January 2024 | Eyesore

Commentary on architectural blunders in monthly serial.

The etymology of the word “city” says it derives from Middle English citie, large or small town; from Anglo-French cité; from Medieval Latin civitat, civitas; from Latin, civis, citizen — you get the drift — full-on to that big loaded word civilization. The summit of human achievement, some would say, incubator of culture, game-board of politics, arena of ideas, ladder of prosperity, soul of a nation. “Divine or celestial, the city reflects with the space of European culture a religious ideal of ‘collective life’, on which converge all the major issues of future society. The eater of men and the producer of social regulations, of power conflicts and culture shocks….” say Hours and Dumons (City and Religion in Europe from the 16th to the 20th century — The Re-enchanted City.)

Behold the London skyline of our time. Has something gone wrong at the summit of civilization? Is something ailing this organism? Did the latest buildings have too much to drink? Have they opted out of the consensus for what a building is supposed to signify. . . say, decorum, harmony of aspiration, semiotic coherence? Does each new one present the symptoms of Cluster-B personality disorder marked by inappropriate, volatile emotionality, and often unpredictable behavior?  It all seems to beg a question: What new anarchy awaits in 2024?

Thanks to Breck Breckenridge for the nomination.