Faust is still here

“Money as an extension of man, as his power over men and circumstances”.

Marshall Berman has quoted Lukacs in the book “Faust” to show evidence that capitalism is one of the essential forces in Faust’s development.

In fact, Marshall Berman has compared the Goethe’s Faust to explain the tragedy of phenomenon the desire for development, which is an impulse generated by a dynamism that is the vital force of Goethe’s Faust.  Nevertheless, this emotion was the real drama of the main character represented by the evil presence of Mephisto.

Nowadays, we have the same feeling in Architecture, where the desire for development is the only reason to explore new technology and new scenarios for building.  On the other hand, this phenomenon becomes a proper drama for everybody will live and use that Architecture, because all these buildings do not have a soul and a meaning.  The article of J. Meades on Zaha Hadid proves exactly the same drama when Mrs. Hadid cannot explain any of her project.  It is obvious that money is the only meaning of her project and the only reason those buildings exist.  As Faust’s evil Mephisto, money is also the drama and the tragedy of development.

In conclusion, we could say that contemporary Architecture is often without a soul and without a meaning, because the idea of development to create new architectural incons brings these buildings to be only objects of design and products but not Architecture.  Unfortunately, Goethe’s Faust is still a contemporary and negative character.