A building that makes its site better

Critical regionalism is pretty good. The buildings it makes are nice. I like buildings.

Where is the emotion? In these readings I felt like I was reading a how-to manual. Critical regionalism is about the emotion of the site, standing among the tall pines or lounging on the beaches - really understanding the place. I am so drawn to this architecture because it always shows that the architect went to the site, stood there, talked to the people, and designed something that can only go in that one spot.

Here is a picture of some saltwater pools created by Siza at the beginning of his career. I've never been to them, I've never experienced them before, but I'm not stupid - I can understand why they fit into their site and I can imagine the experience the swimmers have when they enter this retreat. Above all, I understand that the architect stood on that beach, studied the rock and the looked out into the ocean. He did not corrupt his experience. He created an intervention that made the site better. That is critical regionalism for me. 

The concrete isn't perfect, but it's pretty perfect for its site. It really couldn't go anywhere else.