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When is the revolution in architecture coming?

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Re: When is the revolution in architecture coming?

#151

Post by d--b »

ollifi wrote: post #117

I find it amazing that most commenters find nothing good in contemporary architecture but at the same time seem to believe that if only somebody did the right thing things would be better. I think it is pretty obvious that there are hard constraints at play here. If it would be possible to do different kind of new buildings, somebody in the world surely would be doing them. It’s really hard to find anyone who doesn’t…

It's not that nothing's good. Obviously, lots of great stuff out there. Just, if you look at what gets built at scale, you get this:

https://uk.tourisme93.com/rosa-parks-paris.html

This is one of the 2 "revamped" neighborhoods in Paris. The other is that one:

https://www.batiactu.com/edito/paris-rive-gauche-balade-au-c...

And then most of the really expensive buildings go to the same 50 architecture firms.

Re: When is the revolution in architecture coming?

#153

Post by agent327 »

LostInTheWoods wrote: post #130

> WAS THE CONSTRUCTION WORKER AT THE BOTTOM ASKED IF HE LIKED THE BUILDING? IF NOT, WHY NOT? SURELY HIS INPUT SHOULD HAVE MATTERED. A construction worker is strictly implementation. Soliciting design input that isn't relevant to implementation is a recipe for chaos.

I believe this sentence should not be taken literally as input from that particular construction worker, but rather be understood in the more general sense of input from the public at large, i.e. non-stakeholders.

Re: When is the revolution in architecture coming?

#154

Post by bitcurious »

deltarholamda wrote: post #144
d--b wrote: post #35

So. Fucking. True. The state of architecture is a disaster. Ever since Adolf Loos wrote “ornament is crime”, architects have booed anything decorative. We get textures, sure. Oh boy do we get textures. We get all the woods, all the stones, all the 3d printed concrete. Sculpture? Hell, no… And no it’s not that expensive. When you build 234 park avenue, every apartment sells for $10m. maybe there is some of it that can…

There are multiple problems in the architect community. One is the marquee architects were all raised up in a post-war era where--some have argued--their designs are more influenced by PTSD than art. The brutalism of a modern building was certainly influenced by the materials--prestressed concrete and poured concrete, for example--but to put a stark and ugly face on a building requires a broken mind. Those marquee ar…

> We were able, through materials science, to increase vertical density at the cost of human scale structures.

I’m not sure the two are in opposition. I feel more connected to humanity in NY, Tokyo, Hong Kong than I do in, say, Denver or Orlando.

The economic forces that drive verticality also drive the use of ground level for retail, restaurants, etc.

Re: When is the revolution in architecture coming?

#155

Post by banannaise »

ollifi wrote: post #117

I find it amazing that most commenters find nothing good in contemporary architecture but at the same time seem to believe that if only somebody did the right thing things would be better. I think it is pretty obvious that there are hard constraints at play here. If it would be possible to do different kind of new buildings, somebody in the world surely would be doing them. It’s really hard to find anyone who doesn’t…

It's the slow march of the "business" mindset taking over all decision-making. Buildings are paid for by businessmen, businessmen want to be cheap and follow the crowd, and you end up with the same cheaply built building over and over.

Re: When is the revolution in architecture coming?

#156

Post by Strs2FillMyDrms »

rswail wrote: post #115

I really think this is a rant. Righteous maybe, but there are so many straw-man arguments and some mysterious "they". I live in Melbourne, Australia, and we have some of the worst and best. Some of our new apartment buildings are atrocious examples of developer greed. But some are enhancements to our city, and there are public and business buildings that are similar, while still advancing both technology and architec…

I cannot stop thinking about this rant and how funny it is, it's like if Cinemasins would discuss how everyone is tired of Scorsese's films and why we need more Marvel movies on a column in the NYTimes.

Re: When is the revolution in architecture coming?

#158

Post by Oddskar »

ollifi wrote: post #117

I find it amazing that most commenters find nothing good in contemporary architecture but at the same time seem to believe that if only somebody did the right thing things would be better. I think it is pretty obvious that there are hard constraints at play here. If it would be possible to do different kind of new buildings, somebody in the world surely would be doing them. It’s really hard to find anyone who doesn’t…

People do occasionally order buildings to be done in an older style that most enjoy. You know what happens afterwards? The architect involved gets ostracised. It’s “grotesque” apparently.

The problem is absolutely the architects and their profession. They are no longer producing buildings that people enjoy but rather caters to their own perverted aesthetical sense of pride.

Re: When is the revolution in architecture coming?

#159

Post by Digory »

banannaise wrote: post #155
ollifi wrote: post #117

I find it amazing that most commenters find nothing good in contemporary architecture but at the same time seem to believe that if only somebody did the right thing things would be better. I think it is pretty obvious that there are hard constraints at play here. If it would be possible to do different kind of new buildings, somebody in the world surely would be doing them. It’s really hard to find anyone who doesn’t…

It's the slow march of the "business" mindset taking over all decision-making. Buildings are paid for by businessmen, businessmen want to be cheap and follow the crowd, and you end up with the same cheaply built building over and over.

Yet many 19th century warehouses had more ornamentation that today's Pritzker winners. At some point, there were businessmen backing beautiful buildings.

I do think Apple's Ring campus is minimalist while also trying to be beautiful. But Ive and Jobs weren't architects by training.

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