Slog - Comments on The Death Rem http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem For those who don't know, Rem Koolhaas, the man behind our famous Central Library, wants build the Death Star in Dubai: ...Rem Koolhaas, of the Office of Metropolitan Architecture, planning to build a a gargantuan 44-storey replica of the Death Star as a corner-piece for his planned city in Dubai. According to his office, the enormous sphere will be part of a masterplan for his concept of "the generic city", which has been described by the New York Times as a "sprawling metropolis of repetitive buildings centered on an airport and inhabited by a tribe of global nomads with few... Copyright 2008 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:48:36 -0800 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:02:59 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Mr. Poe Correction: What is this strange power that the Death Star exerts on my imagination?

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987065 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987065 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:04:13 -0800 Comment by COMTE Correction: What is this strange power that the Death Star exerts on Chaz' imagination?

As for me, I still say the thing is really a giant Pokemon-ball.

]]> COMTE http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987080 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987080 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:09:28 -0800 Comment by bma According to his office, the enormous sphere will be part of a masterplan for his concept of “the generic city”, which has been described by the New York Times as a “sprawling metropolis of repetitive buildings centered on an airport and inhabited by a tribe of global nomads with few local loyalties”.

In other words, there REALLY is no "there" there. It's the ultimate in the McDonald-ification of architecture. You cannot look out your window and tell if what you're seeing is in Shanghai, Paris, New York, Mexico City, or Dubai. Damn the local history and context, screw designing with the environment, let's just put up the same damn buildings wherever we go as a testament to globalization.

This is why I think that architects are fucking idiots.

]]> bma http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987095 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987095 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:16:43 -0800 Comment by ghostlawns I got deja vu reading this because it was only a month ago or so you posted this.

Charles, do you do a google search of "death star architecture" every day or something?

]]> ghostlawns http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987100 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987100 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:19:33 -0800 Comment by Abby Because Star Wars, despite all George Lucas has done to destroy it, is still cool to a lot of (usually male) people. And the Death Star is pretty damn iconic. Were there any other things from Star Wars that you can really make into an actual building?

]]> Abby http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987105 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987105 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:21:36 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle the really bizarre thing is that this is real.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987107 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987107 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:21:59 -0800 Comment by NapoleonXIV The really bizarre thing is that "the generic city”, a “sprawling metropolis of repetitive buildings centered on an airport and inhabited by a tribe of global nomads with few local loyalties” is being treated not only as legitimate, but as something desirable.

]]> NapoleonXIV http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987111 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987111 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:23:57 -0800 Comment by Hernandez @5 I always wanted to see something modeled after the shield generator in Empire Strikes Back.

]]> Hernandez http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987112 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987112 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:24:10 -0800 Comment by NapoleonXIV On the other hand, the idea of a bunch of super-wealthy global nomads not being able to find "down" escalators when the rebels launch their attack on the thing is somewhat delightful.

]]> NapoleonXIV http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987147 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987147 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:42:58 -0800 Comment by elswinger I hope we get a Death Star in Seattle.

]]> elswinger http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987157 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987157 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:48:06 -0800 Comment by darkelf @#9 Haha!

]]> darkelf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987159 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987159 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:50:09 -0800 Comment by Boomer in NYC But why is it always the second Death Star--which was never even finished? Could part of the mythical attraction be its incompleteness?

]]> Boomer in NYC http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987178 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987178 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:06:32 -0800 Comment by eclexia Well, I said it last month in a more proper way. But now I think it's time to be vulgar.

It's nothing to do with death or Star Wars, sir. That building is a pussy. The power it exerts on our imagination is pussy power. The landscape of rigid towers is transformed from gay porn to straight gangbang porn with the addition of just a single commercial orifice building.

]]> eclexia http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987258 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987258 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:54:24 -0800 Comment by elenchos To me it looks more like an asshole.

]]> elenchos http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987270 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987270 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:59:57 -0800 Comment by NapoleonXIV I was thinking it actually looks like the Omnidroid that took out Metroville in The Incredibles.

]]> NapoleonXIV http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987327 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987327 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:52:48 -0800 Comment by -B- The death star does not exert anything on my imagination.
It does not exist it is fantasy.
Buckminster Fuller has already built large round structures.
This is nothing new.

The American paviion at expo 67.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Night_view_of_American_pavillion_e001096692.jpg

]]> -B- http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987573 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987573 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:47:26 -0800 Comment by -B- I am posting again because my first post mysteriously would not work.

All I can say is round buildings have ben done before Geodesic domes and Buckminster Fullers American Pavilion EXPO 67.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geodesic_dome

]]> -B- http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987578 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987578 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:53:27 -0800 Comment by -B- Hmm it did work but 10 minute delay on being posted Oh Well.

]]> -B- http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987579 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987579 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:54:53 -0800 Comment by Dougsf Did you know Rem Koolhaas was originally a film major before he began studying architecture?

]]> Dougsf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987584 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/the_death_rem#c987584 Architecture Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:02:59 -0800