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Thread: What does architecture say about culture?

  1. #41

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    What does architecture say about culture?

    Well said, EK!
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  2. #42

    What does architecture say about culture?

    grump wrote: Have any of you ever tried to build an architect designed residence?

    Ive been on both ends to some extent, both the construction side and the architect side. however, nothing worth doing is simple.

  3. #43
    Kirk Gittings's Avatar
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    What does architecture say about culture?

    "Have any of you ever tried to build an architect designed residence?"

    Have you ever tried to print for a picky photographer?

    Have you ever tried to photograph for an interior designer?

    Have you ever done copy work for a successful painter?

    Have you ever....................I think you get my point.
    Thanks,
    Kirk

    at age 73:
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep"

  4. #44

    What does architecture say about culture?

    Wow, great post!

    Ok, up front let me say that I'm an architect and architectural educator and a sometime scholar.

    A long time ago I was a student under Peter Eisenmann who has been both reviled and hailed for his architectural works. Peter's position was that of the architecture that gets built today 90% is crap and 10% is good. Of that 10%, 90% is ok and 10% is memorable. And of that 10%, only 10% can be considered lasting. This ratio has been constant for as long as people have built architecture and if you read popular criticism from different eras going back to the Greeks you will find criticism remarkably similar to the criticism of architecture today. Basically, people writing about architecture in their respective period, whether Rome or the Renaissence, felt that most of what got built was crap and they don't build them like they used to. One of my favorites is a critique of St Peter's in Rome as being too flashy, cheap materials and a big waste of money.

    So, whats my point? Architecture today is no better or worse than at any other point in time. People like older architecture because it has been weeded out by society from architecture that was deemed inferior. Whats left is what was best. American cities are young, especially west of the Mississippi and so have been weeded out less. European cities are old and have been weeded out for a long time. Older the city, the more good architecture.

    Architecture has ALWAYS been about economics. As a significant pooling of capital, buildings have never been built without the expectation of some kind of return or gain. It is also a truism that whoever was building a structure that individual sought ways to build the most with the least. Today, when we say that buildings aren't built to last remember that up until the late 19th century the only options for building large structures was either brick or stone. However, brick and stone buildings require as much or more maintenance as a stucco box and many of our most beloved buildings have come perilously (sp?) close to failure because either the construction or material (brick and stone) was failing.

    Adding all this up and maybe we and our architecture is modern in a way that architecture and society was modern in the 1500's. In 400 years or so someone may complain about the state of architecture and lament that they don't build them like today's version of Guarino Guarini.... Frank Gehry.

  5. #45

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    What does architecture say about culture?

    Ah, give me the dozer right now - I have a few Gehry buildings in mind that don't need 400 years for the decision! Check out the eyesore by the the 134 Freeway in Burbank. And I'd bet it cost way more than a decent building that at least didn't look like a shack.

  6. #46

    What does architecture say about culture?

    I miss the days of form-follows-function. Deconstructionist architecture is so lame and un-interesting! If I see another glass and metal structure with lots of 30 degree angles and cables with no apparent function, my brain may jump out of my ear and go build a log cabin, Lincoln style.

  7. #47
    Kirk Gittings's Avatar
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    What does architecture say about culture?

    My favorite architect of the modernist era is Mies van der Rohe.

    www.farnsworthhouse.org/images/fh_splash_graphic_3h.jpg

    Having said that I am really glad there is not more of it than there is, because too much of it would be boring. But really the same is true of all important art. We need change, revolution. evolution or it all becomes mind numbing. We may not like the current direction but wait a minute and it will probably evolve into something you do. I loved Post-Moderism at first, but it quickly became a cliche and I came to despise it. Some of what has evolved since is stupendous.
    Thanks,
    Kirk

    at age 73:
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep"

  8. #48

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    What does architecture say about culture?

    Check out the eyesore by the the 134 Freeway in Burbank.

    Did you have a particular one in mind?

  9. #49

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    What does architecture say about culture?

    Hey Marko!

    Sorry for the mistake - in my thoughts, I mistakenly mentioned the Disney Feature Animation Building, by Robert M. Stern as a Gehry, in part because of the look of corrugated siding. The side it shows the freeway is not the best. I regret my previous post slamming Gehry, whose work doesn't usually please me, however I still toast anyone that can get away with what he does. And in this case, I don't know of Stern's work otherwise. I had somehow grouped Edsel=Gehry=corrugated siding=ugly buildings together in the back of my mind somewhere.

    In my silly passion to dislike the Gehry House and others like it, I made a mistake. As to Gehry, I start by thinking of Gehry House and others.

    Meanwhile, back to your regular programming. I'm going to leave discussion of architecture to others who know more about it. Thanks for the question Marko.

  10. #50

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    What does architecture say about culture?

    I think the best modern architecture is coming from architects that are thinking about the people and the impact of their designs on the entire community. Rather than the egocentric, wealthy, or hucksters who impose a single building without context or place their "ism" onto their neighbors.

    I like things like what Mockbee is doing in the rural south, or the non-Disney New Urbanists, or the people who refurbish shipping containers into inexpensive housing. Even things like Maya Lin's barn restoration where she raised it and built underneath. All of which are fairly under the radar, with the photography being done for free or for very little money (i.e. editorial work.)

    What you see in the magazines is more the result of having a good publicist than merit, in many cases... and we now have architectural publicists as a bonafide profession.

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