First posted on the 'Alex's Weblog' page

Architecture and Emotion

05-14-2005 4:05:59 PM

Posted by: Alex Marshall

I had a realization today after reading the story in tomorrow's Sunday New York Times Magazine, which is out on the streets but not yet online, about the preservation of Modernist architecture. Which is this. Architectural styles are not about politics or political styles; they are about emotion.

There is often attempt by commentators and critics to label a particular political style peculiar or particularly to one type of politics. Thus we have frequent references to “Stalinist Apartment blocks,” even though these tall towers on plazas or parks were also built in Sweden, France and New York City. We don’t think of Art-deco, such a fun, swirly, sexy style, as something Communist would adopt, but there is actually quite a bit of in Russia. Maybe Stalin loved Art Deco. Similarly, we think of neo-classicism, sometimes, as fascist because Hitler and the Nazis loved it. But of course, so did lots of others.

These architectural styles, it hit me, are about emotion. Modernism is cool and rational. Art-deco is buoyant and sexy. Neo-classicism can be stern and powerful. These are emotions that all humans, and all political persuasions, like to tap into. The great thing about a new architectural style is that it a sense invents a new human emotion, or at least an expression of it.

To be sure, different political persuasions may be more inclined than others to like different type of architecture. But an architectural style cannot be branded as coming out of a particularly political movement, or inherently “socialist” or “democratic.” That misunderstands the nature of the art. Whether we are fascists, Republicans or Green party members, we are all human, and we want a range of emotions to tap into for our built environment.

Am I right? I write this in the first wave of realization. Maybe I’ll reconsider, but that’s how it appears now.

Categories: Architecture