Being in a course on Urban Design at the moment, a lot of my time goes with thinking about the solutions that people put forth for cities, both contemporary and historical. Having studied the suject for a few years now, and having read a number of books on the subject, I can feel the "wiseness" of not actually having to live in an earlier period. And it's all around me, tutors and students alike tend to have strong opinions on earlier strategies and manifests.
It's so easy now to point out all the things, which are wrong about for example brutalism in the 70es, but when it comes to today, we are less so inclined. We all (except the brilliant few) believe and practice what's the current mantra. As would any good student...?!
At my school it's called sustainability, balance on all scales, economics/environment/social issues.. It's not that I don't think that this is the way to go (because, you know, I have learnt in school that it is!), but sometimes I just can't help but wonder if we're all victims of living in the day and age that we do. That we can't see the flaws of the subject we're dealing with, because we are working with it every single day based on the theories that are in vogue. And, honestly, that scares me a bit.
I guess that's what separates the innovators and brilliant minds from the rest of us: The ability to see what's wrong with the models of today and to make it right. Or at least try another idea.
I for one am blinded by the flashes of contemporary hailings. Let's hope I wise up one day.
