Back to Reality. Architecture and the World of Fantasy (original) (raw)

This article concerns the relationship contemporary architecture has with fantasy. This relationship is looked by the analysis of contemporary social phenomena related to the establishment of virtual realities in everyday life. Because of the exploitation of fantasy, in terms of the individual’s desires and expectations, by current economic and political system, one’s everyday tasks are entirely projected in the realm of digital realities. This attitude detaches us from the Real. The Real becomes uncomfortable, whereas the world we designed and customise, by means of digital techniques, appears our cocoon wherein we wrap ourselves in. What is the position architecture establishes in this context? How contemporary architecture deals with fantasy?