Starchitects Don't Know Best

Robert Kwolek, writing for his blog reCities, dissects the cult of the starchitect:

So I propose we stop promoting the BIG’s of the world (referring to both Bjarke Ingels Group and Koolhaas’ “Bigness” theories), and return architectural discourse to something of a grassroots level. We need to stop asking architect/businessmen what they foresee for the built environment, and instead start empathizing with our fellow citizens, and ask them how they would like to see their towns and cities develop. From studies we already know it veers more toward traditional walkable neighborhoods, not a megalopolis. And why not, when traditional city designs are the result of thousands of years of evolution and adapted to human needs. We want beautiful, walkable, place-specific neighborhoods, but we won’t get that if we continue to hire a select group of architects to design all over the world. When mayors, planning officials, and developers turn to starchitects to develop buildings and master plans for their cities, it’s nothing more than totalitarianism which ignores the dreams of the people. Left to many architects, we’d still be in the throes of urban renewal and building towers in the park à la Le Corbusier.

As I’ve mentioned previously, starchitects are focused solely on purity of design vision. This is a focus on the design not the people the design serves. I agree wholeheartedly with Robert - we need to get back to the humanity of design. We need to build places for people. We need citizen buildings that contribute to a better place just as we need engaged citizens who contribute to a better society.