the LOSS of architectural BEAUTY: america's ugly housing developments

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as someone who isn’t from america, i find the idea of neighbourhoods where the houses all look the same creepy asf

its really sad seeing beautiful fields being filled and historic buildings being knocked down to build the most minecraft dirt house like buildings ive ever seen its depressing

I think a lot of this also has to do with America’s insistence on car-centric infrastructure. If we didn’t all need to own cars and drive to get anywhere, I don’t think these mass-produced suburbs would be as common.

Its not just in the US. I always hoped that when the architect community, hopefully FINALLY, would get tired of the same boring minimalism, and jump on a new wave of architectural anthropomorphism. I think that was a very short period it had in history, but SO interesting and beautiful, and soulfull. But what do I get, droves UPON DROVES of upside-down "shoeboxes" for houses, with a coat of paint on it....often some shade of white : (......ugh.... bare and depressingly sterile......

funny how something that we see on a daily basis actually has a really psychological and social impact. I'm a delivery driver and I remember last year summer I would always dread having to deliver in the boring modern housing communities because it was just so boring to drive through, and I always knew it bothered me but I could never really put my finger on why it did

I took Environmental Psychology last year, and one thing that really stood out to me was how much of an impact architecture and urban design has on our emotions, and just overall well being without us even knowing. Thus, it definitely makes sense for architecture to fit into the basic needs theory. In fact a lot of your talking points touch on explanations and concepts in Environmental Psychology lol.

love seeing someone finally talking about this! ARCHITECTURAL ART IS A VERY UNDERRATED TOPIC

i am so disappointed how cities are so grey and sqaure, so much potential and they all blew it for quick money

That's why I love Copenhagen so much. Most of the archithecture there is super nice, old and new. There is a sense of peacefullness resulting just from the archithecure. Very underrated topic.

There’s no beauty in the US anymore. HOA killed it, city regulations killed it, builders greed and cut corners killed it. I have tried so hard to redesign my house so everyone who walks in will say “wow, this doesn’t look like my house”

when I explained to my friends how I thought America was so ugly and so depressing they were so confused about what I was even describing. My friends have literally never left the country and the farthest they have ever traveled was from Florida to New york. My friends couldn't understand how ugly buildings or poorly developed neighborhoods in some areas of the U.S. could make me feel depressed. I literally would be so happy and overwhelmed when I would visit Europe or even Korea and see new modern architecture blending in perfectly with old historic architecture. I feel like I'm the happiest when I'm in an area where I actually enjoy the aesthetics.

As someone who did go to architecture school, some of the things here a little bit missed the mark. Overall I agree that we need more beauty! 1. Housing developments/buildings are approved/contracted by developers not necessarily designers, and so there’s often just a few types of houses to choose from or projects are rushed through without proper time to consider beauty. Architecture students create some really beautiful stuff, but the industry kind of beats it out of you. 2. Form follows function. What was meant here was specific function. Keeping people happy could be considered a function, it goes a little deeper than just “housing” etc. Not only this, but it does not mean to reject beauty. It just means that things should be functional before they are beautiful. 3. There is no national building code, only certain standards that are technically optional but are good practice within the architectural community. Building codes are municipal so if you want to influence this go to your town halls! They’re often on zoom now. I guess my point is, this is a problem of developers and capital not necessarily architectural design itself. Architects are often trying to push boundaries, but it comes down to getting paid and keeping the firm afloat a lot of the time.

my tiny anecdote: so I used to live in a homeless youth shelter. well, a couple. the first one I was in looked like a prison. it felt like one too. it was very intimidating, which wasn't fun for me who was in an already vulnerable state, and the people there weren't exactly warm and welcoming (not that I blame them, I didn't exactly feel like getting to know anyone either in that place). the second place, the place I was at the longest, felt kind of like a tacky elementary school that tries to be bright and cheery but is obviously on a budget. but it definitely felt more welcoming, which could even be felt in the other people living there. not that everyone there was super friendly (like that one guy who broke his belt buckle on another guy's face, etc.) but there were some, and other residents actually talked to me and each other and my roommates were super nice (except my stuff got stolen but still). like it really affected my mental state and helped me get things together.

wow just when i was complaining that my youtube algorithm has gotten real boring, you appear 🤧

Every day we come closer to being capable to collectivize architectural identity, and its an obligation due to the transcendence of the necessity of rationally built neighborhoods. Its like mutual aid for quality of life. I love that every video of yours is a really valuable and relevant topic, you make it so interesting! Just as a personal preference, I love the philosophy and architecture of the Solarpunk movement, it's what I envision for the future of collective spaces not just between humans, but with our planet. love from Mexico! <3

Honestly it gets me kinda down that every video I watch to inform myself can be boiled down to "this would be great for humanity but for it to work we need governments to care/invest" and I know from first-hand experience that governments rarely care, if ever Anything that makes life better for a human makes a worst pawn for authorities to exploit, and capitalism rewards exploitation

Sometimes when I feel kinda empty, I take a stroll in my city (Freiburg, Germany) with all its different neighbourhoods and their specific vibes and it makes me feel so alive. It makes me feel the sonder. The uniqueness and vividness of every single life. So I could not agree more, individual beautifully crafted architecture is food for the soul.

Working as a housekeeper, you're forced to ingest this reality. Majority of my customers are middle/upper class, living in cookie cutter homes. I've cleaned out crummy apartments for landlords in questionable areas a handful of times as well, showing me another litany of problems & heartbreak

I always felt weird for finding those rich houses souless, sad and depressing, always lacking of colors and windows, full of those extremely artificial lights and clean-smell of the air-conditioning...but now I know why, modernity lacks of culture, history, color, spontaneity and background. A Rich house is pretty much the same here, in China and in the US. White all over the walls, and that's all. Maybe that's why I'm too into country-side houses and style.