Architecture of the absurd

Story from PRI’s Studio 360. Listen to audio above for full report.

The New York Times recently called the new CCTV Headquarters in Beijing the “greatest work of architecture built in this century.” Designed by Rem Koolhaas, the building looks like a giant Mobius strip, with its glassy, twisting arch.

Star architects such as Koolhaas, Frank Gehry and Daniel Leibiskind have created sensations with singular, unconventional designs that look (and sometimes are) unbuildable.

John Silber thinks that’s a problem. He’d like to see buildings showing less individualism and more standards. Silber is the former president of Boston University and the author of “Architecture of the Absurd: How ‘Genius’ Disfigured a Practical Art.”

He told Studio 360’s Kurt Andersen that praising the impulse to “genius” encourages cost overruns, monuments to vanity, and just plain bad design: “Dolly Parton had it right: it takes a lot of money to look this cheap.”

Visit the Studio 360 website to view photos of “absurd” architecture.

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PRI’s Peabody Award-winning “Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen” from WNYC is public radio’s smart and surprising guide to what’s happening in pop culture and the arts. Each week, Kurt Andersen introduces you to the people who are creating and shaping our culture. Life is busy — so let “Studio 360” steer you to the must-see movie this weekend, the next book for your nightstand, or the song that will change your life.