Modern architecture is underpinned by a strictly reductionist rationale that tries to “explain” the causality behind every spatial phenomenon. The spiritual and ritual aspects of spatial production are regarded as atavistic and have been largely ignored by theorists. Yet rituals, along with their landscapes and built structures, are a vibrant part of the modern world. How can these sites be approached in a scientific way? What kinds of theories lend themselves to the study of these spaces? Wonders of the Modern World is a first, tentative attempt at an atlas of today’s ritual landscapes. Case studies with detailed drawings and photographic documentation intertwine with essays and interviews in an exploration of how these contemporary wonders happen.

Modern architecture is underpinned by a strictly reductionist rationale that tries to “explain” the causality behind every spatial phenomenon. The spiritual and ritual aspects of spatial production are regarded as atavistic and have been largely ignored by theorists. Yet rituals, along with their landscapes and built structures, are a vibrant part of the modern world. How can these sites be approached in a scientific way? What kinds of theories lend themselves to the study of these spaces? Wonders of the Modern World is a first, tentative attempt at an atlas of today’s ritual landscapes. Case studies with detailed drawings and photographic documentation intertwine with essays and interviews in an exploration of how these contemporary wonders happen.