ecstacity

 ECSTACITY

by Nigel Coates

In this encyclopeadic book, Nigel Coates unfolds his view of the contemporary metropolis in the form of Ecstacity, a hypothetical place described by The Guardian as “a gloriously dynamic vision of what a city might be if only we stretched out imagination.”

Developed over a decade through various media, Ecstacity is a combination of the built and the unbuilt. It makes the case for a sensorial and responsive architecture. It demonstrates how pluralism and not uniformity, corresponds to the multiplication of lifestyles and global communication. With scenes, streetscapes and buildings appropriated from Tokyo, Cairo, London, New York, Rome, Mumbai and Rio de Janeiro, Ecstacity constructs an urban kaleidoscope marked by cultural diversity.

Accessibly written yet vigorous and as complex as the city itself, Guide to Ecstacity is simultaneously a sourcebook, architectural survey, novel and autobiography. It includes many of Coates’ influential and witty designs as well as other progressive work by leading architects, designers, artists and photographers.