Thank you for this article and all of your work. It truly is a delight. On the theme of architecture, I would recommend Roger Scruton's writings on the topic, in particular Building to Last in Confessions of a Heretic:
"[T]he real meaning of the modernist forms is that there is no God, that meaning has fled from the world, and that Big Brother is now in charge...A city is a constantly evolving fabric, patched and repaired for our changing uses, in which order emerges from an 'invisible hand' from the desire of peopel to get on with their neighbours. That is what products a city like Venice or Paris, where even the great monuments...soothe the eye and radiate a sense of belonging."
I live a few doors down from a 100 yr old Catholic church, Rectory and School. All evocatively beautiful. The school has long since closed and is now a private pre-school. The church attendees are mostly elderly. I dread to think what will happen to these jewels over the next few decades.
This reminds me of the different styles you once presented. Brutalism was my least favourite. The first picture you show here made me sigh in approval at the building on the left and grind my molars at the one on the right. I am old ...
Intriguing idea that spaceship values build spaceship churches.
I don’t think people today realise to what extent churches were once built on the human form. A cathedral isn’t just a building - it’s a body: The nave is the torso, the dome is the skull, the transept is the arms, etc. When filled with people, it comes alive as the body of Christ. That’s why older churches feel alive, while modern ones so often feel empty.
I actually have a piece on exactly this going live tomorrow, funny timing that you posted this today.
modern architecture shows that society/mankind no longer value God or Man. Buildings are neither practical nor beautiful - at most they are functional boxes. They show that humanity has given up on aspirations and hopes and now just exists in a drab world of consumerism and, increasingly, technological make-believe.
Both my parents are architects and i'm an industrial designer, so im always looking and analysing everything around me, i really like this read, it make me think that nowadays (almost) every new building looks the same and that look it's ugly, it only reflects capitalism and profit, i myself live in a appartments building that has a really crappy design, por perhaps has no design at all, they just build in as many units as possible, focusing on earning more and not in habitants confort and safety.
Praha je Praha, we say. Prague is Prague, period. There's no city like it on earth. And now Dan Brown's latest novel is set there, which means, even more tourists...
Thank you for this insightful post, but Please tell me the building on the right at the top of this article is an AI representation of the one on the left. It would have been sacreligious to replace the beautiful architecture of the old building with the awful monstrosity depicted here.
The first (and only time) I went to Prague was 1972 (or was it '73?). This article makes me want to visit the city again - which I may just do next year when I return to Europe.
Having said that, I have been to Paris numerous times (including November, 2024), and that for me has long been one of my favourite European cities. I am drawn there by the history and culture, but especially by the architecture.
Architecture is a mirror.. and that it reflects the value of a culture is exactly right. And its such a big topic as well..
On the one hand, it seems like all thats being built now are globalised high tech buildings, prefabricated, post industrial materials. And on the other hand, there is a new attention for craftsmanship, indigenous building methods and locally sourced materials. And I think thats also part of it, the duality. Anyway, thanks for the read!
Churchill's remark is met as you first enter Portcullis House from the UK Parliament. For the rest of their working lives the MPs pass, to and fro, the mosaics and paintings of Victorian imperial jingoism lining the corridors of Parliament itself! Which has the most effect?!
I wish someone with half a brain for architecture would have consulted on the minimalist and grotesque structure that is slated for his presidential library. It is running way over cost (laundering taxpayer money?) and looks like a concrete phallus!
Fantastic article. I’ve been wanting to write something similar myself as I am concerned about the trajectory of architecture in Ireland.
Quoting our current Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers: “There needs to be much better discipline in cost effectiveness in projects…That means making choices around cost and efficiency over design standards and aesthetics in some instances”.
Ireland is in the midst of a housing crisis, so on the one hand it is understandable that there might be an urge to churn out housing at the cost of aesthetics. On the other hand though, as I have watched some of these suburbs sprawl, I can’t help but feel they lack soul, a sense of place.
The parts of Dublin and Galway City, for example, that we admire now, were crafted for purposes greater than efficiency. But in centuries to come, I wonder will future generations appreciate what we have built in the same way?
As the article highlights, whilst future generations might not appreciate our legacy, it will tell us about something what we valued - or more importantly, what we didn’t.
I get what you mean, I see the same thing happening in the Netherlands... But like always, architecture is a reflection of its time and even if the style isn't necessarily pleasing, it is an honest representation.
After WWII there was a huge housing crisis in the Netherlands which required a lot of building, fast and cheap. Now, those same houses are seen as the 'typical dutch familiyhouse' and we learned about this typology in architecture class.
I guess my point is that for future generations these projects will simply already exist and I am sure they'll find something interesting about them :)
Hi Zari - that's very positive way to look at it thank you. I just hope they have enough character to be charming to future generations - Vålerenga in Oslo comes to mind as an example of this.
I really enjoyed this read. It’ll make me look at architecture in my area differently. I appreciate the insight, Thank you!
Thank you for this article and all of your work. It truly is a delight. On the theme of architecture, I would recommend Roger Scruton's writings on the topic, in particular Building to Last in Confessions of a Heretic:
"[T]he real meaning of the modernist forms is that there is no God, that meaning has fled from the world, and that Big Brother is now in charge...A city is a constantly evolving fabric, patched and repaired for our changing uses, in which order emerges from an 'invisible hand' from the desire of peopel to get on with their neighbours. That is what products a city like Venice or Paris, where even the great monuments...soothe the eye and radiate a sense of belonging."
