheeren.”Onlineat http://www. Leonard, Mark: “Profile ofRemKoolhaas.” Fong, Mei:towermirrorsBeijing’s “CCTV risingambitions.” Apparently, theCCTVisnotbigenoughtogenerateemancipatoryeffects Horse Financial Times 23 Inaninterview, Koolhaas stressed:“IntheCCTV , De.29,2007,p.17.HerequotedfromMattern,see Financial Times 25 Wall StreetJournal, WiththeCCTVbuilding, , March6,2004.Onlineat 26

November 24 http:// Ac - - - PROJECTIVE AND CRITICAL PRACTICE | 387 ------, Herzog , Herzog New York Times, New York New York Times New York , to be performed once on August 8, , to be performed once on August 31/2008 (28.07.2008). Online at http://www. Turandot Der Spiegel

28 , Jacques Herzog was very clear on where he stands on the 27 used to be banned in China because the government felt the original Spiegel Possibly to the disappointment of the architects, the CITIC group that opera to the disappointment of the architects, the CITIC group that Possibly To Nicolai Ouroussoff, the architecture critic of the Nicolai Ouroussoff, the To However, given that theHowever, new architecture has not been able to release We Turandot “Nur ein Idiot hätte nein gesagt.” of Beijing, a Look at the New China.” Ouroussoff, Nicolai: “In Changing Face

spiegel.de/spiegel/0,1518,568274-2,00.html 28 July 13, 2008. Online at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/arts/design/13build.html 27 ly, ly, libretto – with its blood-thirsty ice princess, Turandot, who has unsuccessful sui tors beheaded – depicted the country in negative terms. In the officially approved nue in a country with more than a billion people. The only confirmed event at the nue in a country with more than a billion stadium this year is Puccini’s opera Incidental Olympics’ opening ceremony. 2009 to mark the first anniversary of the tenance of the 250,000-square-meter National Stadium costs 60 million yuan or tenance of the 250,000-square-meter National users for the ve it has proven difficult to find interested 8.5 million dollars a year, tes the stadium announced on January 31, 2009 that the Bird’s Nest will be turned tes the stadium announced on January in three to five years. While the main into a shopping and entertainment complex build a fence around it, Herzog responded: “The building is made to be open … It build a fence around it, Herzog it down if they put up a fence, they can take is a work of public sculpture … Even again one day in the future”. explained that after the Olympics, the building was to be transformed into an that after explained the critic’s comment that the government was going to open public forum. To that be can, subversive quite deliberately, or—at least—not easy to control or keep track of.” try like China these kinds of urban spaces acquire a different, almost political meaning.” He elaborates: “our vision was to create a public space, a space for the public, where social life is possible, where something can happen, something result, we made everyday meeting places possible in locations that are not easily monitored, places with all kinds of niches and smaller segments. … in a coun the Bird’s Nest as an act of political seeresistance: the stadium “We as a type of Trojanfulfilled horse. the We spatial program we were given, but interpreted it in such a way that it can be used in different ways along it perimeters. As a with the issue: “Only an idiot—and not a person who thinks in moral terms would have turned down this opportunity—would have said no.” Herzog went on to describe stern-style political freedom, as least not just yet, the question arises whether foreign star architects should have accepted these commissions. In an interview 388 | Quiroga | Pants on Fire? tent 31 faculty/koolhaas/projects2002.html#cctv 30 29 nist Party andpeoplewithcompletefaith.”HewasfollowedbyXuGuangchun,the Huayong, walked tothepodium andstated:“CCTVwillkeep servingourCommu ny, duringwhichthedesignwas neverdiscussed,thepresidentofCCTV, Zhao symbols.” of whattosymbolize,stillthere’sastrongexpectation ofarchitectsascreators … WhatIenvyinChinais,whileneithertheclientnorsociety hasanyclearidea on. Headds:“Intoday’sChina,thedemandisforsize,expressions ofimmensity tion betweencommunismandmasssymbols”mightexplain thisfigurativefixati Airport is saidtoreferadragon.Toyo Itosuggests that the “underlyingconnec tional GrandTheateriscalled“TheDuckEgg”andtheTerminal 3oftheBeijing facades oftheDigitalBeijingbuildingresemblecomputermotherboards,Na Range Hallhasbeendesignedtoevoke theshapeofapistolorhunting bow, the of theLaoShanVelodrome callstomindabicyclewheel,theBeijingShooting nest, theNationalSwimmingCenterhasbeendubbeda“Water Cube”,theceiling in termsofmeaning.TheNationalStadiumisinternationallyknownasabird it hasnosinglemeaning. CCTV building.Eventhoughhedescribesthebuildingasiconic,stressesthat ferent endings.ThiskindofopennessisalsowhatKoolhaas aspirestowiththe For sure,Puccini’sunfinishedoperaallowsfordifferentreadingsandevendif Hao Weiya, conflictsareresolvedand“lovelightsuptheworld.” Chinese version,withanew18-minuteendingcomposedby“China’sChampion,”

