Hot Take: I don’t care about the facade

This blog is from 4.2.23

This aspect of the building is idolized but for what? It is seen as the most fascinating and important part of the building but why? From an aesthetic standpoint, the facade does not matter to me. From a technical standpoint, I get it and understand why I should care. Maybe that’s the extra year of education in interior that is talking, but I really just can’t bring myself to care. I think there are far more aspects to the building that require far more attention before we make some giant curtain wall with some louvers on it. Think of a building that has a breathtaking exterior but a disgusting interior. Hint: think of almost any Starchitect… What about a building with an equally amazing exterior and interior?.... crickets

Okay let me reel it back in before I get expelled. All I’m saying is that a building should be designed as a whole. The site, interior, exterior, mechanical, structure, etc. All of it. This idolized idea that a cool facade determines the success of a project is ludicrous. If all aspects of a project are not worked on simultaneously or collectively, there are going to be issues. For example, a lot of us struggled in our comprehensive studio project to implement our technical resolutions in our buildings because we already had a design set in stone. We should have been learning about these technical aspects as we were designing, not after. Don't worry, I'm still going to design some fancy facade, but it will be just as thought-through as the rest of our building and site.