2025.1214 / On Context & Architecture

When I look at a skyline of old and new skyscrapers and old low-rise buildings, before I get a contrast in styles, I get a contrast in philosophies: That of the skyscraper symbolizes aspiration, boldly climbing into the future, and that of the buildings of tradition or the status quo - staying close to what's familiar, trying hard to fit in, a sense of timidity. I was taught that the powerful forces are the ones climbing towards the sky, the ones we should shame and criticize, but both are powerful forces, and only one is working to keep us on the ground, to keep us fitting in. The philosophy that is worth following, if we each care about our own individual future and we take it seriously, is that expressing aspiration, courage, and progress. This is best embodied in the buildings that seek to stand out from the status quo. Those who scoff at towers, particulary modern towers, being out of context and casting their shadow among traditional buildings, misunderstand which of those buildings are actually out of context. Traditional buildings are expressions of the values of the past, familiar tectonics, and are arguably the status quo. Traditional buildings are what need to be built over - they are out of context, dated expressions for a society whose motivation is to move forward into a brighter future; that is, if that society takes moving forward all that seriously. I got so used to hearing the common criticism that modern buildings are often out of context with their surroundings, but never thought to consider that the very context it sits in is simply dated, jaded, yet there is so much emphasis placed on new buildings "blending in", "considering their context" (particularly with regard to aesthetics). Western society is adept at fostering and encouraging individual expression, yet why is it so difficult with our buildings - the truly, fundamentally, unique buildings typically being so rare? Why can't the emphasis be on changing the context?

A building is only out of context when we assume the context never has to change, and that architects and developers should always aim to design towards the status quo. I believe architects and developers should always work to create wholly unique works of art if given the opportunity, and an interesting thing about opportunity, is that designers of all kinds have the ability to tangibly create them.