Ota, Kayoko (2004):“Toyo Ito: BigTimeDilemmas”InAMOMA&Koolhaas, R.(2004). “This iconicnewadditiontotheBeijing skyline,”Onlineathttp://www.gsd.harvard.edu/people/ “Hao Weiya:“ Online athttp://english.cri.cn/4406/2008/03/06/[email protected] This certainlyappliestotheOMAbuilding.At thegroundbreakingceremo By contrast,manyoftherecentmonumentsinBeijingseemtohavebeenfixed Icon . NewYork: Taschen, pp.448 31

– 449. Fig. 5.CCTV, mediascreen. 29

Con ------PROJECTIVE AND CRITICAL PRACTICE | 389 - - 幸幸运大 ), Trestle show. show. 斜跨 ) which seems ), a Chinese pun ). The effect of this ). The effect of this Content 大裤衩 The towers in Paris The towers in Paris 智窗 ), Happy Geometry ( 33 ( TV Magic Cube or TV ), TV Magic Cube or TV

样式空间 . Tr. Richard Howard. New York: Richard Howard. New York: . Tr. Great Gate of Luck ( ), Great Gate of Luck 新视角和谐之门 ), Slanting Stride ( (fig. 5) zhichuang 32 ) or ‘hemorrhoids’. 猛男未来之窗痔疮 ( ) and Big Underpants ( ), New Angle ( 高空对吻时代尖峰 zhichuang Pattern Space ( Pattern ) and, finally, ), Future Window ( 魔方多维窗 The Eiffel Tower and Other Mythologies The Eiffel Tower TV （ Peak of the Ages ( ), Peak ), High Altitude Kiss ( Power The proliferation of names illustrates the deconstructionist commonplace that The proliferation of names illustrates Other proposals included: Harmonious Gate ( Other proposals included: To concretize the revolutionary symbolism, CCTV proposed various names. various names. CCTV proposed revolutionary symbolism, concretize the To See note 18. Roland: Barthes, ), 3D Window (

