Why Stick to Mac & Cheese When there is More to Try?

Earlier this semester, there was a comment that architecture is one of the slowest advancing fields.  At the time it made sense to me as it is a field where it takes years before a project is inhabited.  Therefore, by the time the building is completed and the theories take place that were considered at the time of conception of the project, society, technology, and the environment have already changed.  At least, this is what I thought at the time.

After reading 'Critical Regionalism' by Alecander Tzonis and LIane Leifeivre, I have come to the understanding that possibly the reason why architecture advances much slower than other fields is because of how intimate it really is.  We might think we are open minded and push the boundaries of society but this is not the case.  We try to be critical of the existing and what has failed but always end up retaliating to what is comforting.  When we are faced with a challenge, say something as simple as hunger, rather than making something new, like a new pasta dish, we rather make something that comes easy to us and we already know how to make like mac and cheese, despite knowing well that the new pasta dish would be a healthier choice and we would learn something new. 

Typical Milanese Residential building

In the readings, Torre Velasca in Milan was mentioned as being an example of critical regionalism.  At the time of completion, it was very much disliked as at first glance to the untrained eye, did not immediately reflect its surrounding historical or cultural setting.  Upon further inspection, one can see how it does reflect the historical context in its massing and fenestrations that similar to Gothic structures.  It has taken aspects of the regional architecture and rather than keeping with it, challenged the legitimacy of the way things were done and renewed them with aspects of that time.  Now, one cannot imagine Torre Velasca fitting in any different location not even in a different italian city as it is very Milanese.  Because of this dramatic push of what was historically done in the city, the city of Milan was able to grow in ways that Rome, Venice, Como, or Turin were not able to.  Therefore, rather than shying away from the unfamiliar, if we were to challenge it, we too can change and grow.

"tradition can be developed through challenging its own short-comings implying the same for regionalism." - Kenzo Tange

Torre Velasca, first residential tower in Milan.