The Pruitt-Igoe Myth

Great news! You can now watch the documentary The Pruitt-Igoe Myth online at worldchannel.org. An essential part for you Design as Politics education! It began as a housing marvel. Two decades later, it ended in rubble. But what happened to those caught in between? The Pruitt-Igoe Myth tells the story of the transformation of the American city in the decades after World War II, through the lens of the infamous Pruitt-Igoe housing development and the St. Louis residents who called it home. The film analyzes the impact of the national urban renewal program of the 1950s and 1960s, which prompted the… Read More

  • 03/02/2014

Design as Politics Exhibition @ BK City

From May 22nd until June 13th, the Design as Politics exhibition which was developed within the framework of the 5th IABR: Making city, will be shown on various locations within the TU Delft, faculty of Architecture. Pass by if you’re around! Design as Politics Architecture is politics. Why? Because the city is politics. The city is the place where money, power, business, culture, religion and leisure come together, each fighting for primacy. The exhibition ‘Design as Politics’ shows these fights through spectacular three-dimensional images. They show how an entire district was sacrificed for a beautiful project, how bringing the Olympics to… Read More

  • 18/05/2013

Wouter Vanstiphout @ Strelka Talks

A few weeks ago, Wouter Vanstiphout was asked to speak for ‘Strelka Talks’ – a cool new initiative by the Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design, for which they invite speakers from various field for a 30 minute video talk on “critically important topics concerning contemporary cities and urban development.” Wouters gave a talk under the name “Damn the Masters’ Plan!”, based on our blame the architect lecture series where he analyses the complex correlation between certain types of urban development and the deeply rooted discontent of the citizens. Check it out! The Strelka Talks are curated by Anastassia… Read More

  • 14/03/2013

NRC en de Soundtrack bij de Rellen

Gister (3mei) in het Cultureel Supplement ‘Kunst en politiek’ van het NRC Handelsblad en vandaag (4mei) in de NRC NEXT:  een twee pagina groot artikel van Bernard Hulsman over de tentoonstelling Design as Politics! Het stuk gaat voornamelijk in op het verhaal achter de driedimensionale collages met als centraal thema de relatie tussen popmuziek en stadsrellen.  Van de punkband The EX tijdens de Amsterdamse krakersrellen via NWA’s Fuck the Police en de LA Riots naar Ill manors en de Britse rellen van vorig jaar. Interessant voor zowel de architecten als de muziekliefhebbers onder ons (liefst beide). Check it out!

  • 03/05/2012

Blame the Architect Assignment

Dear students from the Blame the Architect lecture series, The submission deadline for your riot video has expired on the 15th of March. We look very much forward to enjoy your creations!  Below you find a list of student numbers from which we received a movie. Not on the list? Send an email to Marta Relats. We will grade you around the 30th of April. Received video’s + grade: 1210696     7,5 1285343       7 1302693       9 1387324    6,5 1509934       6 1353063       7 1362178        8 1516981     7,5 4120590       6… Read More

  • 19/03/2012

Lecture Series Video

Dear students of the Blame the Architect lecture series, This is what you should do to get your grade. Make a Youtube video of 5 to 10 minutes, describing an urban riot that could happen in a place you know. Incorporate the themes presented in the lecture series and project them on a fictional situation, giving special attention to the role of architecture and urban planning. Use images, texts, maps, diagrams, drawings, numbers or just use your hands. Be creative! Like the Danish. If you need more inspiration click Here, Here, Here and Here. Still completely lost? Follow the Roadmap… Read More

  • 23/01/2012

Blame the Architect update

Tomorrow Tuesday 10th January, 10.45-12.45, Berlagezaal 1 Program: “Racaille!” The Banlieue riots, France 2005 -part II “Broken city” The 2011 UK riots Conclusions Assignment description Hope to see you all tomorrow!

  • 09/01/2012

Dear students and other attendees of the Blame the Architect lecture series, Unfortunately, the tuesday 20th December lecture is cancelled. Next and last lecture Tuesday 10th January, 10.45-12.45, Berlagezaal 1 Program: “Racaille!” The Banlieue riots, France 2005 -part II “Broken city” The 2011 UK riots Conclusions  Assignment description Happy holidays and see you all in 2012!

  • 19/12/2011

More background stuff on riots – this week we speak French. It’s  October 2005, when suddenly a wave of violence and unrest sweeps the modernist suburbs of France. A story of two boys, a tragic accident, thousands of burning cars and a hardline politician who would become president very soon. Two movies, two articles, and some music this week. The very first thing you should do is watch La Haine: a moving, amazing, and apparently extremely realistic depiction of life in France’s ghetto’s. Nice soundtrack, too. The movie can be watched on YouTube – in non-subtitled ghetto-French, which supposedly is quite… Read More

  • 12/12/2011

It’s procrastinate-o-clock again! This time, the most glamorous riot of them all: the Rodney King riots. Los Angeles, 1992. Lots of anger. Lots of guns. Lots of helicopters and cameras. And gangster rap. Ah, Los Angeles. Design as Politics loves it, admittedly because Reyner Banham does too. His book about the city is amazing, but this is even better: watching Banham himself cruise through town for about an hour is indeed an hour well spent. But that’s enough reality for now: more than anything Los Angeles is a place of myth and media and fiction. The city of course stars in… Read More

  • 05/12/2011