劈腿 32 33 1979, p. 4 et passim. Hill & Wang, Plan and the Generic City, anonymous structures whose lack of identity was in Plan and the Generic City, his Chinese clients, and presumably strumental in generating new events. For in favor of a more for Prada and many others before, he dropped this argument Given that it is notoriously difficult to determine—or, for that matter, design— matter, for that determine—or, Given that it is notoriously difficult to to articulate any of the performative such referential meanings, is it possible to be an apostle for the Typical used colossus? Koolhaas meanings of OMA’s the same might be true of quite a few other things as well. the same might be true of quite a few their massive size calls for a justification, and Beijing attract readings because polyvalent or undecidable. not because their shape is particularly many other meanings, including contradictory and unwanted ones. Pragmatically, and unwanted ones. Pragmatically, many other meanings, including contradictory that the Eiffel True, Roland Barthes argued polysemy is not very hard to achieve. because it meant everything and nothing, but was the perfect monument Tower those aspects which let a shape suggest any one meaning usually also suggest those aspects which let a shape suggest to be the most popular of all. The concreteness of the alternative metaphors is to be the most popular of all. The concreteness promote cartoony and zoomor who often thoroughly in line with the style of OMA as the illustrations in phic interpretations of their buildings, on CCTV. Astonishingly, none of these stuck, and Chinese netizens came up with none of these stuck, and Chinese Astonishingly, on CCTV. as Wild Man ( such alternative descriptions ( Rubik’s Cube Cube Rubik’s 门 more common expression, more common expression, 福几何 An early favorite was ‘Knowledge Window’ or An early favorite was the with homophonic is it fact the by tempered somewhat however, was, word lofty pledged “complete loyalty” to the Communist Party; the new headquarters, he headquarters, he the new the Communist Party; loyalty” to pledged “complete symbol.” become a “revolutionary said, would head of the Chinese film-and-radio authority, who on behalf of CCTV vigorously behalf of CCTV vigorously who on authority, Chinese film-and-radio head of the 390 | Quiroga | Pants on Fire? da MusicainPorto mayturnouttodefineanewstyle—inLosAngelesthereis traditional strategyofcreatingunique,iconicmonuments. php?dcitc=TH_sbr_design Online athttp://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/03/rem-koolhaas-tvcc-fire-and-the-future-of-cities. Consult alsoPasternack, Alex: “IntheAshesofRem Koolhaas’s TVCC,aChance forRevision?” Online at for theCCTV, consultGlancey, Jonathan:“Welcome tothefuture.” 37 www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-01-16-chinatower_N.htm 36 see note23. new Chinaisallabout…Irreverent,acan−dospirit,fearlessand e design.” Butgraduallyhecametoseeitasrepresenting“acertain spirit thatisjustwhatthe picked thesquaretower, saysheinitiallyhadgreatreservationsabout the“extremely irrational 35 Yao, aswellprojectarchitectsAnuLeinonenandAndreSchmidt. Wu, Yimin Zhu.TheconstructionwasledbyOleScheerenalongwithprojectmanagerDongmei Ogata, Tammo Prinz,Torsten Schröeder, HiromasaShirai,L.E.Tsao, VictoriaWillocks,Zhaohui Colboc, ErezElla,MamenEscorihuela,Adrianne Fisher, SarahGibson,AnuLeinonen,Shiro gematsu, AlainFouraux, Fernando DoniswithJohannesBuchholz,CatarinaCanas,Guillaume http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090123/REVIEW/926069221/1008 added.” Pasternack, Alex: “StrangeLoop.” if youasked Remhewouldprobablysayhe’sawriter, notanarchitect,’theformercolleague shape ofCCTV, Fernando forinstance,wasdevisedbyayoungassociateatOMA, Donis:‘Ithink 34 and thengiveanarchitectthefreedomtoproducesomethingtrulyinnovative, Times, argues that“ifofficialsclearoutavasttabularasainprominent location ded thedemolitionofmanyhutongs. officials formedaspecialcommissionthatoverrodeexisting legislation. single buildingcodeinChina.”Inordertogivethedesignapermit, to setatrend. lack ofeconomicandstructuralrationalityintheCCTVconceptmakes itunlikely to StevenHoll’sAmericanMemorialLibrary, bothprojectedforBerlin.Still,the as thePhoenix:itcouldberelatedtoPeter Eisenman’sMaxReinhardtTower or suffer fromanyimitationsintheforeseeablefuture.Ofcourse,itisnotasunique seem tocomefromthesamefactory—theCCTVheadquartersarenotlik small housebyJohnsonMarkleeAssociatesandinPragueanotherKSA that

