Publication

2018 - Terreform/Urban Research, New York, New York (State)

Language

English

Word Count

66,750 words, Guess

Page Count

267 pages

Identifiers

Classifications

  • LCCNA935.6 D69 2018

Alternate Titles

  • Helicoide's descent from mall to prison

Description

Hailed in the 1950s as a beacon of Latin America's modernist architecture, Venezuela's El Helicoide is a futuristic fantasy gone sour. At its conception, this drive-through shopping center embodied a narrative of progress, fueled by soaring oil prices, consumerism, and car culture. Yet a very different story unfolded on its spiral ramps. Caught in the transition from military dictatorship to democratic rule, El Helicoide became a site of abandonment, encircled by slums, and repurposed in 1979 as an emergency shelter for flood victims. Since 1985, it has been a headquarters for national intelligence and security police agencies, and an infamous prison. Combining archival documents, critical analysis, literary texts, and visual commentary, Downward Spiral traces the turbulent history of this living ruin and reveals the dystopic side of urban modernity.

Subjects

Series Statement

  • Urban research -- 12
  • Urban research (Series) -- 28 cm.

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