A new examination of contemporary architecture reveals how neoliberal ideology has fundamentally transformed the spaces we inhabit, creating environments that not only generate human misery but also profit from it. Historian Christian Welzbacher explores which architectural forms have become emblematic of our current economic system.
Welzbacher's research investigates the direct relationship between neoliberal capitalism and the built environment, demonstrating how architectural design both reflects and reinforces societal inequalities. His work examines how spaces are created within a society that systematically produces suffering while simultaneously finding ways to monetize that very suffering.
The historian's analysis focuses on identifying specific architectural typologies that serve as physical manifestations of neoliberal principles. These structures, according to Welzbacher, represent more than mere buildings – they embody a worldview that prioritizes profit over human welfare and social responsibility.
This architectural critique comes at a time when urban planning and design decisions increasingly favor market-driven solutions over community needs. Welzbacher's work contributes to a growing body of scholarship that examines how the physical environment shapes social relations and economic outcomes in contemporary society.
