In Jacques Tati's classic film *Mon Oncle* (1958), the house—as the scenographic embodiment of the "machine for living"—is the protagonist. Its technological devices, occasionally untameable, dictate the rules. The homeowner, Madame Arpel, is a typical technocentrist, marveling at the technology surrounding her and believing it to be the solution to all her daily problems. In contrast to Madame Arpel is her brother, Mr. Hulot, who arrives for a visit and struggles to cope with all this innovation. Throughout his stay, we are introduced to a house that proves to be highly complex, while simultaneously denying the user any control.
At the time the film was produced, technology in various applications, including architecture, was causing a frenzy. Today, over 60 years later, it is an indispensable part of our daily lives. Going far beyond the automated systems depicted in the film, such as a fountain turned on with a button or an electric gate, we have advanced to the point where it is impossible to separate our daily lives from technology.
