Kelly Chan explores how temporary architecture is changing our relationship to the built environment, and asks "how permanent is our current fascination for the temporary?"
As the trend in temporary urbanism moves from the streets to the corridors of power, a new "triad of virtues: the light, the quick, and the cheap" (LQC) are hastening the replacement of the classical Vitruvian virtues of utility, durability, and beauty, observes Chan.
"Because of its low cost, modest appearance, and community-driven spirit,
LQC architecture is often seen as a reflection of our times: this
sudden infatuation for the temporary can be read as a pragmatic response
to economic downturn as well as a material expression of the slow
democratization of our cities. But if and when current circumstances
change, will cities abandon the temporary for more traditional
solutions?"
"That is a difficult question to answer, as our conceptions of
architecture are becoming increasingly unfixed. It seems that today's
architects, planners, and city dwellers are actively redefining the
binary that distinguishes the temporary and the permanent."
Read the full story: Pop-Up Populism: How the Temporary Architecture Craze is Changing Our Relationship to the Built Environment
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