Big. Yes Is More. An Archicomic On Architectural Evolution

By (author) COLLECTIF; Edited by Taschen
Short description/annotation:
Focuses on the essence of life, human nature, and how to live a good simple life - all distilled through the lens of the Three Creeds: Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. This handbook is about rejecting desire and greed, and revealing clear Truth, stripping away the extraneous layers of self-deception and phenomenal attachment.
Description:

Yes is More is the easily accessible but unremittingly radical manifesto of Copenhagen-based architectural practice Bjarke Ingels Group, or BIG.Unlike a typical architectural monograph, this book uses the comic book format to express its groundbreaking agenda for contemporary architecture. It is also the first comprehensive documentation of BIG’s trailblazing practice—where method, process, instruments, and concepts are constantly questioned and redefined. Or, as the group itself says:

“Historically, architecture has been dominated by two opposing extremes: an avant-garde full of crazy ideas, originating from philosophy or mysticism; and the well organized corporate consultants that build predictable and boring boxes of high standard. Architecture seems entrenched: naively utopian or petrifyingly pragmatic. We believe there is a third way between these diametric opposites: a pragmatic utopian architecture that creates socially, economically, and environmentally perfect places as a practical objective. At BIG we are devoted to investing in the overlap between radical and reality. In all our actions we try to move the focus from the little details to the BIG picture.”

Bjarke Ingels attracts highly talented coworkers, but also gifted and ambitious clients from all over the world. He then creates intelligent synergies from wild energies and unforeseen dynamics, and transforms them into surprising, functional, valuable, and beautiful solutions to the specific and complex challenges in each task.

BIG projects have won awards from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Architecture Biennale, as well as many other international prizes. Yes is More is a play on words that represents the company’s ethos and sums up its irreverent attitude towards excessive formalism, and its determination to involve the population at large in its creations. As an extension of its methods and results, its debut monograph uses the most approachable and populist means of communication available—the comic.

Review quote:
“As a vehicle for delivering Ingel’s can-do dynamism, it works.”
Promotional headline:
Yes is more is a popular and easily accessible manifesto for architecture as one of the most relevant aggregates of the 21st century in which we may epitomise and answer many of the global agenda-setting questions. In the exhibition and in the book, B.I.G. shows how they conceptualise the polymorphous demands, complex rules and highly specialised knowledge of society, creating tangible solutions through artistic processes; solutions which time and again attract the interest of the population at large as well as the respect of global aficionados. Yes is more is a communication created in this very spirit - combing elite and popular elements - allowing the sublime to shone through in the commonplace. Thus audiences are invited into B.I.G.''s processes, methods and results using the most approachable and populist means of communication available - the cartoon. -Kent Martinussen, Architect, CEO, Danish Architecture Centre