Brandscapes : architecture in the experience economy

In the new environment of brandscapes, buildings are not about where we work and live but who we imagine ourselves to be. In Brandscapes, Anna Klingmann looks critically at the controversial practice of branding by examining its benefits and considering the damage it may do.” “Klingmann argues that architecture can use the concepts and methods of branding – not as a quick-and-easy selling tool for architects but as a strategic tool for economic and cultural transformation. Branding in architecture means the expression of identity, whether it be of an enterprise or a city; New York, Bilbao, and Shanghai have used architecture to enhance their images, generate economic growth, and elevate their positions in the global village. Klingmann looks at different kinds of brandscaping today, from Disneyland, Las Vegas, and Times Square – prototypes and case studies in branding – to Prada’s superstar-architect-designed shopping epicenters and the banalities of NikeTown. Beyond outlining the status quo, Klingmann also alerts us to the dangers of brandscapes.”–Jacket