Antebellum Architecture
Antebellum architecture, or better known as, “the plantation
house” is an architectural blemish on American architecture. The
characteristics of the 19th century Pre-Revolutionary homes of the
deep south are spewing with ignorance mixed with a lavish life style of those
that are in a lost tradition. Looking at Antebellum architecture without the
social implications of the past is currently a problem within contemporary
residential architecture. HGTV promotes this style of home, developers promote
this style of home, Patrick Square in Clemson promotes this style of home.
Would you promote the architecture styles of the Auschwitz concentration camp?
Is it not within the meaning of critical regionalism that the theory should be to
adapt, and change with social, economic, and climatic change? The only true way
to portray critical regional architecture regarding “the plantation house”
would be to banish the Antebellum style that mimics an evil past. In turn, this will be
a renewal to a region that is consumed in Pre-Revolutionary style that doesn’t
match the current social state of today’s government. How can American
architecture be a leader in critical regional architecture on the world stage
when we as American architects hold on to the past of structures and styles that
were built on slavery, death, and the inhumane treatment of people?
Plantation owner sitting on a porch with enslaved people working in the fields.
Website selling "Plantation Style" home plans, for new home designs - 88 plans in stock.
I support the idea of regionalism being able to challenge old assumptions and mistakes instead of it just blindly fitting in with the rest. I think it is unfortunate that people have a tendency to collectively post-rationalize the evil actions of their ancestors and manufacture a false sense of pride, assuring each other that they're not wrong, because challenging the norm would be inconvenient and quite embarrassing. This is a sign of weakness. The fact that places like the Old Slave Mart in Charleston is still proudly preserved, however it may be reinterpreted and repurposed, is a symptom of this whitewashing of past evil.
ReplyDeleteOne more thought: no amount of education in a university setting can help people overcome this weakness of affirming wrongness, unless they individually show the courage to question their own biases - biases they may have been indoctrinated with during their upbringing.
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