Acts of resistance
towards critical regionalism
Criticism of the current global order’s monoculture is not new. Lo-TEK, a fairly recent movement, has built its influence on the shoulder of scholarly giants. Less known, however, is Kenneth Frampton1 leading theorist of critical regionalism. Despite the dominance of the system we occupy, the design landscape we stand on is undergirded with tension.
Nostalgia
A return to a simpler times is not possible. Knowledge embodied in our fingertips is lost to the cold machinery of industry. Critical regionalism comes to the scene with a balanced approach; neither rejecting or embracing modernity whole sale. According to Frampton, new styles emerge from regions context such as topography, climate, light or tectonic form.
Depth
Heavy machinery have terraformed the earth into placelessness. Developers flattening the earth, excessive use of concrete and asphalt, and disregard for plant species enables an aesthetic which erases narrative from the land. Hence, standing out by rooting design in the context is a liberatory act. However, critical regionalism doesn’t remove heavy machinery or computer aided design from the equation, but de-emphasizes it’s priority in the process.
Tactile
Broadening the experience of place beyond sight is crucial to designing for the context. Field work and site visits allow the designer to engage with the space with more senses than computer pixels. In the words of Frampton, “One has in mind a whole range of complementary sensory perceptions which are registered by the labile body: the intensity of light, darkness, heat and cold; the feeling of humidity; the aroma of material; the almost palpable presence of masonry oas the body senses it’s own confinement; the momentum of an induced gait and the relative inertia of the body as it traverses the floor; the echoing resonance of our own footfall.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1162/104648802753657932