The Generic Sublime

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Skyscraper collectives, high-rise housing, mixed-use developments, luxury condominiums, and various large-scale architectural typologies dominate the contemporary built environment globally. Despite their prevalence, these forms are often constrained by outdated urbanism traditions and strict disciplinary separations in architectural practice. The exploration of the modern concept of the generic reveals its potential to transcend mere organizational homogeneity and formal neutrality, evolving into something singular and extraordinary. Ciro Najle, working with students from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design's Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning and Design departments, investigates the organizational protocols of building collectives and develops architectural models that embrace the unprecedented possibilities of extra-extra-large structures. The book features essays from notable contributors, including Mohsen Mostafavi, Inaki Abalos, and Farshid Moussavi, among others, offering diverse perspectives on the intersection of architecture and urbanism in the context of contemporary challenges and opportunities.