The Power of Place
I think that critical regionalism, in its simplest form, is
responding to a context in a sensitive way: communicating a sense of place
through architecture.
Kenneth Frampton could not have said it any better: “…bulldozing
of an irregular topography into a flat site is clearly a technocratic gesture
which aspires to a condition of absolute placelessness…”
In their text, “Critical Regionalism,”
Tzonis and LeFaivre outline the evolution of regionalism in architecture
throughout time, claiming that architecture of the modern era was characterized
by placelessness, architecture of totalitarian governments was political propaganda,
and commodified architecture was (and is) not genuine, communicating a
make-believe sense of place.
I think these ideas speak to the power of architecture and
its influence on history and society. As John Ruskin said, “we
may live without architecture, but we cannot remember without her.”
I think critical regionalism is important because it has the power to produce
architecture that balances making a bold statement and being respectful to a
unique culture and place. I think that is the architecture that can and should
stand for centuries, revealing the many histories and memories of a place and
its people. I also think a good architect understands the importance of being
sensitive to existing people, cultures, materials, techniques, and topography.
I like that you bring up the sense of time in the context of critical regionalism. Landscape is a big part of designing with these principles in mind. And time is the thing that carves landscapes in the first place. It's seems completely devoid of any kind of interest in designing for timelessness when the site is leveled. Time will eventually carve a dagger right thought that flattened hill side and insert another valley in its place.
ReplyDeleteI agree that bold architecture can and should still respect the place and culture. Traveling through Europe it is evident that culture and topography play a significant role in the architecture. As designers we should continue to respect these things just as designers of the past did. These pieces of architecture have stood for centuries, and that is part of why people love them so much.
ReplyDeleteI think you've really beautifully laid out the importance of a critical regionalism approach to architecture, deeply integrating a design within its place. With this I think it's fair to say that there should never really be a "one size fits all" approach to such designs. Each context being unique deserves it's own thoughtful, sensitive and innovative solution. I think it's this integration and authenticity in the design that provides the timelessness that you've addressed.
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