McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
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McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
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Re: McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
#2[2016]
Re: McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
#3>Disclaimer: These same principles do not always apply to Modernist or even canonically Postmodern architecture. These principles are for the classical or traditional architecture most residential homes are modeled after.
Seems like an obvious way out of this conundrum is reclassifying these so-called mcmansions as postmodern. Description instead of prescription.
Re: McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
#4This is interesting but I was recently in England at a country house, which should be a pinnacle of architecture and it like I assume many of them were just added onto over and over again over the years leading to all the problems described. Still gorgeous, but certainly not “good architecture”. Much more McMansiony.
Re: McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
#5A lot of my friends enjoy sending links to this around from time to time, and for me I just don't care.
It just all comes across as very elitist navel gazing.
I don't actually care what other peoples properties look like.
It's also kind of faux populist because while the homes they are criticizing are certainly higher income for their area, a lot of these are like $500K homes in exurbs.
The people that enjoy laughing at the McMansions are like SF/NYC $5M condo owners. So it's kicking down in a way they can rationalize to themselves.
Re: McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
#6A lot of my friends enjoy sending links to this around from time to time, and for me I just don't care. It just all comes across as very elitist navel gazing. I don't actually care what other peoples properties look like. It's also kind of faux populist because while the homes they are criticizing are certainly higher income for their area, a lot of these are like $500K homes in exurbs. The people that enjoy laughing…
I dunno, my Mom in the midwest thinks it's the funniest thing ever, having grown up in an area where all the houses looked like this. There's some element of satisfaction knowing that you can't buy good taste
Re: McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
#7This is interesting but I was recently in England at a country house, which should be a pinnacle of architecture and it like I assume many of them were just added onto over and over again over the years leading to all the problems described. Still gorgeous, but certainly not “good architecture”. Much more McMansiony.
Adding onto a house over and over would probably create the same issues with inconsistency and mismatched styles. With later additions, there's at least a decent reason for that inconsistency though. McMansions lack that consistency from the start.
Re: McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
#8Generally speaking, classifying a house as "McMansion" feels like a form of gatekeeping. If the person who lives there enjoys it, who are we to judge?
Re: McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
#9This is interesting but I was recently in England at a country house, which should be a pinnacle of architecture and it like I assume many of them were just added onto over and over again over the years leading to all the problems described. Still gorgeous, but certainly not “good architecture”. Much more McMansiony.
Exactly the thought I had. The typical (i.e. not-very-grand) English country house looks a bit like a McMansion with added ivy.
Re: McMansions 101: What Makes a McMansion Bad Architecture? (2016)
#10Salem Mass represent whoop whoop! Been dropping mad gables — sorry, secondary mass — since 1668 for real yo. Check this witchin’ crib’s void rhythm:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:House_of_the_Seven_G...
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It’s a very cool place to visit and there are a bunch of other similar houses to visit in the city, albeit less McMansiony than OG 7G, as literally no one calls it hah.