Frampton vs. Charleston

“It is necessary… to distinguish between critical regionalism and simple-minded attempts to revive the hypothetical forms of a lost vernacular”

-Kenneth Frampton

What else can I bring this back to except good ol’ (but current) Charleston? I think that Charleston is unfortunately suffering from the latter part of Frampton’s quote above. Charleston is so scared of becoming too modern, too northern, too cutting-edge that it finds itself unable to discern what is and what isn’t preservation worthy, it hinders itself through the BAR by only allowing very specific buildings to be renovated or built, and when they do get built they’re a muddled down representation of what used to be (when the building is brand new). The city is at risk of becoming a place of what was instead of what is because of this. 

When you re-create something that really doesn't make sense anymore like the Charleston City Market for example, you get something strictly for tourists. Something that was once meant for buying local meat, dairy, and vegetables turned into buying cheap sunglasses, Charleston t-shirts, and genuine grass baskets. It becomes a Disney-like place where cruise ship riders flock to, a representation of what was instead of a realistic image of what is.

There is some architecture in Charleston that I believe would fit into the category of critical regionalism, some buildings that are tucked away, and some that are in plain sight. But the thing about a good building that actually fits, is that it doesn’t have to stand out, it doesn’t have to be corny, and it doesn't even have to be on the main street.