Comment 68947

By Undustrial (registered) - website | Posted September 02, 2011 at 09:41:06

The remarkable thing about modern building techniques is how unbelievably ugly they manage to be. Concrete boxes just aren't attractive, and though that's a highly subjective statement, it's very widely felt.

The architectural adornment that went into older buildings was not cheap or easy. Labour costs may have been lower, but in many cases weren't when skilled tradespeople from guilds or later craft unions were needed. Added to this, they didn't have lithium-powered cordless power tools or on-site compressors. We might marvel at many of the churches of the old world, but don't forget that in some cases, construction stretched on for centuries. Why did they bother? Because building things to last is far cheaper in the long run, and people tend to take better care of beautiful things, places and buildings.

The stone, metal and woodwork on these buildings was an expression of the skills and expertise of the craftsmen involved. This just isn't true of screwing in factory-made fixtures. Appearances can be simulated, but the social relations behind them remain. Our eyes and minds pick up on this kind of cheapness, uniformity and disposability, and that makes it very hard to value.

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