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The Space of Appearance

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The Space of Appearance derives its title, as the author indicates, from a paragraph in Hannah Arendt's book, The Human Condition where she stated that:
"Action and speech create a space between the participants which can find its proper location almost any time and anywhere. It is the space of appearance in the widest sense of the word, namely, the space where I appear to others as others appear to me, where men exist not merely like other living or inanimate things but make their appearance explicitly."

Baird takes this as the initial point for his theoretical investigation of the different courses that architecture has taken in the Twentieth century, attempting to trace the 'political' dimension of architecture, and the failures of the Modern Movement to fully translate its social ideals, without abandoning hope that this remains a worthwhile and timely project. Baird's book is a timely reminder that architecture must rise above the trivial formal gymnastics and marketing slogans of these times to assume its role as a generator of public space and ultimately as a catalyst of the socio-political.