A typical morning for many consists of driving to work, school, and many other destinations throughout the day. As many of us commute from place to place, we often feel uninspired and bored with the world around us. While traveling to work, instead of seeing a calming river and a lush field of flowers, we are surrounded by lifeless and monotonous buildings that set an unprecedented, uninspiring tone.
Many people are aware that nature often affects our mood, but few realize that architecture can also have a significant impact.
The scientific journal Nature Portfolio conducted research on happiness in scenic locations. They found that the most unscenic images consisted of pictures with dense roads, abandoned roads, and other built-up areas. Natural settings can get a low scenic rating if industrial structures block the view. But there are places where scenic images are in built-up locations. Oftentimes, these include architecture with more detail. Throughout these pictures were a variety of features, such as quaint villages, and industrial structures like bridges, castle-like buildings, and park lakes.
This proves that architecture can be a scenic view if it has the right elements. Many elements can enhance architecture. These include structural anomalies, ideological aspects beyond its function, previous references, and rethinking the “ground” rules. People find these elements appealing because they blend familiarity with intrigue. This makes a structure an experience to enjoy through our senses. Research shows that scenic architecture can even boost people’s happiness.
Nature Portfolio says, “Although the effect size is larger in natural settings, we find that within built-up locations too, people report themselves to be happier when in more scenic locations.”
One style that is often viewed as unscenic and lacking detail is modern architecture. It is an understatement to describe it just as ‘modern architecture’. It is a design style that is ever-evolving with new technologies, sustainability, and functionality. Modern architecture began to shine in the 20th century. Its key ideas, like minimalism and functionalism, are still visible today. These remaining principles matter because they support sustainable designs. At the same time, they help us stay ecological and ethical while opening up new possibilities for the future. Some trending elements of this style are using natural materials like reclaimed wood, earthy color palettes, and integration of natural elements like plants.
Senior Lucy Van Hoose says, “The whole ‘less is more’ or the ‘form follows function’ that modern architecture uses, I personally hate it; it’s dumb, it’s made everything look like a box.” The ‘less is more’ and the ‘form follows function’ are modern principles that help explain the reasoning behind many modern architects’ minimalistic design features. These principles essentially say that architecture needs to be as practical and as refined as possible. Overall, this is what we call Contemporary design. It follows the mid-century modern movement and draws inspiration from many styles of that era. Contemporary style has been the standard for a while, one reason being that it is able to evolve and fit the trends of the time. This differs from mid-century modernism, which ties itself to a specific era. This fluidity of contemporary design enables businesses and homes to replicate it.
When showing little to no intricate elements, it makes for a very geometric and unpleasing look. If we look at old architecture and artistic principles like the golden ratio, we find that they are much more appealing to look at. This is a ratio that architects used in many buildings like the Taj Mahal to establish the sizes and placements of elements when designing to create visual harmony. In modern architecture, the focus is less on intricate details. Instead, it’s about building quickly and efficiently for its intended use. Appealing purely to the purpose, it makes for a very unappealing environment to look at.
Alternatively, some say that modern architecture can be done well if used in the right implications.
Senior Madison Kirton says, “When structures have fun shapes and complementary colours, I can appreciate the clean look and feel they provide.” She even notes that the infamous Sydney Opera House can be an example of modern architecture being beautiful.
When modern architecture considers aesthetics, it appears beautiful, but architects often do not prioritize aesthetics in these buildings.
It is surprising to many that all the architecture surrounding them used to be more intricate and inspiring, and that it could go so far as to improve people’s lives. These few special buildings that remain have become landmarks that people travel miles to see.
When interviewers asked students about the reasoning behind this unsettling shift to more minimalist designs, some very insightful answers emerged.
Van Hoose says, “modern architecture is the way it is because of the industrial revolution and the rise of capitalism, because modern architecture is so simple as it is easier to make.” Van Hoose adds that, during the capitalist period, there was less focus on the arts and more on efficiency. This shift also explains the changes in architecture.
Unfortunately, they have to make cuts in the beauty of buildings to mass-produce them. But some think that there are ways to re-establish creative freedom.
Senior Sofia Brinkerhoff says, “When thinking of how to incorporate more creative freedom, I like considering the architectural style of San Francisco. Each building has similar dimensions, but each appears completely different from the one next to it.”
This could be a very smart idea to incorporate into other cities. There should be some regulations to ensure simplicity and to meet the needs of the area. Mixing some regulations with more style would make people happier in their environment.
With many different ideas of what architecture could look like in the future, the Chicago Architecture Center also has its own ideas of what architecture could look like. Many new building materials are being tested. These materials are more sustainable and eco-friendly. These include pollutant-absorbing pavement, self-healing pavement, and even bricks grown from bacteria! They also note that 3D printing is now more accessible. This opens up new possibilities that were hard to make before.
With sustainable options, intricate designs are possible. By embracing unique styles, we can create more enjoyable cities for everyone.
