Irénée Scalbert's 'Totems' Collects 25 Years of Architectural Essays

Park Books has published 'Totems: Selected Essays on Architecture', a collection of ten texts and lectures by critic and historian Irénée Scalbert, written over the past 25 years. The essays focus on twentieth-century European architecture, covering topics from Norman Foster's Stansted Airport to Aldo Rossi's San Cataldo Cemetery. Scalbert's writing is characterized by dry humor and erudition, often drawing unexpected parallels, such as comparing a Dutch firm's unbuilt concert hall in Bruges to Napoleon's elephant mockup. The book is presented in a format reminiscent of a Michelin Green Guide, reflecting the author's role as a longtime lecturer in London, Limerick, and beyond. Scalbert's essays deliberately avoid contemporary ecological and political issues, instead inviting readers to consider opposing views.