The end of the era of monumentality? The February volume of PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA

/ Architecture /

As much as we would like to abstract from the situation, we have to admit: 2020 was marked by COVID-19, and this significantly affected the degree of priorities - both in general and in billions of details.

Stefano Boeri, a provider of green architecture, presented a design for 1500 pop-up pavilions intended for vaccination. They will be installed in the squares and central streets of Italian cities. There is no doubt that the idea will become viral, in any case, the topic of "big vaccination" is mega-popular today and... predictably short-lived.

Boer's pop-up pavilions and modular hospitals for patients with COVID-19 are just one of the signs that the era of monumentality is passing. The materiality of real estate not only ties it to the place, but also imposes a lot of obligations. Materiality and monumentality have almost become symbols of the concept of "unfreedom". No one wants to be a hostage to monumentality and monofunctionality, and monumentality as a narrative has long been buried with Albert Speer.

Modern technologies make it possible to provide comfort for living and working literally in the open field. Retailers and major brands are closing their stores and opening a network of pop-up boutiques in the plazas of shopping centers. A limited safety margin is often laid down at the level of materials — modern bioplastics decompose under the influence of atmospheric phenomena. Flexibility from a desirable architectural quality turns into a must. Ephemerality and virtuality become virtues.

What will we take with us in the new era, and what will we part with easily? It was discussed on the pages of the February volume of PRAGMATIKA.MEDIA.