ABSTRACT
Chapter 21 offers a comprehensive examination of the connections between built environments and global processes, spanning from the colonial era to the present day. It begins by exploring the bungalow as a representative example of how different architectural styles and building types have been disseminated and adopted across the world.
The chapter introduces various methodological approaches to understanding global architectural flows within the distinct economic, social, and political contexts in which they emerge. It delves into the phenomenon of global competition in constructing the tallest towers, which has become a significant symbol of a country’s arrival on the global stage. This competition often leads to a tendency towards homogenization in the built environment. While homogeneity in architecture is often seen as undesirable, the chapter argues that it can also be a means of reducing social conflict and promoting harmony. It concludes that the wealth and power of corporations as well as state support behind them are the contexts in which architecture and globalization relate to each other in our time.
