Are we romanticizing architecture and design of the past?

They don’t make ‘em like they used to, or so they say. When you think about homes and buildings built in bygone eras, what comes to mind? Images of stunning design, like sculptures, beautiful windows, expert masonry laid by hand and in beautiful patterns, or maybe even fabrics imported from Europe may dance through your thoughts, and you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong.

But, are we romanticizing architecture and designs of the past with a selective memory? Are we too focused on function while ignoring form in modern builds?

Yes and no. Skyscrapers are blocks of glass and concrete, and homes go up fast and cheap and often have problems from the get-go. However, function is the most important element of design. It has to function before it can look pretty. Hence, the form follows function phrases you’ll hear interior designers and architects say. 

It’s important to remember the challenges we face in balancing form and function in modern architecture. We see the Millennium Tower leaning, the collapse of a condo building in Florida, and numerous old buildings in dire need of repairs. We’re not constructing things to withstand the test of time anymore. This leads me to argue that even the function is often overlooked. New or flipped single-family homes are often difficult to fix or, worse, uninhabitable. 

When we miss the form of a building, though, we often think of peak Mid-Century design or 1920s Art Deco to Victorian and Gothic architecture. Homes and skyscrapers from that time were functional and beautiful! But we are romanizing the times of the past. We think everyone lived in these incredible homes of the 20s or Gothic times, but they didn’t.

There were slums and terrible working and living conditions, and even the beautiful buildings had lots of downsides, especially regarding fire codes. Every decade or so has an incredible building or feat of engineering or new style that will and has stood for hundreds of years. We forget those Gothic Churches or the Empire State Building are being constantly maintained. Most regular homes of any period are gone. 

However, we miss those places, dripping with craftsmanship and an incredible style. But we must not forget that buildings and interiors of that time were incredibly expensive. We still see amazing homes built today with style and customizations, so it’s still around, maybe less than we think it should be, but it’s because they are expensive. Have you seen the current state of the housing market? No wonder we aren’t building homes like this, well, only a small percentage of the population is. But remember, we think of the 20s or Victorian and think that everyone lived that way, and it’s simply not the case.

Ultimately, it’s the bottom line for builders, no matter what decade. Can they sell this house for the right amount of money to build another and another? How can they make the home the minimum requirement to make the most money? They don’t care about a lavish Carrara marble and tile fireplace or a luxuriously carved built-in bookcase made of mahogany. Yes, the minimum requirement of a Victorian home is more than our current standards, but that was their standard, people were annoyed then, just like we are now, although it’s worse now.

While I will continue to miss the craftsmanship and aesthetically pleasing homes, offices, and skyscrapers of the past and complain about how crummy everything looks now, I’ll try to keep in mind that so did most people living at that time.