I like your thinking. I'm one of the people who say, "I don't know much about art (or architecture) but I know what I like" and I've been thinking since you started this, what exactly DO I like? This is my chance to chip in and help shape the New Style For The 21st Century, I've been complaining for years that I hate ultra modern office buildings, I should propose an alternative.
So okay, I realized that I don't like ultra-modern brutalist large buildings because they are too stark, but I do like ultra modern single family homes that are surrounded by beautiful gardens, because all the greenery contrasts wonderfully with the stark lines of the homes. So I don't think brutalism needs to be tossed into the dustbin of history, it just needs to SHRINK to the point that it is in scale with its surroundings. NO BRUTALIST BUILDING MORE THAN TWENTY FIVE FEET TALL!
I was thinking that, for larger buildings, classical and neoclassical are very nice. Those styles combine simplicity with enough graceful curves and ornaments to prevent viewers from shuddering in dismay at the ugliness.
I want two kinds of neighborhoods - In the first kind of neighborhood, each home is incredibly individual - a Tudor timbered house next door to an ultra modern house next door to a hobbit house built with a round door and round windows. In the second kind of neighborhood, a single unifying style knits the neighborhood together and the neighborhood has public gardens and a neighborhood shopping center designed in a style that coordinates with the houses. All houses are mid-fifties ranch homes, or all houses are Georgian, or all houses are log cabins. Then everyone can pick the kind of neighborhood they like - architectural harmony or architectural variety.
Personally I want to live in a hobbit hole. There actually was a style for this, I think mostly on the West Coast in the 1930's and 1940's, I think, it was called Storybook Style. Here ya go, a link to a sampling of Storybook Houses!
I hope I make you proud, Cathy! I'm sorry it's taken me some time to respond (as you know I'm visiting Irene in London now, so on the move!). I like the idea of eclectic and unified neighborhoods, too :) That kind of thing is more in the "urbanism" world than architectural aesthetic design, but I'm very interested in urbanism too, and they obviously overlap a great deal. I'd like to learn more about urbanism as I work on this, too.
I love the discipline of spending time with a style you dislike in order to sharpen your taste!
I like your thinking. I'm one of the people who say, "I don't know much about art (or architecture) but I know what I like" and I've been thinking since you started this, what exactly DO I like? This is my chance to chip in and help shape the New Style For The 21st Century, I've been complaining for years that I hate ultra modern office buildings, I should propose an alternative.
So okay, I realized that I don't like ultra-modern brutalist large buildings because they are too stark, but I do like ultra modern single family homes that are surrounded by beautiful gardens, because all the greenery contrasts wonderfully with the stark lines of the homes. So I don't think brutalism needs to be tossed into the dustbin of history, it just needs to SHRINK to the point that it is in scale with its surroundings. NO BRUTALIST BUILDING MORE THAN TWENTY FIVE FEET TALL!
I was thinking that, for larger buildings, classical and neoclassical are very nice. Those styles combine simplicity with enough graceful curves and ornaments to prevent viewers from shuddering in dismay at the ugliness.
I want two kinds of neighborhoods - In the first kind of neighborhood, each home is incredibly individual - a Tudor timbered house next door to an ultra modern house next door to a hobbit house built with a round door and round windows. In the second kind of neighborhood, a single unifying style knits the neighborhood together and the neighborhood has public gardens and a neighborhood shopping center designed in a style that coordinates with the houses. All houses are mid-fifties ranch homes, or all houses are Georgian, or all houses are log cabins. Then everyone can pick the kind of neighborhood they like - architectural harmony or architectural variety.
Personally I want to live in a hobbit hole. There actually was a style for this, I think mostly on the West Coast in the 1930's and 1940's, I think, it was called Storybook Style. Here ya go, a link to a sampling of Storybook Houses!
https://buildgreennh.com/storybook-style-homes/
I hope I make you proud, Cathy! I'm sorry it's taken me some time to respond (as you know I'm visiting Irene in London now, so on the move!). I like the idea of eclectic and unified neighborhoods, too :) That kind of thing is more in the "urbanism" world than architectural aesthetic design, but I'm very interested in urbanism too, and they obviously overlap a great deal. I'd like to learn more about urbanism as I work on this, too.