Comparing Timeless Design to Modernist Design in My Own Life
The following comparison photos exemplify the tragic failure of the architectural profession over the past century. The first shows a middle school built in the town I grew up in (Penfield NY — a suburb of Rochester), built in 1857 with timeless classical design. Next to it is an image of Bay Trail, the middle school I attended as a teen.
The second set of images shows the credit union I had used as a bank in Greenville SC since moving here, and the timelessly designed bank (First Citizens) that I have recently adopted as my new Greenville bank. For both the middle schools and the banks, nearly every resident loves and admires the beauty of the older, timelessly designed buildings, and often proudly shows them off to out-of-town guests. Almost no resident loves or admires or shows off the two buildings using a more modernist, soul-crushing design.
Modernist architects (spawned by "post-modernist" ideology) have been busy making cities all over the world uglier roughly since the 30s or 40s. Since then, nearly all architects have been schooled to think this sort of uglification is a good idea.
Elected officials should be ashamed of themselves for not adopting laws that prohibit this sort of thing (a few officials have done that, so it is possible to stop it by law). Too many officials, city staff, and citizen activists are distracted by other issues (like "stopping the growth/development" -- which is not effective).
The opposite of bad/ugly development is not no development. The opposite is good/beautiful development.
Too few understand that.
The following are some of my writings on this topic.
Rise of Modernism
The Rise of Modernism and the Uglification of Cities
The tragic failure of the architecture profession, which gained a full and seemingly unstoppable head of steam in the United States in the 1940s, has now resulted in approximately 80 gloomy years of making our cities increasingly unlovable and unworthy of our affections.
Why Do We Keep Building Modernism
The Failure of Modernism
The Failure of Modernist Architectural Design
The reason the classical building is far more likely to stand for centuries than the modernist glass box is that, as the name “classical” implies, classical design has stood the test of time with regard to how loved the design has been over the course of several generations or centuries.
The Failure and Unpopularity of Modernist Architecture
Modernist Architecture is a Failed Paradigm Ruining Our World
Modernist Cult of Innovation is Destroying Our Cities
Opposition to More Housing
Moses and Modernism and Motor Vehicles
Indirect Opposition to Affordable Housing