Architectural publicity in the age of globalization.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Experiences in Bilbao epitomize Rem Koolhaas' claim that "globalization destabilizes and redefines both the way architecture is produced and that which architecture produces." The Guggenheim Museum (1997) remains the preeminent example of how architectural production and its repercussions are shaped by global flows, as well as how recognition of effects shapes public reception of architecture. Although the media catchphrase "Bilbao effect" continues to define the terms of what xv innovative architecture is expected to produce, we require stronger analytical frameworks for evaluating the broader implications of public sponsorship of innovative architecture. Exceeding the limited notion of the "Bilbao effect" and critiques of spectacle, this study develops the notion of architectural publicity as a conceptual framework to evaluate public architecture programs and elucidate their relative effects.
Investigating several international architecture programs and their exemplary projects expands our understanding of how public architecture is defined and perceived within the contemporary context of globalization. Among the range of possible programs, inquiries focus on three cases located in peripheral areas with strong regional heritages. Strategic urban redevelopment in Bilbao Spain (1989-- ), the Libraries for All program in Seattle USA (1998--2008), and the Artpolis program in Kumamoto Japan (1988-- ) represent diverse attempts to employ innovative architecture to improve local positions within global hierarchies. Comparative analyses reveal how to operate within the contemporary global cultural economy, how architecture engages the public and facilitates a vital public realm, as well as how public interest in architecture is mediated. Invested with scholarly and practical concerns, the findings help sensitize architects to the broader implications of projects and increase general recognition of architecture's potential effects. Demonstrating a range of repercussions strengthens arguments for continued public sponsorship of innovative architecture. Through interdisciplinary perspectives applied to diverse cases, this research explicates the potentials of architectural publicity in the age of globalization.