Decay by cynicism: Marseille on plastic

A vulgarian hospital bloc, in-

dispensable dispensary of medic-

ations of impeccable hazard, is

now a bland sea of taupes and

extruded plastic reading chairs,

under the dour Intercontinental

logotype. Streets are being cel-

brated for lack of texture and

bracing aromatics, unaccountably

dismissed as "grit." The soul of

the bouillabaisse, itself, is re-

duced to a "milk shake," sparing

cast iron its raison d'être, and

les fruits de mer their fame, for

drawing thrill-seekers with cred-

it cards. The integuments of the

place and its purpose are no long-

er fluently flexed; even Le Corbu-

sire's wonderfully incongruous

Cité Radieuse is impressed into

service to taxable tourism. And

yet still he saw us coming. An

architecture, a city, a culture

defying mockery, met its muleta.

Eduard Galia

untitled

undated

Le Corbusier

Taureau

lithograph

1949