Gravity at Play

Architects in the 1950s pursued increasingly weightless, vertiginous forms that reflected a world shaped by Cold War instability and technological ambition. Drawing on Roger Caillois’s sociology of play, this essay traces the emergence of “architectural ilinx,” a phenomenon that reached a defining moment at the Brussels World’s Fair (Expo 58). In addition to situating this trend within a broader cultural preoccupation with gravity, it argues for its ongoing relevance in today’s experience‑driven built environment.