Tuesday, October 14, 2003

INCORRECT ARCHITECTURE

Under the heading: “The building that isn’t there”, Tom Wolfe has a sad story about a beautiful old New York building that is about to be pulled down and replaced at great expense by some deliberately dysfunctional modern monstrosity -- all in the name of political correctness. Tom Wolfe takes you on a tour through the weird world of American architecture to explain why it is politically incorrect. Like Leftist intellectuals generally, architects have a desperate need to be different which, in the absence of any real talent, mostly just leads them into a new conformity.

I agree with the Prince of Wales about modern architecture. It really is a curse. At least in Britain, the Prince only has to condemn some such proposal and it does not go ahead. It is an interesting phenomenon that the most effective voice of the British people in such matters is a member of the Royal Family. His views on architecture have overwhelming public support. Maybe he is needed in New York.

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