Exquisite Corpse: Writings on Buildings

Michael Sorkin delves into the concept of cities as being akin to an ‘Exquisite Corpse’ game played by the surrealists in his thought-provoking and engaging book. Just as the game involved multiple contributors creating a calculated yet random composition, cities are assembled by numerous players with varying levels of autonomy within a collaborative framework. The city, as a constantly evolving landscape of creativity, serves as a platform for embracing diversity and contextualizing unexpected juxtapositions.

Sorkin’s objective is to broaden the discourse surrounding architectural creation, transcending mere technical and design considerations. He fearlessly delves into the political and cultural dimensions of architecture, offering incisive critiques of the institutions and personalities that have wielded influence in the field in recent years. Their fixation on superficial aesthetics has limited the transformative potential of contemporary architecture, reducing it to mere ‘beach houses and Disneyland’ facades.

The scope of Sorkin’s analysis spans from the corruption scandals of New York’s development scene, where skyscrapers symbolize the intersection of profit-driven motives and urban planning, to the deconstructivist architectural movement in Los Angeles. He explores the contributions and philosophies of prominent figures such as Alvar Aalto, Norman Foster, Paul Goldberger, Michael Graves, Coop Himmelblau, Philip Johnson, Leon Krier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Rogers, Carlo Scarpa, James Stirling, Donald Trump, Tom Wolfe, and Lebbeus Woods.

Throughout his critique, Sorkin combines sharp polemics with a passionate plea for a revival of visionary and experimental architecture—a renewed emphasis on the poetic and innovative aspects of the field. His vision is one of a recuperated ‘dreamy science’ that transcends the constraints of conventional practice, paving the way for an architecture that is bold, imaginative, and transformative.

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