Mirrors Over Time

 





    The genealogy of influential architectural thought throughout recent history is fascinating - with each pendulum swing every decade there is a new great revelation as to the workings of people and form that seemingly revolutionizes the architectural process. Following that, a new model of architectural form emerges that sweeps the world by storm, influencing both high (professional) and low ("people's") architecture to follow in suit. Suddenly, the public image of the architect shifts in response, and the discourse of architecture leaks into the general domain where it faces (often appropriate, if not ignorant) heavy criticism. Time passes, and discourse shrinks back to academics. Then, seemingly suddenly, a conversation sparks study, which leads to a manifesto or book. If enough of the right people read it, the cycle starts again. 

The secret is, it always does. 

    I have a thought. It isn't a new thought by any means- but framed in the right way it could be revolutionary (as could all thoughts). My thought is this: all thought is recycled - there is nothing new under the sun. Simultaneously, it is so innately human to forget and to discover that there there will always be "new" and "revolutionary" thoughts. 

    A child traces the sand of an ant hill with their finger, delighting in the texture of sand against their hand and laughing at the frantic reactions of ants running. Then, they're bitten, react, and assess. The next time they approach the sandhill with their newfound "discovery". Then their child does the same. Different ants, different anthill, different reaction - but the same situation. 

    There is always enough nuance ready to be uncovered in the world for the excitement of discovery to be fresh anew. Like Mirrors Over Time, the same scene is a different scene on a different day.

    Modernism - at it's core belief that the massive transformations of architectural theory can "solve" the world - as well as the reactionary theories of post-modernism, projective theory and retroactive manifestos - is a conglomerate of age old beliefs. Yet, inserted into the nuance of whatever is contemporary, these age old beliefs of "progress" and "acceptance of reality" become radically influential - and profoundly new.

There is nothing new under the sun. All things are new under each sun. 

















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