opinion: mr woods and sandy

To me the death of architect Lebbeus Woods will unfortunately be associated with Hurricane Sandy, an unlucky juxtaposition of time and location. However the spirit of Woods could influence the re-building and reclamation of the post-apocalyptic cities that have devastated by the hurricane storm. His many theoretical and experimental projects gave rise to the consciousness of architecture; he seemed to understand the built environment and the very reality of its impact on the people.

drawing: war and architecture © Lebbeus Woods

In the essay ‘Freespace and the Tyranny of Types’, Woods comments that  “…architects argue that their concern is architecture and not politics, not social conditions over which they might also claim they have no control. The best of these architects believe that they are serving the “higher interest” of civilization, those qualities of thought and action that transcend the passing problems of the world, that are the timeless ingredients of art and science. But what if civilization itself is changing, and with it the very nature of its higher interests? What if these higher interests, that the architect seeks to serve, no longer require transcending the turbulent changes of the present, but active engagement with them?”

destruction on the east coast USA, photo © getty 

Now would be a chance to create engaging architecture in these cities, time to introduce variations that  allows for Woods turbulent changes, the passing problems of nature and society living side by side. Instead of serving power and authority, architecture could serve the people. It is an idealistic notion,  but it is the idea and belief of engagement that can drive it into reality. His work on War and Architecture could  be implemented in New York and other storm-hurt areas, that the post-storm (post-war) city could create the new from the damaged old. The new would build on the salvageable old, not just the old of buildings but the old of life. Society and its inhabitants are wanting more out of life; an increasing interest in community, sharing and a sense of ownership – ownership over destiny as opposed to consumer goods.

As Woods himself said “the familiar old must be transformed, by conscious intention and design, into the unfamiliar new”. Following the intersecting events of Lebbeus Woods death and the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, the time for transformation must be nigh.