PARLIAMENT OP

Amsterdam-based office XML explores the complex relationship between space and politics by documenting and comparing the plenary halls of the parliaments of all 193 United Nations member states. Whether arranged in a semicircle or horseshoe, as opposing benches or classroom style, the seats in these halls not only offer clues to a nations history, but also the atmosphere in which its laws are shaped. Comparing contexts between divergent geographical locations and governments, both democratic and authoritarian, the lexicon addresses these spaces as more than symbolic representations of national values, portraying them as actors in the shaping of our shared future.

"Parliament is the space where politics literally takes shape. Here, collective decisions take form in a specific setting where relationships between political actors are organized through architecture. The architecture of spaces of political congregation is not only an expression of a political culture, it also shapes this culture. 0Since 2010, architecture office XML has researched the architecture of spaces of political congregation. The book 'Parliament' explores the double-sided relationship between space and politics by documenting and comparing the plenary halls of the parliaments of all 193 United Nations member states. Almost like a manual archive, the book documents the rooms in the same style and scale and also provides key data and the assembly hall's location within the larger parliament building. Organized as a lexicon, the book allows comparison of all 193 national parliaments in the world." --Cover.