Culture

Places that are too master-planned and developer-led might have the right ingredients (the right style, typology, materials), but they feel fake.

High Standards

Global colonialism homogenizes individual nations. It replaces the richness of local culture with nondescript glass boxes that could be built anywhere. High standards push back against corporate influence by prioritizing sustainable ways of building that are unique to each place, its history, climate, and customs.

2. Democratize Construction

Our houses do not need to be unique in unimportant ways. We have more real variety when we encourage a local building culture that fits with our climate and customs. It allows builders to develop the expertise needed to respond to each project's unique circumstances. The end result is better, and the process is better because we know what to expect. We can trust new development and participate in the process.

The Importance of Craft

Craftsmanship captivates us because we can observe the intelligence and care that went into it. When people are absorbed in their work, the human spirit shines through. The work appears sincere and authentic. Even when other considerations are wrong, like size or function, we still recognize the quality of craft. It resonates with us. We see clues about how it was made and why it matters.

Craftsmanship is contextual because decisions can be tested immediately. The worker is able to validate their work as they go. Like a painter, they have enough context to immediately know whether something is right or wrong. It is enjoyable for the maker because they can engage their senses all at once. It becomes a performance like a dancer, or an athlete who is “in the moment”.

Computer-Aided Design

Tools that ignore context are not helpful, regardless of whether they are high-tech. Computers favor orthogonal lines and CAD libraries, which make it easier to design generic buildings. The precision of CAD implies that certain measurements are more important than they actually are. When the process lacks contextual input, the design has no reason to be visually interesting. Even if architects try to "jazz it up", the results look fake, like it came from a computer screen.

Prefabrication

Prefabrication works for small buildings that aren't context-sensitive. Sheds and mobile homes can be prefabricated, as long as they are freely arranged on the site.

The ability to freely arrange small homes according to site context is not possible when they are combined into a single building. For a large house, the site context needs to be considered by the architect before the house is built. If the architect uses a stock plan, it doesn't have the right lengths and angles to match the site's unique terrain, orientation, existing buildings, etc.

Public Participation

Meaningful Work

Architects and builders want to do good work. Overly-prescriptive codes make it impossible because the premise is not correct. The building can't respond to context, so it turns into a commodity like something off the shelf. It checks all the boxes for planners and banks, but it doesn't work. It's not enjoyable for the people involved because they're not meaningfully involved. They are technicians specifying details and assembling a ready-made product. 

Design toolkits give everyone what they need to know, so they can meaningfully participate in the process. It eliminates the planner's need to pre-determine everything. Toolkits allow us to build according to context. Since the project is built on a correct premise, architects and builders are able to contribute, and it's more enjoyable.

Architecture without Architects

Architects should not be involved in most buildings. Otherwise, the required number of architects would need to be half the population. Historically, people built their own houses. Even a generation ago, many houses were self-built. Architects should develop a building culture that is accessible to everyone, so we can build for ourselves.

Architects exist for a reason, like every profession, and we should not minimize their expertise. People know what they like, but they don’t know why they like it or how to recreate it. They can’t explain it to themselves, and they can't explain it to others to build consensus. It's similar to law. People have a general sense of justice, but certain situations are complex, so we hire lawyers. Architects are necessary for:

1. Creating an overall system of norms and conventions (building standards, codes, etc.), like a toolkit for building.

2. Overseeing collective projects (public buildings and large-scale development)

3. Consulting on private matters that involve complex edge cases (complicated private buildings, not sheds and garages)

Knowledge vs. Context

Architects can spend months walking the site and talking with the client, but it will not help them unless they know how to respond to context. An experienced architect can show up on site and sketch out a design in a few minutes because they have dealt with the situation before, so they know what to do. Architects need both context and knowledge.

Clients know Context

• It's not practical for architects to guess what the client wants. Most decisions are too personal, like guessing which pictures to hang up on the wall. 

• Even decisions like curb appeal should be left to the client because it requires a familiarity with the site in order to get it right. Clients have more reason to think about it because they're eventually going to live there. The architect might have a better guess initially, based on their experience, but the client has the advantage of time.

A Say in the Profession

The profession has its own criteria for determining quality, but it should be aligned with the common good. Society provides a check on institutional power through electoral politics. If the profession is failing, or it is controlled by special interests, elected representatives can balance it out by appointing new leaders. It renews the profession and prevents it from becoming marginalized. Additional safeguards might include a public referendum process, or a jury system to pass or fail projects.

3. Localize Economies

A full-service community does everything in town. Children can learn about the things that interest them, which they can't do if everything is outsourced. Outsourcing and automation cannot replace activities that people are meant to do because those activities give us enjoyment and satisfaction.

Ownership Society

We can't express ourselves unless we own space. Ownership allows us to modify our surroundings in ways that aren't possible as a renter. When we own property, we make improvements to our space. We test out ideas that come to us in the moment, and we don't have to explain it to our landlord.

Ownership incentivizes us to pay attention to the community because our largest asset is tied up with the town's future. We want the town to do well because it increases our property value. As renters, we don't capture appreciation because we don't own it. The landlord owns the property, so they charge us higher rents, which displaces people in the community who can't afford it. Even when residents own their own property, displacement can still occur if the appreciation causes property taxes to become too high. Either the parcel needs to become a commercial property to bring in revenue, or a special arrangement needs to be made with the owner.

Residency is an important tool in countering speculation. We can't wait for other people to improve the community, and then capitalize on their efforts without having done anything. It's a tragedy of the commons situation. Residency encourages community investment because we live there, so we have more reason to contribute. Landlords should be small-scale property owners who are invested in the community.