The apolitical avant-garde of architecture: A comparison between Karel Teige, Rem Koolhaas, and Bjarke Ingels

Abstract

The term avant-garde in architecture has most often been associated with the conceptual architecture in western Europe of the sixties and seventies, many times overshadowing the predecessors of the early European modernists. Even looking back before this moment, the term is mostly associated with the moderate faction of CIAM, especially the followers of Le Corbusier and Purism. However, if one considers that the avant-garde in architecture derived from that moment – of CIAM and the late twenties to early thirties – then it is worthy to revisit the Marxist faction of CIAM, that disappeared in most western histories of the 20th century, because their avant-garde position on architecture involved serious political discussions, demands, and action. This thesis considers the Marxist position of CIAM to be the true early avant-garde of architecture and argues that its disappearance caused architecture the radical conversations involving architecture and politics. The argument is drawn by comparing three main figures of different times in architecture.