JUNE 1, 2023 - In a recent published report titled 'Modern Architecture, Unpopular and Undemocratic', classical architectural advocate Radomir Kobryn-Coletti exposes the overwhelming public preference for Classical and Traditional architecture over the Modernist style. His report has compiled a wide range of studies and surveys across many countries that unambiguously demonstrate the populace's inclination towards traditional architectural designs, challenging the dominance of modernist aesthetics in the architectural field.
Radomir Kobryn-Coletti’s report also highlights the issue of citizens' lack of input in public architectural decisions. He argues that modernist architects and certain politicians have sidestepped public opinion, ignoring the aesthetic preferences of the very people who live and work within these buildings.
Radomir Kobryn-Coletti shines a light on the public's preference for classical architecture, citing amongst others, the recent National Civic Art Society’s poll in 2020. This study saw over 72% of 2000 Americans surveyed expressing a preference for classical architecture over modernist styles. Furthermore, this preference transcended political leanings, with 73% of self-identified Republicans, 70% of Democrats, and 73% of independents favoring classical designs1.
In the United Kingdom, a YouGov survey conducted in conjunction with Adam Architecture in 2009, found 77% of the 1042 British citizens surveyed favored traditional neo-classical styles over modernist ones1.
Outside the English speaking world, the results are effectively the same. A research study by Henrik Loodin and Ola Thufvesson at Lund University Sweden found that traditional architecture was the most preferred and viewed as better for city centres. Baroque buildings were considered most attractive and the least attractive streetscape was modernist architecture from the late 1960s.
And in the autumn of 2019, a survey in Sweden for residents of the suburb in Stockholm 'Upplands Väsby' showed a majority of the residents who preferred traditional pre-1930s architecture.
Radomir Kobryn-Coletti also critiques the modern day architectural establishment. “The fact that these preferences are not reflected in public policy and publicly commissioned buildings goes to further suggest that the architectural elites are completely out of touch and at odds with the desires of the people.”.
Radomir also places large blame on the ideological roots of modern architectural education -
“The very essence of modernist architectural philosophy comes from the delusional takes of a man named Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, who renamed himself 'Le Corbusier'. Amongst many of his grand ideas, was to turn Paris into a high-rise urban hellscape. This is the man modernist architects all worship and idolize. This truly idiotic cult, now rules over our public spaces, our lived experiences in the physical realm, our day-to-day visual reality.”
In compiling this research, Radomir Kobryn-Coletti urges a reconsideration of the architectural status quo, advocating for a more democratic decision-making process that takes into account public aesthetic preferences in the design of public buildings1.
As an advocate of classical architecture, Kobryn-Coletti's work is a clarion call for a more inclusive dialogue between architects, decision-makers, and the public, fostering an architectural landscape that truly reflects the needs and desires of the communities they serve.
For more information, visit https://www.radomirkobryn-coletti.com/post/modern-architecture-unpopular-and-undemocratic.
About Radomir Kobryn-Coletti
Radomir Kobryn-Coletti is a passionate advocate for classical and traditional architecture. He aims to bring public preferences to the forefront of urban planning and government decision-making in the built environment, promoting the need for a democratic approach to public spaces and influencing the aesthetic choices of developers, prioritizing long term civic benefits over short term gains.
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Company Name: Radomir Kobryn-Coletti
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Website: https://www.radomirkobryn-coletti.com/post/modern-architecture-unpopular-and-undemocratic
