The Empty Room

Viac o knihe

Part aphorism and part manifesto, this work by Canadian architect Reza Aliabadi (RZLBD) explores his ideas about space, emphasizing 'the empty room' as the essence of architecture and 'the spatial experience' as its highest mandate. He challenges the conventional view of architecture as mere walls, instead focusing on the space in-between—what he terms "anti-architecture" of invisible voids. Aliabadi critiques contemporary architecture for becoming an industry tied to commercial interests, losing its ability to inspire and instead serving as a form-making exercise dressed in fashionable exteriors. The emphasis has shifted to aesthetics and a competition for visibility, reducing architecture to entertainment and spectacle. He argues for an urgent pause to rediscover essential principles that are both basic and timeless. Drawing inspiration from Kahn's assertion that architecture arises from the creation of a room, the text invites readers to reconsider space as the central protagonist of architecture. Through concise passages and aphorisms, it encourages a new perception of space, urging a deeper appreciation for the invisible aspects of architectural experience.