Cruising Pavilion: Architecture, Dissident Sex and Cruising Cultures

A fascinating, global look at the mutual conditioning between gay cruising subcultures and the built environments in which they function

This volume investigates the influence of cruising cultures on the fields of architecture and urbanism by constructing a typology of the different spaces produced by sexual subcultures, mainly those of gay men. From appropriated spaces such parks, public toilets and streets to dedicated spaces such as sex clubs, bars, bathhouses and geosocial dating apps, cruising has subverted the libidinal cartography and uses of the modern metropolis. A series of case studies on specific cruising hotspots around the world–from the men’s bathrooms in New York’s Central Park to the island of Lesbos, Greece, to the Peace Memorial Park in Taipei, Taiwan–is complemented by photographs, city planning maps and essays on related topics such as the ethics of glory holes.
This exciting book looks at these spatial practices through the lens of the artistic avant-gardes that evolved on the edge of sex, art and architecture. This book follows the eponymous curatorial project initiated by Pierre-Alexandre Mateos, Rasmus Myrup, Octave Perrault and Charles Teyssou, which traveled from Venice to Paris, New York, Fire Island and Stockholm.

Author: Pierre-Alexandre Matteos
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Spector Books
Published: 07/14/2026
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9783959057455
Language: English