It isn't a lack of vision, just a lack of perserverance

I have this fear that stringent rules, regulations and attempts to maintain a fiscal "bottom line" will somehow create rather homogenized, uninteresting, non-personalized and non-efficient design solutions for buildings.

I believe this fear stems from the blatant attempt to label any and all design intent. Whether "modern" or "green", "new urbanism" and now "noble". While I believe that the original intent of these ideas is indeed worth exploring, when coupled with the mitigating factors that will limit the execution of the attempt the actual "movement" becomes nothing more then a smokescreen used as a marketing technique to sell poor execution of corrupted ideas.

Where does this all leave us? Well, in somewhat of a quandary as we further examine whatever projects that we enjoy, whatever design we may attempt to create and what the overall sweeping agenda we are trying to accomplish. Is it possible to attain a level of sophistication, cost effectiveness and personalization while maintaining such a varied collection of design goals (which at times are entirely contrary to each other)? Does it make sense to require all new homes and buildings to achieve the same goals independent of location, orientation, use and client? Are we starting to paint ourselves into a corner where simplicity begins to become impossible due to unreasonable expectations?

One can almost sort of see it happening. As pre-fab homes become more mainstream and marketed as a single option solution regardless of site and family size. As poorly designed low budget developments flaunt a flag of "new urbanism". As strip malls pop up in the middle of low density areas and build their own communities around and above them and claim these small "communities" as "urban". As more and more buildings exclaim how "green" they are without once thinking about the building as a holistic experience. These failures of ours, these constant aberrations become more and more prevalent and begin to set a tone for the entire experience as acceptable and almost expected.

Of course I don't like to bring up any issues without attempting to offer at least a single solution. I find the easiest thing that we can do overall is to clamour when we see projects utilizing a "movement" as a marketing strategy not only incorrectly but belligerently so. We have to be willing to take a stand against this cavalier attitude of misnomer that cheapens so much of what designers are passionate about. We have to accept our accountability and be willing to hold ourselves and other responsible for the damage done to the industry and our failures so far to rectify it.

Of course I am not so stupid as completely ignore the politics behind a lot of the new construction and planning done in any major city and some may consider standing up for their beliefs political suicide but I would ask that those that have the willingness and those whose job it is to report on it, be willing to research and see through the whitewash in order to attempt to improve the standard of development within our communities.

Please.