Last evening at the Beck Center I had the opportunity to watch two Cleveland architecture legends discuss the modern movement as it pertained to Northeast Ohio construction from the 1940's to the present. Peter van Dijk and Richard Fleischman created the panel which had collected quite a crowd of interested Clevelanders waiting to hear about the problems and solutions to having non-typical projects built in the city.
It was an impressive turnout and mostly consisted of a question and answer segment which began with the loaded question offered by van Dijk of 'what is modernism?' which quickly evolved into what happens when the client isn't trained to or unable to recognize visual aesthetics (this was blamed on the typical educational curriculum which is currently light in the arts) to questioning whether it gotten easier or harder to move projects through local design review stages and receiving permits.
In my mind this is where the conversation got rather interesting. Much comment was bandied about regarding architecture and design in this post 9-11 world. Yes, 9-11 was brought up as an actual excuse for the proliferation of 'comfort' architecture, those banal boring structure decorated with false gables, columns and friezes, attempting to look timeless while only succeeding in become garish mockeries. Apparently (and I was not aware of this) everyone in this country (or just Cleveland) feels so unsafe that we are uncomfortable with doing anything out of the ordinary, even with regards to architecture (what at one time was possibly considered an art). Even though the buildings that were showcased in this installation were built 40 to 50 years prior the flagrant excuse that these typologies and structures are so alien and hard to understand as to create an aura of uncomfort stuns me. I suppose I can force myself to understand and find value in that statement though, however I come from the completely opposite perspective when I state that the typical building stock still being recreated (poorly) make me feel even more insecure. They make it difficult to delineate place as they do nothing but add to the background noise of a street, they perpetuate what some may consider a style artificially granted merit due to sheer repetition and in doing so make any attempt to explore other ideas, designs that may very well be better suited to our modern lifestyles, seem strange, unfamiliar and elitist to the denizens who are meant to harbor our neighborhoods from decreasing property values, the design review committees.
It was also rather interesting to listen to the passion in the room. I have honestly feared that is was missing from our city in some aspects. I suppose the only reason I would be so bold as to state openly so is that even though there is copious amounts of TALK about what is wrong and what can be done to change it, there seems to be very little in means of ACTION.
Ignoring the problem doesn't do anything to solve them, however neither does talk.
There was boldness last night. There was a fire and a thirst that made me feel like I was surrounded by the sort of youth and exuberance that was willing to change the world and take the repercussions for having done so. In my mind it was a damnable shame that this took place in a reputable arts gallery instead of the dark and raw backroom of a bar, where we could have smacked our fists on the rough wooden tables and felt the camaraderie bursting forth, ready to carry us into the streets torches in our hands raised high marching towards the nearest townshack to evoke our own design review fury.
Alas, I romanticize quite a bit. I felt the fury in the air last night, the danger of our precarious current situation that we feel unwilling to fight against yet. There seems to be some difficulty with arguing against the problem, perhaps because it has become so dominant and ingrained it feels too large to overcome for now, it has become the natural way of things.
Until there is enough willing to act, and the opprotunities to do so, we can only hope that exhibits such as Building Goes Modern raise enough community awareness and incite enough curiosity to keep our hearts and minds alive.
As a quite side note, I also picked up the catalogue for the show which I believe you will be able to purchase at the installation for a mere $15.00. It is a wonderful foray into the existence and history of the modern movement around Cleveland. While you are there, try to find Nina Gibans amazing Historical and Cultural Notes for the Cleveland Goes Modern show. It is a wonder primer.
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