Le Corbusier in the 21st Century

Le Corbusier was obsessed with a series of beliefs over the course of his life . As a result this influence was heavily seen in his work. Around the 1920s, he was introduced to Purism during which he studied a particular type of objects he called 'objet types'. They are objects that had evolved into the most economical and efficient of forms. Being a perfectionist, he thought that certain objects using basic geometries had the ability to evoke emotions. He also saw man as a geometrical animal and had a strong need for order.The image and technological change that machines had brought in those days was of great aspiration to him. He described them as disciplined and displayed a natural evotion into the most obvious of forms. They were practical. This lead to 'Machines for living' which had his five points or new architecture. Later on , his interest took quite a different direction when he began to draw and paint sensual forms of landscape, nature and women. He had a personal language of symbols. He understood the complex relationship between elements of nature, its importance to men. One of his most distinguished work is the Chapel at Ronchamp in which he seemed to have brought together his experience of paintings and scultpting. Le Corbusier's work never stopped changing. He believed that in order to stay ahead of his rivals, he had to reinvent himsef. He had to burn his past for a new beginning to happen.

Often I ask myself, what would have been the architecture of Le Corbusier in the 21^st century if he was living in our times. The time of computers and internet at its peak. The amount of influence that information technology has brought into our lives, let alone architecture. How would the design of Ronchamp change if it was first drawn on cad. His adoration for nature would have certainly kept him going into the sustainable architecture. Would global warming have been a complete surprise to him? As much as machines have contributed to the evolution of humanity, it has also brought this world almost to its knees. He would have probably found it hard to impose his utopian ideas. Still, he would have enjoyed how architecture and the construction techniques have changed over time. What would have been his symbolism? Computers, mobile phones, ipod, online shopping or perhaps it would have been the quite the same as before, nature and the cosmos.

Us against them.

Skynet has taken over the world... nobody saw it coming

The resistance is our only hope of fighting back the machines.

They are everywhere. The Metals are everywhere.

We have paid the price for our ignorance, our laziness, our refusal to accept the truth

The resistance is your last chance!!!

[message left at : 13:17 11 Novemeber 2045]

Strange to think that this could be our future. our beloved machine is our best friend, our brother, our sister, mum and dad. We tell them everything. We are no more in need of socializing with other humans. We have found one thing that truly listens to us without complaining. They are faithful and honest. They make no mistake. They do their jobs. They see and hear everything. They know everything, what we like, what we don't like. They are always in a good mood. They are always on time. Ocassionally, the get sick but then they have brand new readily available replacements. They are the objects of our desires. We can only dream of being as good looking, as precise, fast, efficient and expensive as them. They are perfection. They are what we have failed to be!

But we have fallen for their charm and their shiny plastic. We have tasted the forbidden fruit, opened pandora's box. The machines have won, they have infiltrated our lives. They know our every move. They have been to all our parties. They have turned us into their slaves. They have become our drug...our addiction, 24/7 information... connectivity...we crave the need for an emotional connection not with fellow humans but with a mother... a motherboard, We have changed our own habits to suit them. We have accomodated their needs. We have been used and abused. They have swallowed our soul, our identity. Our planet has been consumed for their benefits, for their own welbeing. They have sucked all our energy. Skynet has arrived.

Las Vegas without time!

I have never been to Las Vegas and yet I could feel the adrenaline rush through the words of the authors. It is a shame that both writings did not come with images. That would have been it for me. My eyes were begging for them. The neon lights, the music, the heat, the sun, the girls, the limo and the glamour...my imagination takes me to scenes of Ocean's Eleven and 21, my only only experience of Vegas for now.

The first thing that struck me when going through Tom Wolfe 's piece was the absence of the notion of time among the characters. Yes, Wolfe mentions the time and day on several occasions but the feeling I get is that in Las Vegas, time does not equal money. Money is simply money or perhaps being high on adrenaline 24/7 equals money. They have no responsibility towards time. What they do on a Monday at 7am is probably what they would be doing at 3am on Saturday. Las Vegas is heaven. There at least they have more than 24 hours in a day.

On the other hand, Dave Hickey picks on Las Vegas on a slightly bigger scale. I can certainly identify with the idea of escaping home town for Las Vegas. Although, London might not be anywhere close to Vegas but the very idea of leaving home for a better life is not always true. What could be true is the excitement of living in a thrilling city. May be that is why it is the destination of the heart. Everything is possible in Vegas and it gives the average American hope. Interesting to note that the grass is always greener somewhere else even for Americans let alone immigrants. While Vegas provides not much option to progress in the social ladder, it makes almost no difference between societal classes. What you see is what you get.