On Sharkitecture

I thought it might be a good idea at this point in our story to provide at least a cursory explanation of the term "Sharkitecture," which has become something of a rubric for most of my public activities. The real credit for the term goes to Greg Gaul (aka Business Fucking Casual), formerly of Sugarquief. From there, it took on a life of its own. There was first the observation by Jacob Shapiro that one of the few redeeming features of Robert Venturi's Frist Campus Center at Princeton University is the large shark that hangs from the ceiling and is visible through the glass south facade. Such a non sequitur is, as far as we are concerned, a validation of postmodern architecture seldom realized in built form.

But more than this, the shark is a fitting mascot for architecture in general. For one, it is a creature that has existed happily for millions of years, with no natural predators to challenge it. I have also heard that no shark has ever died of natural causes -- hence its potential in cancer and Alzheimer’s research. If we are to accept some kind of "intelligent design" principle as a convenient alternative to evolution, the shark again must stand out as proof of this mysterious theory. One might find here, also, a certain parallel to the world of architecture. After all, for all of our nitpicking and proselytizing, the essential composition of building technology has changed hardly at all since the dawn of time: prop up a few logs and cover them with rough-hewn beams, and by any other name you have made yourself some architecture.

And so it is that sharkitecture has become more than merely a lament. It is now an acknowledgement of the organic -- not merely the curvy, but also the intrinsically alive -- in architecture. This is to say that a building, left to its own devices, might choose to eat you. Moreover, no building has ever succumbed to a purely natural death. (This is a debatable point, but surely one worth debating.)

As of this writing, the only official use of "Sharkitecture" in the business world can be found here, as part of the marketing hoopla associated with a particular line of computer racks. I challenge the manufacturer of this product to do justice to the word they are currently using without comprehending its real meaning.

So, the next time you find yourself gazing in awe at a particularly fierce piece of metal, or staring into the jaws of a ravenous pile of bricks, I suggest you count your blessings. The sharkitecture will not attack unless provoked, or led to believe it sees a surfer. Keep the waters free of chum, and you will escape with all your limbs intact.