Has corporate architecture doomed the city?

Over the last century, corporate headquarters -- as well as churches, universities and government institutions -- have been pillars of the urban environment, embodying the culture, values and aspirations of their societies.

Yet today's corporations -- competing in global, open-market economies; distanced and disassociated from the means of production — have increasingly situated themselves on the suburban periphery, replacing civic engagement with simple displays of technological prowess, such as the ubiquitous glass curtain wall.

As a result, "corporations must be seen as potential 'dissolving agents' of the cities in which they have chosen to locate," argues Peter MacKeith, associate director of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis, where he also serves as associate dean of Architecture.

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