Monday, November 26, 2012

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Culture and Architecture

Recently, Ive been reflecting on the notion of culture and its inter-relationship organically and inorganically speaking.  Also, as its root word the Latin " cultura" and its cousin the word "cult" describe, culture is "dedication, reverance and worship" which is connoted in the idea of tilling the soil.  All cultures grow in time through some form of dedicated effort, building structures according to variables both seen and unseen.  They survive based on their temporal importance and of course, ability to transform in the face of evolutionary change.

Hence, I think about architecture specifically in this context, as well as economics.  Culture includes both fields and both fields include each other, both in a literal and a figurative sense.  In fact, there are no puns really necessary when we get down to the grit and foundation of all of these subjects.  As they relate to human experience, they must be seen, felt, heard, whatever to be understood.  This is not to deny the infinite complexity of such realities.  It is relatively simple and yet incredibly complex, how a building holds so many levels of human consciousness within it and also, renders outward its structural compliance with culture.  Whatever its value is, is ultimately determined by its ability to exist culturally and have economic importance.  Otherwise, as we see, it will cease to exist and sooner or later become relative to the sands of time blowing in the wind of yesterday.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Easy Come, Easy Go