Monuments to Maximalism
Monuments to Maximalism
is a counterproposal to Corporate Marketecture which ponders an anticapitalist environment of monuments or totems which serve no function; where last year’s proposal was critical in the midst of a dark and uncertain near future, this is an optimistic projection about the world we could have moving forward post-COVID. The objects exist at the 1:1 tabletop scale as discrete elements and also as a scaled down architectural model for large monuments that simply and leisurely exist. Their forms are reminiscent of activities and structures of leisure, play, and relaxation: inflatable pools, roller coasters, and donut shops. They reflect a recent interest in “maximalism,” which stands against minimalism and its associations with elegance and luxury in late capitalism. There is no need for productivity, efficiency, or program; the architecture serves no purpose but to be there, to disrupt space, and to have some fun doing it. They wonder about a world where things can be their expressive selves without the need for performative justification.
