No Place? No Problem.

 

(This is last week's post)

“The bulldozing of an irregular topography into a flat site is clearly a technocratic gesture which aspires to a condition of absolute placelessness, whereas the terracing of the same site to receive the stepped form of a building is an engagement in the act of ‘cultivating’ the site.” -Kenneth Frampton

 

On my daily drive from Spartanburg to Clemson every day, I pass numerous construction sites on the side of the highway that previously held forests or old warehouses that have been completely wiped clear in preparation for something new. People have a desire due to budget or simply just ease to start from a blank slate when building a new office building or neighborhood or library. Wiping the existing site out does simplify the design process, but it creates a “placeless” place where anything can be built, regardless of the previous context. I believe this contributes to the disconnect that we as architects can feel when trying to create a sense of community and togetherness. Oftentimes, the most impactful buildings are the ones that are integrated in their existing site – the topography, the existing landscaping, or other buildings.