See alsonote21,and23. thecompetitionteamincludedRemKoolhaas, OleScheeren,ShoheiShi According toOMA, For Koolhaas’ sympathetic commentsonthehutongsthatwereclearedawaytomake space MacLeod, Calum:“Chinaputstwistontraditionalskyscraper.” Fong reportsthat RoccoYim, thejudgesatdesigncompetitionthateventually oneof Perhaps unfairly, Alex Pasternack claimsthat“designitselfisnotKoolhaas’s strongsuit;the Of course,thewholecomplex waspartofalarger building programthatinclu http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2007/aug/27/architecture.chinaarts2008 35 Moreover, asScheerenlikes toboast,thestructure“breaksevery The NationalNewspaper, 37 ChristopheHawthorne,acriticfortheLA USA Today Guardian xtremely confident.”Fong, 34 Jan.23,2009.Onlineat AlthoughOMA’s Casa , Aug. 27,2007. . Onlineathttp:// 36 ely to

. - - PROJECTIVE AND CRITICAL PRACTICE | 391 ------

- 38 If architecture ne 40 writer Kurt Andersen may writer Kurt The CCTV building demon 43 , Aug 2008. , Aug

, Aug. 3, 2008. Online at http://www.latimes. , Aug. 39 While China has experienced an extra While China has experienced 42 Vanity Fair Vanity Vanity Fair Vanity 4.6.2008. Online at http://www.lexisnexis.com.proxy-ub.rug. Los Angeles Times “Ingebed activisme; Rem Koolhaas over zijn gebouw voor de Chinese over “Ingebed activisme; Rem Koolhaas can become a mechanism for promoting state strength.” a mechanism for can become NRC Handelsblad,

41 OMA’s intervention in Beijing may be seen as this kind of embedded activism, intervention in Beijing may be seen as this kind OMA’s Not surprisingly, Koolhaas likes to refer to “embedded activism”, a concept to refer to “embedded activism”, likes Koolhaas Not surprisingly, Such feats are only possible with strong centralized power. Fully aware of this possible with strong centralized power. Such feats are only Vriesekoop, Bettine: Vriesekoop, “From Mao to Wow!” Andersen, Kurt: Hawthorne, Christopher: “Beijing‘s building boom, driven by the Olympics, mixes daring de daring boom, driven by the Olympics, mixes Hawthorne, Christopher: “Beijing‘s building See note 3. See note 23. See note 24.

