All styles have run their course. The only thing new is the twisted, crumpled up, I got my inspiration from a paper wad in a tornado Gehry-like buildings. Don't get me wrong, I like some of them and I admire the boldness and guts it takes to go that far from "normal". Sustainability should be an aspect of design that generates new forms in the spirit of Sullivan...Form Follows Function. Instead we have the traditionalists jamming lots of green gadgets in traditional forms that are horribly wrong for energy efficient design or we have modernists jamming a bunch of green gadgets in glass boxes, also not known for their inherent energy efficient qualities. Have we just ran out of ideas?
Don't get me wrong, but the AIA has a clear aesthetic ideology that isn't very encouraging when it comes to diversity or innovation. Either you design a certain way or you're no good. For example, I love modern design as much as the next Architect, but I'm sick of seeing white boxes with flat roofs and storefront glass in already established, older neighborhoods. Can't we come up with something interesting that isn't completely foreign to it's surroundings? Did we not pay attention to Sesame Street? If the forms and materials can't be seen anywhere in the area, then it better be extraordinarily magnificent, yet it often isn't. This aesthetic only appeals to a small minority and the longer we insist that this is the only aesthetic of the AIA and all Architects doing anything else are simply not good enough, the more out of touch we will become with the people as we fade into irrelevance. We can't put all of our design eggs in one basket and expect the public to see us as important to them. The public in general will continue reject us as long as we cater to a small fraction of their tastes. Good design is good design, style shouldn't even matter to the AIA. If the AIA promoted diversity, maybe regular people would be interested in Architecture rather than settling for mass produced boxes. There is a reason we're not resonating with the people and it's not them, it's US!
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Eric Rawlings AIA
Owner
Rawlings Design, Inc.
Decatur GA
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-02-2012 08:58
From: Richard Uren
Subject: RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECT design awards
I couldn't agree more. In the same week I received that publication I also received the annual homes issue of Fine Homebuilding magazine. The variety of houses in that publication was far broader and the articles spoke about how each house was a succesful response to the site, existing conditions of a remodeling, or the home owners unique situation and needs. All the things that I think make hiring an architect worthwhile. Not suprisingly, there were buildings with lap siding and gable roofs in the mix.
If most potential clients looked over the design awards and took that as the best architects can offer, they would likely go to a builder, plan book, or home designer to get something that looks like a house, not a concrete floored glass box with a flat roof.
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Richard Uren AIA
Northern Design Works
Negaunee MI
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-01-2012 23:46
From: Edward Shannon
Subject: RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECT design awards
This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Housing Knowledge Community and Custom Residential Architects Network .
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Is anyone else bothered by the lack of variety exhibited in this year's design award winners?
Yes, the projects are innovative and stunning. Of the 36 award winners, there are eighteen projects which consist of custom homes, speculative homes, affordable housing, multifamily and whole house renovations. Of the 18, 14 are what I would consider to be "Euro-boxes" and 4 are what I would call "Modern Sheds". None of these look like houses, or look domestic or have any stylistic precedent.
Don't get me wrong, I love Euro-boxes and Modern Sheds. However this is "a magazine of The American institute of Architects". Should there not be a better cross-section of styles that better represents the demographics of residential architects within the institute - and the profession at large? There were over 800 entries, yet five of the six custom homes look like they could be from the same architect.
The editorial talks about designing for the 99%. Yet, I doubt the majority of the 99% would warm up to these homes. Instead, most will do what they always do - call a builder!
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Edward Shannon
Waterloo IA
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