Why do we need to respond to context? Justification.

Most architects, besides a select few like Eisenman, feel like there is a certain need to respond to a site’s given context in some shape or form. They feel like by tying it back to a culture’s rich heritage in ship-making and designing a transit station that resembles a ship that their design is better than others that simply design a box. But what’s important about that box, to most people who aren’t so architecturally inclined, is the fact that it will probably be significantly cheaper. In a capitalistic society like the one we live in there is always a particular importance placed on the dreaded phrase, “the bottom line”. And in past years and still to this day, the profession of architecture has had this undertone that we’re just “making buildings pretty”, that what we do is not necessarily necessary. 

So I ask how are there still architects in this world? How do we sell the dream / the ideas to make more than just that stupid box? We justify all of our decisions. We make sure that every move we make has a reason especially if that move would cost more for the client. That is why we have critiques in school – so that we can learn how to sell our product / craft that narrative which makes people forget about the money (at least for a little while). What would the world of architecture school look like if we were all just a bunch of Peter Eisenmans running around, intersecting things just for the hell of it?