Hygiene and ritual in OMA’s domestic architecture

Abstract

Between 1984 and 1998, OMA produced a series of small-scale domestic projects. Rem Koolhaas uses ces maison as a tool for reflection, allowing him to explore the ‘hedonistic dimension’ that characterises the architecture of the Modern Movement. Among the spaces that stand out in this lineage connecting the Dutch architect to the great masters, the bathroom is a particularly rich universe. In the work of Koolhaas, water is the central focus in the ongoing research intended to transcend strictly hygienic, functional considerations to define a genuine ritual choice of dimensions, perceptive relations, circulation paths and materials.

Keywords

• oma
• rem koolhaas
• bathroom
• ritual
• domestic
• hedonism
• dwelling