Out Of Step

This book has a common guiding theme, namely, the possibility of architectural criticism in Denmark today.

Nathan Romero Muelas says about the book:

"Coming from a country where practicing architects indulge in architectural criticism with gusto and fury, (Oriol Bohigas, Rafael Moneo, Sola´-Morales ...), I was initially surprised by the mildness and caution of my Danish colleagues. I thought it was a matter of temperament or even manners, along the lines of 'silence is the hardest critic'.

Today I think there is more to it.

Some aspects of the slow demise of critique in architecture are certainly worldwide phenomena: in web based publishing, almost anything goes. Plain promotion without independent editing is taking the place of in-depth critical filter.

But some other aspects are more related to a sort of 'ecology of the profession' which is particular to Denmark. It has to do with size, (we all know each other), but also with finances. Increasingly, practices are shaped to fit the changing architecture politics of the day, and I'm under the impression that an atmosphere of acquiescence and unanimity regards independent critique as 'rocking the boat'. Under such conditions, to be critical is to be professionally suicidal. And maybe that is why the official major newspapers architecture critics are reporters, not practicing (or at least trained) architects, and often the critique offers little more than bland description and shoulder clapping.

These aspects deserve to be looked upon."

The articles in the book were originally published as blogposts (not available anymore) by the Danish Architectural Press.

The book is generously supported by the Danish Arts Foundation and the Dreyer Foundation.