Can a project survive obsolescence? Lessons from Fun Palace and Kawasaki

Abstract

As one of the leading figures in cybernetics, Gordon Pask (1928–1996) has had an extensive impact in the field of architecture through his close connections with architecture and design communities in the UK and the USA from the early 1960s onwards. He promoted his ideas in architecture on several occasions, and his collaboration with Cedric Price (1934–2003) is one of the most prominent exemplars of this strong relationship. The paper offers a comparative reading of two particular instances of their joint work, the frequently-cited Fun Palace project of the 1960s and the little-known Kawasaki project of the 1980s, to frame a discussion on the ability of architectural attempts that are driven by computer technologies to escape obsolescence despite what is dictated otherwise by the nature of technological progress. It posits that, rather than being conceived as incorporating the cutting-edge computer technologies of their time, these pro-jects enjoy enduring significance and relevance stemming from a deep exploration of human-machine relationship based on certain cybernetic ideas that aim for genuine interaction between buildings and their users.