Project Icon

The book by renowned British sociologist Lesley Sklair presents a comprehensive sociological analysis of a new type of cult architecture that has spread widely across the world since the last quarter of the 20th century. This is a masterful overview of the work of leading architects of our time and outstanding architectural "icons" in the context of the development of capitalist globalization, which supports and encourages the creation of increasingly large-scale and ambitious projects. From the perspective of a sociologist well-acquainted with the mechanisms of private capital's power and the commercial demands it imposes, the author traces the triumphant path of the global project "Icon," which generates and encourages class polarization and hyperconsumption in modern society. Readers are free to disagree with Sklair's harsh criticism, but in any case, the search for alternative aesthetics in architectural design and urban planning is undoubtedly of interest.