Off the Shelf: de Rijke Marsh Morgan Book

Modernism, in form and social programme, dRMM seem to be saying, is something whose pretensions can be toyed with, flipped in the air and reconstituted, but never totally ignored. The Architects' Journal Most buildings designed by architects are 'one-offs' -- elaborate, crafted productions defined by subjective aesthetic criteria. Off the Shelf proposes an alternative -- a nonstandard architecture imaginatively assembled using standard elements available from catalogues. The principles of this architecture are illustrated with projects drawn from both the practice of dRMM (de Rijke Marsh Morgan) and the work of the AA unit they teach. The projects range from a mobile 'capsule hotel' to a sushi restaurant with a sliding transparent wall. They are presented in the form of fold-out 'DIY guides' detailing the process of assembly. An essay section sets the work in context, drawing parallels both with surrealism and contemporary Dutch art practice.Read More