Architecture, Anarchy, and Libertarianism

[drh459]

I have been looking around the web for awhile and I haven't really been able to find any topics regarding architecture and libertarianism and I was hoping to begin a discussion about it here if there are any fellow FDR members who are also architects or designers.

 

As an architect I have noticed a strong strain of marxism in most architectural theory I have read. Most theorists seem to desire to use buildings as a way to control people and engineer society through manipulating the way people dwell. Additionally most famous architects and theorists seem to think they can plan out massive communities or swathes of cities in order to force people to live a certain way; however more often than not these large utopian planning schemes turn into massive disasters ie Public Housing Projects, Brasilia Brazil, new urbanist housing schemes, and Chandigarh India are all examples. 

 

I really would like to start a conversation with anyone else interested in discussing city planning/ architecture and how it can be practiced in a way that accommodates liberty and how we can move away from the marxist ideas and central planning that have guided architecture and design in the 20th century

 

I'm really interested in hearing what people have to say about these issues regardless of your level of familiarity with the architecture world.

[King David]

Despite my ridiculous ignorance in the fields of both philosophy and architecture, this has got to be one of the most interesting concepts I have come across.  I have travelled most of Europe, love the gothic and surreal styles, and would confess that I can recognise little more than a flying buttress.

 

I do however love the minimalist approach to engineering, and I know what you mean about eastern European crappy builds.  The best architecture in all of eastern Europe I saw would be that of Auschwitz.   WOW did I just say that?

 

My personal taste in architecture goes only as far as how that natural sunlight and terrain gets used.  I like south facing windows (not too many to make the heat uncomfortable) and continuity with the natural flow of the land (not that any of you easterners would understand what terrain means anyways). Within my aforementioned ignorance, I would say that I could be swayed from the terrain flow aspect, but would never give anything on south facing windows, any good build has it IMO.

 

I look at architecture the same way as the English language.  So long as you don't break any grammatical rules and achieve communication, you are allowed creative license on wording the details as much as your precious little heart desires.

 

KD

[Carl Green]

Hmm, my architecture knowledge doesn't go much further than a few courses at a community college and I only draw house plans as a hobby, but on a city planning/building level, that's a whole different story.

 

Stef mentioned in an early podcast maybe we wouldn't have as many suburban commuters without the people in the city subsidizing the highways for their commute. Less incentive to live in the 'burbs if you want a non-telecommutable job. But who knows what transportation we would come up with when oil is the price it should be. I'm assuming it'd be a bit more expensive than now but I'm no expert.

 

What else would the nonviolent market affect? Think places in the city would be more expensive?

[LuckyNumber23]

Many of my relatives were killed in these architectural masterpieces.

[DaVinci]

Whenever I think of planned cities I always think of Walt Disney's City of Tomorrow and I have to say it is an intriguing idea, and I actually understand the appeal.

[Pepin]

I find this topic strange as I just started listening to The Fountainhead and architecture seems to be the central theme. From my point of view, I have a difficult time understanding the importance or significance and equate with the styles of dressing on a cake. There might be a lot I don't know or understand.