Ruin value - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia →
Ruin value (German: Ruinenwert) is the concept that a building be designed such that if it eventually collapsed, it would leave behind aesthetically pleasing ruins that would last far longer without any maintenance at all. The idea was pioneered by German architect Albert Speer while planning for the 1936 Summer Olympics and published as “The Theory of Ruin Value” (Die Ruinenwerttheorie). The intention did not stretch only to the eventual collapse of the buildings, but rather assumed such buildings were inherently better designed and more imposing during their period of use.
recent point of obsession: How do you design digital systems that decay intentionally?
(via slavin)
