Architecture is not Neutral

Living in the United Arab Emirates for most of my life, I have seen the city of Dubai urbanize and modernize almost overnight. Subsequently that has made me also see, and experience, the pros and cons of such developments.

First, as much as I appreciate Umar Qadmiri 's insightful posts on Gulf architecture and urban planning, I tend to usually have a more radical or revolutionary view even when it comes to architecture and urbanism. For instance, a city based on traditional Gulf architecture and urban planning would not attract entrepreneurs like Dubai does today, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Instead, it would definitely attract more educated-types, anthropologists, culture enthusiasts, travelers, mystics perhaps, and other social types that are antithetical to modern cities.

Architecture and urban planning are not neutral. My own views on the topic are based on the writings of Roger Scruton and Oswald Spengler, who both possessed what could be described as non-conventional views concerning architectural forms and urbanism. Both thinkers believe that no form is neutral, and that each architectural form represents a specific idea or concept— possessing a soul or ethos. Second, both have a relativist view, that each culture, time, and ecological-geographic zone, have their own specific architectural and urban forms.

Scruton reminds us that one of the main tenets of Modern architecture is placing function before form unlike traditional forms which did the exact opposite. Thus, Modern architecture emphasizes utility, "efficiency", and subsequently the elimination of ornaments. The earliest examples of this concept are still beautiful compared to the monstrosities we see today.

Louis Sullivan although the founder of the concept did not take this concept to its extreme conclusions like his successors did. Le Corbusier for instance is the man I view as the originator of "Soulless" architecture, look at the dystopian hell holes below.

Le Corbusier's aim was clearly to ensure that his work psychologically damaged any person within the vicinity of his concrete daemonic tombstones. Nothing screams decline more than this, I guarantee you that this sociopath contributed to the increase of mental illnesses substantially more than anyone during the 20th century.

Here is Le Corbusier's "ideal city" which was: "abstractly inspired by the arrangement and functions of the human body. Like a living organism, it consisted of organized parts that would work together as a whole." Look at these buildings standing like Satan's troops ready to suck your soul away...

The beautiful Mediterranean city of Algiers narrowly escaped Le Corbusier's sociopathic project where he attempted to block the coastal view with his dystopian design. Even the Vichy government was appalled with the design and ensured it did not materialize under its rule.

Spengler argued that every architectural expression says something specific, or represents a unique idea: Gothic architecture screams infinite space; Islamic domed structures emphasize the Oneness of God and harmony; Chinese landscape affirms "Nature's way"; Indian architecture and the concept of maya.

Architecture is not neutral, as Hegel argued, the artistic expressions are almost always a reflection of the Zeitgeist. Thus, Modern architecture screams "linear-progress", materialism, reductionism, pure rationalism, universalism, and today it screams capitalism and globalization, especially after the introduction of international style.

Scruton says one can easily locate an organic structure, one that affirms form over function, by simply attempting to pick it up, flip it, and place it back down. If the structure looks deformed, then it is organic, the same cant be said about modern architecture, whether you tilt or flip it, it looks just fine, hence function. This is primarily because the modern architectural expression is artificial and soulless, and thus malleable.

Postmodern architecture, which inverts organic forms, allows us to visualize what Scruton was speaking about here, look at these examples below, which reflect absurdity, playfulness and asymmetry, precisely because the structures used are not meant to be expressed in such a manner.

People are slowly realizing that architecture and urban planning are not neutral, that they do have psychological and spiritual effects, and are conscious expressions of our unconscious. It is not a coincidence that the most psychologically unstable times and places coincide with dull and soulless architecture and urban designs.

Beyond this, as I previously expressed in my writings, Modernity is not only an anti-cultural force, but an anti -natural force, thus, it severs our connection with nature. This is the case with all modern cities, and all their attempts to reverse this process are usually futile. To heal, one has to change the foundation as a whole.

In Gulf cities, whether the Arab or Iranian side, the clue lies in the past, in pre-modern times, where the culture was in harmony with nature, including the structures. An example is the Kingdom of Ormuz (Hormuz), an economic hub and early economic precursor to what would become the Gulf states today.

The climate of the Gulf is extremely hot during summers, which was the case in Hormuz as well, without air conditioning how did people live? The Portuguese left clues in their interactions with the people of Hormuz, their homes were literally flooded intentionally throughout summers, below is a painting of a Portuguese household.

Moreover, wind catchers and Yankhchals were used to cool structures and refrigerate, respectively. Notice the use of organic materials when compared to modern architecture with its use of concrete and steel.

Beyond this, of course, sometimes natural realities are too extreme to combat with pre-modern organic means. Perhaps the current demographics of the Gulf region as a whole (both Iranian and Arab areas) cannot be sustained if a transition is made to more organic forms instantly, hence the sparse population of such regions before modernization.

That being said, the past is a suitable starting point when considering such questions. Such methods can be combined with modern ones until a sustainable model is developed. For now, a good start would be to build functioning wind catchers instead of ones purely for aesthetic purposes.

Finally, William Irwin Thompson argued that buildings and cities are conscious expressions of our collective unconscious, thus, if we wish to change our external reality, we might have to start from within.