> the rise of abstract architectural criticism over the practical building arts.
replyi.e. "any mason can build a brick house, but an architect will create an ugly box that no mason would ever have built".
Reminds me of a quote attributed to Frank Lloyd Wright: "If the roof doesn't leak, the architect hasn't been creative enough." (and he allegedly said to a client unhappy with the leaks in his roof, "That’s how you can tell it’s a roof.")
replyUh, I guarantee you a 1970 ranch is a far easier building to maintain than a craftsman bungalow.
replyEdit: I love me a craftsman bungalow but matching dry rotted custom milled trim from 90 years ago is an mfer.
Very much. However I've lived in both over the years. Both need to be torn down and replaced! There are a lot of practical things that anyone who has compared living in a house built in 2026 vs something older will not like.
replyOf course building a new house is expensive. There are a lot of sunk costs in an existing house and generally while there is a lot to not like about an old house, in generally keeping it and doing small remodels to make it better is a better use of money even though ideally you would replace it.