GSD student comments on OMA/AMO’s Shohei Shigematsu’s
“architectural autobiography” in NOW? Conversation
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Image: Justin Knight |
“In last week’s “Now? Conversation Series” with Dean Mohsen Mostafavi, Shohei Shigematsu, a partner at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture and Director of OMA/AMO New York, presented his autobiography as tied to the fluctuations of world economy, especially the highs and lows of the Japanese and American financial systems. (OMA was founded by Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design Rem Koolhaas.) By that he attempted to construct an argument on both the difference between the conditions of architecture in the two counties and to highlight some questions about identity of his generation of architects, born in the mid seventies. He then presented two projects designed by OMA: a department store in Japan and a condominium project in Manhattan. Although seemingly connected only through personal history, the two projects informed each other and raised some questions about contemporary practice of architecture. First, what is the role of an over arching vision in contemporary architectural production and how may this role change across cultures as to produce radically different results? Second, how is the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, which is entering a ‘late period’ in its lifespan, generating architecture? In other words, could it be, as Mr. Shigematsu seem to imply, that OMA, one of the firms most identified with global markets and late capitalist processes, is turning to an extremely site specific agenda?”
—Dan Handel, MArch II candidate, Class of 2010