Scruton was a puckered asola. Modern architecture as godless authoritarianism is clinically paranoiac.
I live a few doors down from a 100 yr old Catholic church, Rectory and School. All evocatively beautiful. The school has long since closed and is now a private pre-school. The church attendees are mostly elderly. I dread to think what will happen to these jewels over the next few decades.
This reminds me of the different styles you once presented. Brutalism was my least favourite. The first picture you show here made me sigh in approval at the building on the left and grind my molars at the one on the right. I am old ...
Intriguing idea that spaceship values build spaceship churches.
I don’t think people today realise to what extent churches were once built on the human form. A cathedral isn’t just a building - it’s a body: The nave is the torso, the dome is the skull, the transept is the arms, etc. When filled with people, it comes alive as the body of Christ. That’s why older churches feel alive, while modern ones so often feel empty.
I actually have a piece on exactly this going live tomorrow, funny timing that you posted this today.
modern architecture shows that society/mankind no longer value God or Man. Buildings are neither practical nor beautiful - at most they are functional boxes. They show that humanity has given up on aspirations and hopes and now just exists in a drab world of consumerism and, increasingly, technological make-believe.
Both my parents are architects and i'm an industrial designer, so im always looking and analysing everything around me, i really like this read, it make me think that nowadays (almost) every new building looks the same and that look it's ugly, it only reflects capitalism and profit, i myself live in a appartments building that has a really crappy design, por perhaps has no design at all, they just build in as many units as possible, focusing on earning more and not in habitants confort and safety.
Anyways, great article! Thank you
Praha je Praha, we say. Prague is Prague, period. There's no city like it on earth. And now Dan Brown's latest novel is set there, which means, even more tourists...
Thank you for this insightful post, but Please tell me the building on the right at the top of this article is an AI representation of the one on the left. It would have been sacreligious to replace the beautiful architecture of the old building with the awful monstrosity depicted here.
The first (and only time) I went to Prague was 1972 (or was it '73?). This article makes me want to visit the city again - which I may just do next year when I return to Europe.
Having said that, I have been to Paris numerous times (including November, 2024), and that for me has long been one of my favourite European cities. I am drawn there by the history and culture, but especially by the architecture.
Love this! And now, more than ever, I think we should engage in Universal Design. We should be a culture that believes that when everybody thrives in a space, we all thrive. https://leftiejane.substack.com/p/what-happened-to-universal-design?r=pm4cz
Modern architecture is a faithful reflection of the human soul sans God.
Architecture is a mirror.. and that it reflects the value of a culture is exactly right. And its such a big topic as well..
On the one hand, it seems like all thats being built now are globalised high tech buildings, prefabricated, post industrial materials. And on the other hand, there is a new attention for craftsmanship, indigenous building methods and locally sourced materials. And I think thats also part of it, the duality. Anyway, thanks for the read!
Hello friend! I’ve been on here for about a week now and I’m trying to meet new people.
I share history from antique books, some call it “alternative”. I talk about what’s written from a philosophical perspective.
https://open.substack.com/pub/jordannuttall/p/the-origins-of-tartaria?r=4f55i2&utm_medium=ios
Churchill's remark is met as you first enter Portcullis House from the UK Parliament. For the rest of their working lives the MPs pass, to and fro, the mosaics and paintings of Victorian imperial jingoism lining the corridors of Parliament itself! Which has the most effect?!
I wish someone with half a brain for architecture would have consulted on the minimalist and grotesque structure that is slated for his presidential library. It is running way over cost (laundering taxpayer money?) and looks like a concrete phallus!
Fantastic article. I’ve been wanting to write something similar myself as I am concerned about the trajectory of architecture in Ireland.
Quoting our current Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers: “There needs to be much better discipline in cost effectiveness in projects…That means making choices around cost and efficiency over design standards and aesthetics in some instances”.
Ireland is in the midst of a housing crisis, so on the one hand it is understandable that there might be an urge to churn out housing at the cost of aesthetics. On the other hand though, as I have watched some of these suburbs sprawl, I can’t help but feel they lack soul, a sense of place.
The parts of Dublin and Galway City, for example, that we admire now, were crafted for purposes greater than efficiency. But in centuries to come, I wonder will future generations appreciate what we have built in the same way?
As the article highlights, whilst future generations might not appreciate our legacy, it will tell us about something what we valued - or more importantly, what we didn’t.
I get what you mean, I see the same thing happening in the Netherlands... But like always, architecture is a reflection of its time and even if the style isn't necessarily pleasing, it is an honest representation.
After WWII there was a huge housing crisis in the Netherlands which required a lot of building, fast and cheap. Now, those same houses are seen as the 'typical dutch familiyhouse' and we learned about this typology in architecture class.
I guess my point is that for future generations these projects will simply already exist and I am sure they'll find something interesting about them :)
Hi Zari - that's very positive way to look at it thank you. I just hope they have enough character to be charming to future generations - Vålerenga in Oslo comes to mind as an example of this.