One of the locals we spoke to explained its history this way: “In this town, we have the philosophy, build a building any way you want to, then we’ll move in and figure out how to live in it!” At this we just shrugged. “Isn’t that the way it always is? We’re born into a world we didn’t create and we just have to learn how to live in it!” She laughed, a little ruefully, and said, “Sure. But most people don’t think that way. They think they design buildings for a purpose and that people move in to live that way.” “So?” we said. “Yeah, well there’s a guy in this building who says he’s an architect who designs what he calls “functional” buildings. He says he knows what people want, or at least what they really need. But he gets very upset when people move in and do something else, like knock a hole in the wall for a new window!” “Oh,” we said. “Or knock down the walls inside and maybe a hole in the floor, or even take out the floor or tilt it in a funny way” she went on. “It spoils his functional design, he says.”
Lebbeus Woods’ latest story rings true with my emerging philosophies, click the link for the whole piece (including some beautiful drawings, of course).
1 year ago