Before I went to study architecture I was inspired by the BBC Series "Dream Spaces". It was an architecture series with David Adjaye as a host. The show was always optimistic and positive, exploring new movements and design philosophies along with existing buildings. I had the impression that as long as an architect was trying something unique and innovative, they couldn't go wrong. A professor would always find something positive and supportive to say.
This isn't so when you get to architecture school...
Why is there such a disconnect in the review of anything constructed in the media compared to the review you receive as a student? In the Homes and Real Estate Sections of most newspapers, the reviews of new condo projects, reviews of re-designed or renovated homes are always positive. There's no detail analysis of a design picking out the flaws, poor taste, or poor quality.
Why does the popular media support all architecture without offending, when other industries have more critical reviews? Gordon Ramsay is allowed to swear in a kitchen and not hold back when something tastes awful, and Jeremy Clarkson is at his best talking about how awful a car can be to drive. Movie critics will save you from wasting money at the theatres, but is there an equivalent for architecture? Are architects afraid to criticise others in the general public? Why do these architecture shows hold back?
randomised
Jun 19, 18 4:53 am
"In the Homes and Real Estate Sections of most newspapers, the reviews
of new condo projects, reviews of re-designed or renovated homes are always positive."
Those are paid advertisements.
chris-chitect
Jun 20, 18 4:14 am
True, especially when all reviews happen to be of projects by the same developer.
chris-chitect
Jun 20, 18 4:15 am
With this in mind, my observation would be more that there appears to be no appetite for a critical review in what is the largest purchase most people will make.
Peter Normand
Jun 20, 18 11:15 am
This is true for single family homes but not true of complex urban projects.
thisisnotmyname
Jun 19, 18 5:41 pm
Real estate section articles tend to be "feature" articles that aim to describe a project, almost always in a positive light. In contrast, a "review" article would have some kind of writer act as a "critic" and point out positive and/or negative aspects of work.
In the USA, publications have certain designers they favor and publish frequently in feature articles. Harsh critical reviews are pretty rarely published and I suspect that most media just ignore, by not writing about, the architects and buildings they don't like.
Non Sequitur
Jun 19, 18 5:52 pm
Is James Howard Kunstler still alive? He’s always pretty crabby about good ol’ USA suburbain and fancy new age shiny things.
chris-chitect
Jun 20, 18 4:16 am
hmm, it appears so. I'll have a look/listen
Non Sequitur
Jun 20, 18 12:08 pm
He was relevant a while back, like in 2002 or something, but then went fully into new urbanism. Not sure what he's producing these days.
Miles Jaffe
Jun 19, 18 6:05 pm
Criticism has largely disappeared and only exists now as entertainment, not to be taken seriously.
Kind of like architecture.
chris-chitect
Jun 20, 18 4:17 am
haha, ouch.
citizen
Jun 19, 18 6:13 pm
Yes, what randomized and TINMM wrote. Aside from actual critique/criticism pieces, most of what's written is promotional in nature--both obvious ads as well as "features."
Make no mistake: if/once someone figures how to televise/program and contestify architecture/buildings in the same way that food, singing, dancing, etc are, you'll see plenty of criticism and complaint.
chris-chitect
Jun 20, 18 4:20 am
Yeah, and to what you say citizen, probably a lot of drama, trash talking and narcissistic personalities. Now it's really starting to sound like architecture school reviews.
Back to the "Dreamspaces" show hosted by David Adjaye though...while I've never met the guy, haven't even listened to any of his talks etc.. I just can't picture him being the same optimistic and positive person in a studio crit as on a tv show.
randomised
Jun 20, 18 6:54 am
Adjaye? All I remember is the voice of co-host Justine Frischmann :)
citizen
Jun 22, 18 7:03 pm
You're onto something, chris-chitect.
It's not the design to be made competitive --it's the jury! An entire panel of Simon Cowell- and Gordon Ramsay types, all in black, all in round spectacles, with nothing built by any of them. How many snide insults and meaningless Derrida references can be tolerated until the student snaps and punches the "winning" critic in the throat?
Before I went to study architecture I was inspired by the BBC Series "Dream Spaces". It was an architecture series with David Adjaye as a host. The show was always optimistic and positive, exploring new movements and design philosophies along with existing buildings. I had the impression that as long as an architect was trying something unique and innovative, they couldn't go wrong. A professor would always find something positive and supportive to say.
This isn't so when you get to architecture school...
Why is there such a disconnect in the review of anything constructed in the media compared to the review you receive as a student? In the Homes and Real Estate Sections of most newspapers, the reviews of new condo projects, reviews of re-designed or renovated homes are always positive. There's no detail analysis of a design picking out the flaws, poor taste, or poor quality.
Why does the popular media support all architecture without offending, when other industries have more critical reviews? Gordon Ramsay is allowed to swear in a kitchen and not hold back when something tastes awful, and Jeremy Clarkson is at his best talking about how awful a car can be to drive. Movie critics will save you from wasting money at the theatres, but is there an equivalent for architecture? Are architects afraid to criticise others in the general public? Why do these architecture shows hold back?
"In the Homes and Real Estate Sections of most newspapers, the reviews
of new condo projects, reviews of re-designed or renovated homes are
always positive."
Those are paid advertisements.
True, especially when all reviews happen to be of projects by the same developer.
With this in mind, my observation would be more that there appears to be no appetite for a critical review in what is the largest purchase most people will make.
This is true for single family homes but not true of complex urban projects.
Real estate section articles tend to be "feature" articles that aim to describe a project, almost always in a positive light. In contrast, a "review" article would have some kind of writer act as a "critic" and point out positive and/or negative aspects of work.
In the USA, publications have certain designers they favor and publish frequently in feature articles. Harsh critical reviews are pretty rarely published and I suspect that most media just ignore, by not writing about, the architects and buildings they don't like.
Is James Howard Kunstler still alive? He’s always pretty crabby about good ol’ USA suburbain and fancy new age shiny things.
hmm, it appears so. I'll have a look/listen
He was relevant a while back, like in 2002 or something, but then went fully into new urbanism. Not sure what he's producing these days.
Criticism has largely disappeared and only exists now as entertainment, not to be taken seriously.
Kind of like architecture.
haha, ouch.
Yes, what randomized and TINMM wrote. Aside from actual critique/criticism pieces, most of what's written is promotional in nature--both obvious ads as well as "features."
Make no mistake: if/once someone figures how to televise/program and contestify architecture/buildings in the same way that food, singing, dancing, etc are, you'll see plenty of criticism and complaint.
Yeah, and to what you say citizen, probably a lot of drama, trash talking and narcissistic personalities. Now it's really starting to sound like architecture school reviews.
Back to the "Dreamspaces" show hosted by David Adjaye though...while I've never met the guy, haven't even listened to any of his talks etc.. I just can't picture him being the same optimistic and positive person in a studio crit as on a tv show.
Adjaye? All I remember is the voice of co-host Justine Frischmann :)
You're onto something, chris-chitect.
It's not the design to be made competitive --it's the jury! An entire panel of Simon Cowell- and Gordon Ramsay types, all in black, all in round spectacles, with nothing built by any of them. How many snide insults and meaningless Derrida references can be tolerated until the student snaps and punches the "winning" critic in the throat?
I'd watch the crap out of that.