Lebbeus Woods, Slow Manifesto

Creator

Lebbeus Woods (1940-2012) is the author of several books published by Princeton Architectural Press books. Woods was an architectural illustrator.

A curation of Woods blog became a book edited by Clare Jacobson: Lebbeus Woods, Slow Manifesto

Purpose

The slow movement principles applied to architecture.

Manifesto

The new cities demand an architecture that rises from and sinks back into fluidity, into the turbulence of a continually changing matrix of conditions, into an eternal, ceaseless flux

architecture drawing its sinews from webbings of shifting forces, from patterns of unpredictable movements, from abrupt changes of mind, alterations of position, spontaneous disintegrations and syntheses

architecture resisting change, even as it flows from it, struggling to crystallize and become eternal, even as it is broken and scattered

architecture seeking nobility of presence, yet possessed of the knowledge that only the incomplete can claim nobility in a world of the gratuitous, the packaged, the promoted, the already sold

architecture seeking persistence in a world of the eternally perishing, itself giving way to the necessity of its moment

architecture writhing, twisted, rising, and pinioned to the uncertain moment, but not martyred, or sentimental, or pathetic, the coldness of its surfaces resisting all comfort

architecture that moves, slowly or quickly, delicately or violently, resisting the false assurance of stability

architecture that comforts, but only those who ask for no comfort

architecture of gypsies, who are driven from place to place, because they have no home

architecture of circuses, transient and unknown, but for the day and night of their departure

architecture of migrants, fleeing the advent of night’s bitter hunger

architecture of a philosophy of interference, the forms of which are infinitely varied, a vocabulary of words spoken only once, then forgotten

architecture bending and bending more, in continual struggle against gravity, against time, against, against, against

barbaric architecture, rough and insolent in its vitality and pride

sinuous architecture, winding endlessly and through a scaffolding of reasons

architecture caught in sudden light, then broken in a continuum of darkness

architecture embracing the sudden shifts of its too-delicate forms, therefore indifferent to its own destruction

architecture that destroys, but only with the coldness of profound respect

neglected architecture, insisting that its own beauty is deeper yet

abandoned architecture, not waiting to be filled, but serene in its transcendence

architecture that transmits the feel of movements and shifts, resonating with every force applied to it, because it both resists and gives way

architecture that moves, the better to gain its poise

architecture that insults politicians, because they cannot claim it as their own

architecture whose forms and spaces are the causes of rebellions, against them, against the world that brought them into being

architecture drawn as though it were already built

architecture built as though it had never been drawn

Source

https://lebbeuswoods.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/slow-manifesto/

Comment

A classic long list manifesto based on the slow movement. This time applied to architecture. It’s a good example of a philosophy – slow – being applied to a range of new areas.

More

Christopher Richards, The Slow Movement

Academic Slow Food Manifesto

 

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