Chora L Works

by Jacques Derrida, Peter Eisenman, Thomas Leeser (Contributor)

Chora L Works documents the unprecedented collaboration, initiated in 1985, between philosopher Jacques Derrida and architect Peter Eisenman on a project for the Parc de la Villette in Paris. Woven into the volume are discussion transcripts, candid correspondence, and essays, as well as sketches, presentation drawings, and models. Derrida and Eisenman's design process was guided by Plato's chora text from the Timeaus; their unique reciprocal relationship was an interchange—and transformation—of voices.

Genres: Philosophy, Architecture

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher best known for developing deconstruction, a method of critical analysis that questioned the stability of meaning in language, texts, and Western metaphysical thought. Born in Algeria, he studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, where he was influenced by philosophers such as Heidegger, Husserl, and Levinas. His groundbreaking works, including Of Grammatology (1967), Writing and Difference (1967), and Speech and Phenomena (1967), positioned him at the center of intellectual debates on language, meaning, and interpretation.
Derrida argued that Western philosophy was structured around binary oppositions—such as speech over writing, presence over absence, or reason over emotion—that falsely privileged one term over the other. He introduced the concept of différance, which suggests that meaning is constantly deferred and never fully present, destabilizing the idea of fixed truth. His work engaged with a wide range of disciplines, including literature, psychoanalysis, political theory, and law, challenging conventional ways of thinking and interpretation.
Throughout his career, Derrida continued to explore ethical and political questions, particularly in works such as Specters of Marx (1993) and The Politics of Friendship (1994), which addressed democracy, justice, and responsibility. He held academic positions at institutions such as the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales and the University of California, Irvine, and remained an influential figure in both European and American intellectual circles. Despite criticism for his complex writing style and abstract concepts, Derrida’s ideas have left a lasting impact on contemporary philosophy, literary theory, and cultural criticism, reshaping the way meaning and language are understood in the modern world.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book follows a collaboration between Derrida and Eisenman, through to (perhaps most appropriately for decon), it's non-completion. Throughout the transcripts, Derrida comes across as engaged and focused, providing plenty of ideas for how to manifest metaphysics. The architectural collaborators, on the other hand, seem intent on ignoring much of what he says, referring to him as having a ‘naïve’ understanding of forms, or just repeatedly re-directing the project to where they want to take it, which is predominantly back towards prior projects such as (the unbuilt) Cannaregio in Venice. Feels like a missed opportunity for the architects. You can almost feel Derrida rolling his eyes throughout.

[Amber Manning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Derrida is most lucid in his interviews. I dig the die cuts.