how humans make progress

The debut of the latest iPhone gives us an opportunity to consider how we actually move culture forward--very slowly, by increments, and by the inputs of many people who will be forgotten. I regard our obsession with heroes a bit silly and anachronistic. When we were small tribes of hunters and peasants it made sense to acknowledge the achievements of the Big Man or Big Woman who could make a real difference to the group. Steve Jobs was never a Big Man--he just thought he was.

I'm reading about how the CIA discovered the mole Aldrich Ames after a lengthy and exhaustive investigation. The book, written by Sandra Grimes and Jeanne Vertefeuille, is plodding, bureaucratic, detailed, repetitive, and indispensable. Please note that I use those adjectives in a positive way in an effort to highlight how things actually get done in the real world. If they had proceeded in any other way they would not have been successful. Few members of Congress of the media could possible understand that.

While I am skeptical of the utility of Heroes, I do believe in Villains. It is far easier for some malicious bastard, or deeply stupid idiot, to completely mess things up to such an extent that no group of people, no matter how motivated or dedicated, can put it to rights.

that's not a house, that's a home

The problem with older buildings is that they're old. Now, before anyone starts attacking the circular logic that is the hallmark of this blog (when there is any logic at all), let's consider the ways in which we assign value to certain things. Age is credited with imparting character, and it correlates with scarcity, which in turn increases cost in the right marketplace. But age implies deterioration for human made things, and deterioration creates a dilemma, for a certain aspect of character depends on it. Age implies uncertainty--when will this break? becomes a constant question.

Architecture outlives expectations with a bare minimum of care and maintenance, but age inexorably wears everything down. We rarely say that a building collapsed because of age--we assign a more proximal cause--and deny the cumulative impact of years of bad decisions.

the prison of architecture

Michael Sorkin's most recent article in the Nation magazine challenges architects to boycott prison design. He acknowledges that the ethical dilemmas presented by certain types of commissions are something that all designers have to confront periodically, but prisons in the U.S. are the worst case. We discriminate against minorities with our sentencing laws and create environments for punishment that only worsen crime.

I would sign onto this. I consider my involvement in the design of an incarceration facility unlikely, and I would only take on such work if I was starving. If things get to that point, then I might have other priorities.

A cynical observer could claim that the modern American way of life is a type of prison. But such metaphors don't stand up to the reality of waking up in a concrete cell. Spiritual fortitude and asceticism are much lauded by certain religions, but I prefer being able to drive to a Wal-Mart to buy cheap objects. The issue of freedom is not a simple one, but as John Cash noted "The culture of a thousand years is removed by the clanging of a cell door." Or something like that.

deterioration of beliefs

Are all glass facades okay for some building types? I'm starting to struggle with that again. I think it comes down to the gain vs. enclosure dominated building condition. Suppose an office building has an all glass facade with with spectrally selective glazing and exterior sunshading supplemented by interior shades. In northern climates will the heat gains on the interior, plus solar gains, mitigate heat loss to the exterior? Will occupants be more comfortable and pay lower utility bills than occupants in an equivalent building with a more "appropriate" wall to window ratio?

the unprivate dwelling

I wonder if any states have built a governor's mansion in the last fifty years. Massachusetts does not have one, and I consider that a symbol of the stupid Yankee frugality that manifests itself in this oh so liberal state. A governor's mansion helps to emphasize the public role that the highest elected official has in the community. Critical social functions, including fundraising, can take place there and will be more open to the public eye than if the governor has a more private residence.

I'm not sure what forces would have to align to build a governor's house in this day and age. I wonder if the forces of tradition would triumph over the forces of modernism. Probably.

the long death of springfield massachusetts

I'm having a hard time describing what is wrong with Springfield, Massachusetts. If you want an objective assessment, this blog is certainly not a resource, but I don't think objectivity can quite do justice to the manifest urban failure of that city. It wasn't until I was driving back into Boston yesterday that I noticed one of the big differences--Boston is cluttered; Springfield feels like an empty house after an estate sale--empty rooms full of nothing but dust and scraps of worthless paper. I'm painting an extreme picture here, but people who work and live in Springfield must notice the oddness of the place.

I feel that some of the major corporate players there have written the place off. Mass Mutual has a miserable concrete office building, Smith and Wesson assembles guns, The Basketball Hall of Fame sits grandly next to the highway,  and a handful of businesses try to make a go of it amidst the genteel decay and misery. So what if they get a casino? Probably just another white elephant and a broken promise

the end of apple and the triumph of the system

Computer not letting me post image of Apple's proposed headquarters.

I predict that in about thirty years the legend of Apple and Steve Jobs will have faded into obscurity. I own no Apple products, and based on the other options out there for technology devices, I probably won't ever.
People will drive by the steel skeleton of the Apple building in California, rusting in the bright sun, and wonder what it was for. If they are curious, they can try Googling it, or asking Siri. Maybe they'll be more focused on survival at that point, what with the genetically engineered zombies and the Hollywood stars who have been upgraded to vampire status.

And what will happen to the money? Apple has cash on hand that could almost keep the U.S. government running for a few weeks. Consultants, shareholders, vendors, and corrupt management will siphon it off over the years. The iPhone 10 will be a complete flop--the design team will have gone retro and made the thing seven pounds with a coal burning generator and a touchy self-destruct mechanism. But people won't buy it because it only comes in two colors. So sad.