Page 52 - OB18 ELECTRONICA

ARCHITECTURE

REM KOOLHAAS

Creating Modern Urbanity

“Infrastructure is much more

important than architecture.”

– Rem Koolhaas

oolhaas is an architect extraordinaire shaping
the social structures of this planet as he goes
along. His specialty is identifiable only in his
K sense of play. The social aspect of his gravity-
defying and surprising structures not only incorporate their
original purpose, but add to it, taking into consideration the
urban planning aspect as much as the architectural.

Rem Koolhaas was born in Rotterdam and started off in
journalism. A multi-talented social thinker, he attended
the Architecture Association School in London. After
graduating in 1972, he conducted research in the United
States, during which time he wrote the book, Delirious
New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan. Much of
Koolhaas’ work in the twentieth century was esoteric and
theoretical. He often claims only five per cent of his projects
have come to fruition.

In 1975 he cofounded the internationally renowned Office
for Metropolitan Architecture, or OMA, with architects
Elia and Zoe Zenghelis, and Madelon Vriesendorp. OMA
is now led by nine partners, including Koolhaas, and the
company maintains offices in Rotterdam, as well as Beijing,
Doha, Dubai, Hong Kong, Perth, and New York. He has also
founded AMO, OMA’s research and design studio, a think
tank approach of “…architectural thinking to domains
beyond.”

"One of architecture’s most
Photos Courtesy Of: academia-salamanca, Architectural Digest, visitportoandnorth, influential thinkers."
siegerarchphoto, Seoul National University Museum - New York Times
52 | www.OceanBlueWorld.com