Learning from Las Vegas

Robert Venturi

Alejandro Lara

Design Culture

Teacher: Sansal Erdinc

19th of January of 2011

Modern architecture is focused on space, that what makes it different from other arts
like painting, sculpture, literature, etc. Ancient architecture was a mixture of each type
of art, but, nowadays, the iconology of architecture has been abandoned. Art is used to
reinforce the architectural space, the meaning of this art is not important.

Modern architecture has also a meaning in its shape, and is giving a message to the
observer. There is also another kind of architecture, one that is like ancient architecture,
is based on signs and styles. In ancient Rome, signs were paintings and sculpture, in Las
Vegas; it is made by advertisings and billboards. Communication goes over the space,
this causes a new type of landscape, because signs are perceived faster than the shape
of architecture itself.

The Strip is full of signs, shops have advertisings to show what they have, but they
don’t show the merchandise, it is just a way to catch the attention of the visitor in an
attempt to sell them something. The architecture in Las Vegas is neutral, because the
main attention of the people is focused on signs, having a really good architecture is a
futile effort because lights and advertising would hide this kind of architecture in a city
like Las Vegas. The graphic design of the signs has become the new landscape.

In Rome, people knew where they were because of the squares and obelisks, now, in
Las Vegas; it is possible because of the signs. Architecture landscape is now a signs
landscape that help you to understand in which part of the Strip are you at any
moment, so your understanding of the space is because of the signs, not because of
the architecture of the casinos. Signs are big and buildings are small. Signs are now the
main character in this type of city and architecture has a secondary role.