As we continue to muse on the meaning of and need for good design, let us look at the CULTURE that we are part.
We are not living and practicing in isolation. The current culture of ours, one that is mostly about entitlement, self-centerdness, technology-obsessessed, informationally overloaded, non-introspective: what do we expect iwith the product outcomes architects deliver from our clients' desires?
And in a climate of retreat from civic-mindedness, where government is considered "socialistic" if interested in anything more than defence and tax giveaways to the corporate and privileged elite: a modern-day Parthenon is hard to produce.
Why is it that in Europe, Japan, Canada and even China (at least with its 2008 Olympics stadia) continue to far exceed American design excellence in the public arena?
On the flip-side, when I watch Charlie Rose, such as his stellar interview of David McCullough this evening - I still have hope!
And this is just about context, not even process...
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Steven Gottesman AIA
Senior Architect
URS Corporation
Sacramento CA
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