Bigness

E482546

Bigness is Rem Koolhaas’s influential architectural concept that explores how extremely large buildings fundamentally alter design, program, and urban relationships.

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Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf architectural manifesto
architectural theory concept
arguesThat beyond a certain size architecture acquires new properties
circulation and infrastructure dominate large buildings
extreme size changes the relationship between building and city
facade becomes less important than interior organization in large buildings
large buildings can become independent from their context
programmatic layering becomes central in large buildings
traditional architectural composition breaks down at large scales
associatedWith airports
contemporary urbanism
high‑rise typologies
large cultural complexes
megastructures
shopping malls
author Rem Koolhaas NERFINISHED
claims architectural control diminishes as size increases
engineering and logistics gain importance in large buildings
interior of large buildings can function like a city
large buildings can contain multiple urban programs
critiques contextualism in architecture
modernist functional purity
traditional human‑scale architectural discourse
developedAt Office for Metropolitan Architecture NERFINISHED
discipline architecture
focusesOn autonomy of large buildings
impact of size on design
programmatic complexity
scale in architecture
urban relationships
very large buildings
hasForm essay
illustrated theoretical text
influenced design of large mixed‑use complexes
discussions of the megabuilding
late 20th‑century architectural theory
influencedBy globalization
intensification of real‑estate development
postmodern urban conditions
language English
partOfWork S,M,L,XL
publicationYear 1995
relatedConcept Generic City
Junkspace
megalopolis
subdiscipline architectural theory
urban theory
theorizedBy Rem Koolhaas NERFINISHED

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Rem Koolhaas notableIdea Bigness