Koen recently made reference to arrière-garde efforts of architects.
As a non-French/Flemish speaker, and as a lover of puns, I had to wonder what the difference in meaning (and coarseness) would be to refer to a derriere-garde effort, rather than an arriere-garde effort by architects. 🙂
Please forgive me.
My guess...
...is that it would be a comprehensive term to describe all measures architect might invoke or take in order to protect their behinds. A kind of virtual shield against kicks in the butt. Although a well restored Eames shell would do, I do not think it would be appropriate to call an Eames shell ?derrière-garde?. Frank L.W. used to say that if you fail as an architect you can always grow ivy over your creations and let it disappear behind the greenery. That kind of ivy would qualify I think as derrière-garde. I am not suggesting that all these fashionable vertical green walls are derrière-garde, although some clearly show a defensive kind of attitude comparable with using a shield. A pre-requisite for that qualification is of course that the architect is aware of the fact that a critical kick in the butt is likely. Most architect that deserve this kind of retro-active punishment are of course not aware of it and so I would qualify the derrière-garde as a self-critical attitude seldom seen?especially before the Olympics.
Thank you for starting such an important discussion. Hopefully this discussion will not be used to contact wifes or girlfriends of other DA participants....one last point The day before Georges Nelson would have turned 100, I will turn 65. Other than the 35 years difference the other main difference is that I an still alive. I will consider any limited edition anyone on DA would like to suggest.
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