�� staatstelevisie.” nl/nl/business/frame.do?tokenKey=rsh-20.17 43 40 41 42 38 sign with a totalitarian theme.” com/news/nationworld/nation/la-ca-china-architecture3-2008aug03,0,5744284.story. 39 superiority of the Empire over a nation state. It does not affect the life of the em superiority of the Empire over a nation way they’re acceding to the liberal global order.” way they’re acceding to the liberal global as an agent of globalization, asserting the strates how architecture can function rather from foreign experts. Actually, Actually, rather from foreign experts. out that “if the Chinese are deferring to have hit the mark best when he pointed global architectural taste, that’s one more and succeeding at the highest levels of ning elite. not spring out of a broad social basis but although in this case the activism does are restrictive of, but according to Ho also conducive to, nationwide collective also conducive to, are restrictive of, but according to Ho and repression at the hand of the gover action with less risk of social instability ordinary economic development, there has been no radical political transforma ordinary economic development, there towards a pluralist society has been consistent. tion. Nonetheless, a gradual shift on the freedom of association and speech China’s semi-authoritarian limitations sponsor.” Ho. coined by Groningen professor Peter that “a position of resistance seems somehow ornamental… the more radical, seems somehow ornamental… that “a position of resistance need a strong our sentiments, the more we architects innovative, and brotherly condition, Scheeren argues that “Historically architects have built for those in that “Historically architects argues condition, Scheeren Or paid for?” … How else are great buildings made? power. does, as Koolhaas logical to argue, then it is with power, cessarily has to comply state. A gravity-defying cantilever will make it clear to anyone standing beneath it standing beneath it clear to anyone will make cantilever state. A gravity-defying things happen. to make who has the power More symbolically, the formal language of the CCTV speaks of power. For Saffron, For of power. of the CCTV speaks the formal language More symbolically, big the you are, and how you of how small will always remind Tower the CCTV that very freedom that very 392 | Quiroga | Pants on Fire? 46 v 45 english/2004/Jan/84895.htm Great BuildingstoShapeOlympic Beijing.”January16,2004.Onlineathttp://www.china.org.cn/ not beacceptedbythegeneralpublic’.” China.org.cn byWang QianandDaraghMoller, “Four pressure itbroughtisnotwhethertheschemebackward,butrather thefuturistdesignmay (China CentralTelevision) sitechangedfromadomesticmaster toaninternationalmaster. The the architectureitself.’Amemberofreviewcommitteesaid,‘the designerofthenewCCTV ed out‘Theopenattitudeshowninselectingdesignschemesofthis highcaliberhassurpassed to younow!’Wu Yaodong, vicegeneralarchitectofTsinghua ArchitectureDesignInstitute,point Ram Koolhass, designerof‘Zcrisscross’said: ‘It’s thearchitecturethatChinaneeds—Ibringit 44 La Higuera,Korda gavetwo copiesoftheimagetoaforeignerwhomhetookfor fateful yearof1967,culminatinginChe’sdemisethesmall Bolivianpuebloof graph ofCheGuevarathatAlbertoKorda Gutierreztookbackin1960. change. even beseenasasuggestionthatthisarchitecturehaslostitscapacitytoeffect a politicalsystemdifferentfromtheonethatbegotit.Suchanacceptancecould tecture culture. Noristhearchitecture vindicated bythefactthatitisaccepted leaders cansubstantiallyadvancetheirsocietybyembracingWestern higharchi doms havebeenexpanded formanypeople.However, itisnotclearthatChinese tries acrosstheworld;standardoflivinghasoften risenandpoliticalfree remarkable advantagesintheeconomic,socialandpoliticalrealmstomanycoun not abadthingineveryway. the ChineseeliteandtherebyaffectfuturedevelopmentofBeijing. which arealsoalmostnecessarilyantagonistictothevaluesofmajority—in high architecture—whichmayperhapsbedescribedasliberalinsomesensebut ployees orthecity’spopulationdirectlybutitmayinculcatevaluesofWestern , 42-63, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrillero_Heroico. Hardt, Michael; Negri, Antonio: A Chinesenewsreleasecommentsonthedesign:“Whileelaborating onhisdesignconcept, Maybe theglobalsuccessofOMAcanbecomparedwithfamousphoto As MichaelHardtandAntonioNegriacknowledge,theriseofEmpireis et passim. 45 Empire Thereisnodoubtthatglobalizationhasbrought . Cambridge, MA: HarvardUniversityPress,2000,pp. . Cambridge,MA: GmbH, 2008. by Paperproducts Design Fig. 6.Snifftissuepaper 44 46

Inthe - - - - - PROJECTIVE AND CRITICAL PRACTICE | 393 - that it carries no political meaning and posits no threat. The success of global meaning and posits no threat. that it carries no political no diffe it makes proof of its political conservativeness: architecture is a similar rence (fig. 6). without Korda ever receiving any royalties. According to the Victoria & Albert to the Victoria According receiving any royalties. ever without Korda than any other image in the photo has been reproduced more Museum, Korda’s of the Che portrait is proof The successful dissemination history of photography. Feltrinelli. Soon, images of Che started to appear on posters and later on T-shirts, T-shirts, and later on to appear on posters images of Che started Soon, Feltrinelli. world, over the Western cans and so on all drink napkins, energy beach towels, a supporter of the cause but who actually was Italian publisher Giangiacomo publisher Giangiacomo who actually was Italian of the cause but a supporter