STARCHITECTURE: Scenes, Actors and Spectacles in Contemporary Cities

In recent years, widespread media and critical attention has been lavished on famous architects and how their spectacular designs contribute to the branding of cities. Far less is known about the decision-making processes behind these projects and their subsequent urban effects. The book Starchitecture (by urban scholar Davide Ponzini and photographer Michele Nastasi) investigates recent skyscrapers, cultural projects, and high-profile developments designed by star architects in cities such as Paris, New York, Abu Dhabi, and Bilbao. The book addresses key questions: How and why do spectacular works get commissioned and procured? What are their visible urban effects? What can urban planners, architects, and policy makers learn in order to engage in more successful citymaking? In his presentation Davide Ponzini will explain and critique a growing global condition by revealing how starchitecture has been and continues to be deployed in cities around the world. These arguments are vital to understanding the urban landscapes of today, and tomorrow.