As Tschumi explores, the focus on differentiating architectural styles has created a set of new controversies saying: “Throughout the 1970s there was an exacerbation of stylistic concerns at the expense of programmatic ones and a reduction of architecture as a form of knowledge to architecture as a knowledge of form” (Tschumi 1983, 140). This parallels Debord’s comment saying ““Creation is not the arrangement of objects and forms, it is the invention of new laws on that arrangement” (Debord 1957, 22). As time pushes forward, it is hard to continue to recreate the wheel and not fall into the pit of mashing together what already exists. Famous art is recognized for being a new concept done first, even if it seems easily recreatable after people are familiar with it. As architects struggle to create new innovative architecture, Tschumi resurfaces the importance of going back to a programmatic design approach. I agree that designing with specific programmes in mind best maximizes the space and most easily meets Debord’s statement: “The most general goal must be to extend the nonmediocre part of life, to reduce the empty moments of life as much as possible” (Debord 1957, 23). There is an endless amount of kitchen gadgets on the market and many new ones are still being pumped out because while all of these tasks like peeling an apple, cutting an avocado, or slicing cheese can be done with one versatile tool, a knife, these gadgets better aide people to do those tasks by making it easier and requiring less technique and effort. Architecture is similar in this sense where anti Functionalist architecture tries to be the knife to do all tasks even with more effort whereas Programmatic architecture is creating the many gadgets for the ease of people though it is overall more limiting. With kitchen gadgets, while an apple peeler is really good at peeling apples, it cannot slice a pizza. Tschumi suggesting “pole vaulting in the chapel” (Tschumi 1983, 146) is just as ridiculous as that. Balancing the line of specific programmatic design with flexibility is one I see being solved now with the building of tiny houses where a small space is given many designated uses through innovative interior design and custom furnishings. That is also why I think holistic architects who even design their own furniture will be more successful in designing flexible yet efficient programmed spaces.
Debord, Guy. “Platform for a Provisional Opposition.” Toward a Situationist International, June 1957.
Tschumi, Bernard. “Spaces and Events.” Chapter. In Architecture and Disjunction. Cambridge , MA: MIT Press, 1983.