“An underdose of utopia can be as dangerous
as an overdose” – Reinier de Graaf
In the final movie we filmed with Reinier de Graaf of OMA at the Venice Architecture Biennale, he discusses the firm’s fascination with architecture of the late 1960s and how there is an “inherent paradox between the brutal appearance of these buildings and the social mission that they were part of.”
“An overdose of utopia is dangerous,” explains de Graaf when discussing the ideals of architects during this period, “but architecture today is characterised by an underdose of utopia, which can be just as dangerous.”
The interview was filmed at OMA’s Public Works exhibition at the biennale, which shows buildings designed by the anonymous architects of local authorities.
De Graaf also talks about the brutalist Pimlico school, as well as buildings in France and Italy in the other two movies from this series.
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