Modern design removed ornamentation from many everyday public spaces.
Modernism emerged in early 20th-century architecture by rejecting decoration and favoring clean lines, function, and materials such as steel, concrete, and glass. Industrial construction methods promised lower costs and mass production, helping standardized forms become widespread.
This history does not prove that every old bench, hall, or shop was better, and beauty remains subjective. It does explain why decorative civic details became less common. Preserving and adapting older buildings can retain historical character while also avoiding the waste and carbon emissions associated with demolition and replacement.
As much as I appreciate classical beauty, modernist design has that "clean" aesthetic, thanks to modern materials that have qualities that allow them to remain durable and maintain form over time. I'm all for a happy medium that retains classical ornamentation, coloring and "naivete", while adapting the cold functional simplicity that materials like stainless steel and concrete encourage. The challenge for today's designers is to find a happy medium between the two.
Also, it would be more honest to portray the two styles side by side in the same lighting.
You can find both things then and now. Beauty is for those who search for it and an Apple store is the last place you should look.
# Roger Scruton - Why Beauty Matters (2009)
Perhaps we can call this the enshittification of our surroundings
The world definitely has lost beauty in art, music and architecture. The question is will a hard money standard really reinvigorate all of this? I hope so - and I hope bitcoin is that money.
Very interesting concept. The Fed in Atlanta is a beautiful building that appears to last beyond the end of time. Makes me think why can’t we do the same level of design and architecture for other public buildings like schools and hospitals.
Some blame Fiat and economics but it could be a sign of humanity changing culture to the new abundance we have.