Gyroscopic Horizons

One of the world's most influential contemporary architects is profiled in this monograph. As third director of the progressive Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) and an architect of rich technological imagery and innovative form, Neil Denari has achieved recognition through his designs, writings and installations. A mixture of photography, cultural criticism, graphic imagery and architectural work, the heart of this book contains discussion of 20 architectural projects spanning Denari's career, from his acclaimed "Interrupted Projections" installation at Gallery Ma in Tokyo to the more recent design for the first Microsoft retail store. Denari's trademark computer renderings are displayed in each one, and a comprehensive list of his work includes everything from early urban experiments to mechanical explorations. Just as an aeroplane's gyroscope creates an artificial horizon line for the pilot, Denari eliminates the dictates of the physical earth in favour of cultural, economic and graphic forces. This publication is a celebration - and critique - of the image, function and progress of technology and globalization in the information age.