EDIT: I posted this in the society section to hopefully gauge a more balanced discussion surrounding the creation of such spaces and their impact on society, human well being etc, as opposed to just a discussion regarding the book itself. Moderators - Please move this to a more relevant section though if you wish.

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/koolhaas?before=1333664728

Has anyone read this book? If so, what did you think?

Also, what do you think about Rem koolhaas' description and critique of what he calls 'junk space'? ie. shopping malls (Westfield), casinos, airports etc...

As a side note, Koolhaas has been criticised recently for preaching one thing and then practising another (he is responsible for many similar developments in China etc).

REM KOOLHAAS, JUNKSPACE (2003) SHORT REVIEW.

Rem Koolhaas published an essay called Junkspace in 2003, in the opening he describes this Junkspace as being the “residue mankind leaves on the planet” it is a direct inversion of space junk which is the debris humans leave in space. Cities are becoming overwhelmed with junk space, Koolhaas believes this Junkspace is a product of ‘self-replication’ and has become a Bermuda triangle of concepts.

From reading this essay my understanding of Koolhaas’ description of Junkspace is the architectural spaces that are built to the purpose of trapping inhabitants in a surrealist environment, major examples of these are shopping malls, casinos and airports (which Koolhaas refers to a lot in this essay). In these spaces you lose all concept of time, the lack of direction, time or weather allows users to stay (and spend) for longer. A vivid example of this is Westfield Shepherd’s Bush, upon entering people are dazed and dazzled by the extravagant roof detailing, however lose all sense of direction and are therefore subjected to aimlessly wonder upon first visit.

Hyperdevelopment has made traditional values of architecture irrelevant, as seen in China, if they want to erect a new tower it’s possible have it all planned and ready to be built within in a week; abandoning traditional architectural time scales of weeks or months of going through the design process.

We can already see these ‘residues’ in the making, with the decline of high street shopping comes the incline in virtual and online shopping which will soon make high street shopping and possibly these giant shopping malls and thing of the past. Casinos can also be transferred online so we will eventually be left with these giant carcasses of buildings that have no purpose, they will be nothing but junkspace left on our planet.