bondage architecture

'Unlike the necessity of mere building, the non-necessity of Architecture is undissociable from architectural histories, theories and other precedents. These bonds enhance pleasure. The most excessive passion is always methodical. In such moments of intense desire, organisation invades pleasure to such an extent that it is not
always possible to distinguish the organising constraints from the erotic matter. For example, the Marquis de Sade's heroes enjoyed confining their victims in the strictest convents before mis-treating them according to rules carefully laid down in a precise and obsessive logic.

Similarly, the game of Architecture is an intricate play with rules that one may accept or reject. Indifferently called Systeme des Beaux-Arts or Modern Movement precepts, this pervasive network of binding laws entangles architectural design. These rules, like so many knots that cannot be untied, are generally a paralyzing constraint. When manipulated, however, they have the erotic significance of bondage. To differentiate between rules or ropes is irrelevant here. What matters is that there is no simple bondage technique: the more the numerous and sophisticated the restraints, the greather the pleasure.' Bernard Tschumi

Once upon a time, there was Guido, a wide-eyed innocent overly excited young man in search of meaning. For years, he consumes himself with ideas, concepts and books trying to relate and make sense of what he's experiencing. And, he wasn't the only one. Generations of Architects, working and studying alike, who focuses on the experience of pleasure in Architecture was considered decadent. The underlying discontent among them originates from an ethical and spiritual thinking with a strong moral agenda: structure / chaos, ornamental / purity, order / disorder, rationality / sensuality. Guido fought hard to understand and in doing so, found his own 'route'. The route has taken him to the thoughts of Marques de Sade, Bernard Tschumi, Roland Barthes, Manfredo Tafuri, Michel Foucault and Roberta Gilchrist. Finally, Guido understood it.

Architects are all voyeurs. That's the truth. That is why we are obsessed with openings, views, image, feel, suggestions and anticipation. WE ARE ALL HARDCORE VOYUERS! Some are vocal while others are more discreet about it. You might be thinking that I've gone off the rails but I'm just stating a solid fact. So, the next time you have a meeting with a client regarding their project, try to think why you wanted the apertures located where it is and not somewhere else. If you're honest with yourselves, you'll be surprised with the answer. Anyway, this is just a taster of what is coming. Next week, I'll be discussing more about writings from a book called, Sexuality & Space.