--- New Buildings Built in Traditional Architecture Style ---

[Taller, Better]

Wow.. that was a disgusting trip down Racism Lane. I have deleted all the crap and will be HAPPY to give out automatic infractions to ANYONE who continues to equate race with this discussion of architecture. KEEP IT ON TOPIC please.

[MRouchell]

I would like to know more about this building. Where is it? What is it? Who designed it? etc.

[MRouchell]

Originally Posted by CF221

A most beautiful building! I'm sure the architects enjoyed designing such a jewel.

I would like to know more about this building. Where is it? What is it? Who designed it? etc.

[CF221]

Originally Posted by MRouchell

I would like to know more about this building. Where is it? What is it? Who designed it? etc.

Only thing I know as per the response of the original poster of the picture is that it is located in St. Petersburg and is a fresh contruction.

[el palmesano]

Originally Posted by BarbaricManchurian

Now, other cities I can agree with you somewhat. But keep in mind, it's not like commieblocks are Chinese architecture and they're everywhere. Almost every style of building is an "import.". So why apply a stricter standard to Asia than the rest of the world? There's far more European influence and heritage than you think, real European architecture in tons of random cities all around East Asia.

but if they want to use this european style because they have an european past, they should adapt the buildings with a modern disign, not just do it as if we were in 1900, because we are in 2012

Architecture is not just a trend, they should apply all the technology and knowing that humanity has developed in the past 100 years.

Well, it is just my opinion

[BarbaricManchurian]

So you are against all the buildings in the thread? My philosophy is that if it looks good I like it, and traditional style buildings are usually better for creating human scaled urban environments.

[BarbaricManchurian]

And I'm sure all of the buildings are modern (meaning technology, not style) on the inside. Hell, most historical buildings have been modernized, and the exterior style has no relation to how modern the interior is.

[Geography]

The administration building on Woody Island (aka Yongxing Island by the Chinese). It houses the city government of the new Sansha city. It contrasts from the other buildings on the island which are built in typical, terrible modern style. The administration building uses classical style to reinforce China's claim to the Paracel Islands. Classical architecture invokes feelings of stability and longevity, which is exactly what China wants to promote regards to its claim of the Paracel Islands.

Here's the administration building.





And here is what I think is a bank, or maybe a supermarket on the island. It shows how unique the administration building is compared to other nearby buildings. Clearly some thought went into how the administration building would be viewed by others.

[JoseRodolfo]

I´m sorry, but both buildings look terribly bad.

[gdlrar]

i agree... i like the traditional architecture in new buildings and reconstructions of old heritage.. but this don't have the right scale, symmetry, balance.. all fundamentals of design.. looks very fake

[JoseRodolfo]

Originally Posted by gdlrar

i agree... i like the traditional architecture in new buildings and reconstructions of old heritage.. but this don't have the right scale, symmetry, balance.. all fundamentals of design.. looks very fake

Exactly.

[Geography]

I agree it looks tacky but you're missing my point. The decision to attempt classical architecture with that dome and those columns was an overt use of classical architecture's implied values of stability and longevity.

[JoseRodolfo]

Originally Posted by Geography

I agree it looks tacky but you're missing my point. The decision to attempt classical architecture with that dome and those columns was an overt use of classical architecture's implied values of stability and longevity.

No, I´m not missing that point. And a tacky architecture could fail on trasmiting these values. Maybe some good new architecture, well built, would get to this point in a better way.
And I see another problem. Since it´s in China, it could be more interesting if they tried to reproduce some tradicional chinese architecture to achieve these values. I see an overvaluation of ocidental traditional architecture is this case and in many other in chinese cities. But, fortunately we know that this country also believe in inovation on architecture, building great new stuff. Talking about my country, we can see Brasilia, a whole new city with new and modern monumental architecture that also evokes those values and today it´s even an Unesco World Heritage site.

[Neungz]

Siam Nakarin Department store, Hat Yai City, Thailand

credit on the pictures

[MRouchell]

Originally Posted by Geography

The administration building on Woody Island (aka Yongxing Island by the Chinese). It houses the city government of the new Sansha city. It contrasts from the other buildings on the island which are built in typical, terrible modern style. The administration building uses classical style to reinforce China's claim to the Paracel Islands. Classical architecture invokes feelings of stability and longevity, which is exactly what China wants to promote regards to its claim of the Paracel Islands.

Here's the administration building.





And here is what I think is a bank, or maybe a supermarket on the island. It shows how unique the administration building is compared to other nearby buildings. Clearly some thought went into how the administration building would be viewed by others.

Good attempt at classical architecture, but unfortunately the details are not correct, particularly the entablature and the way it extends slightly past each of the columns on each end. I don't blame the architect for this; I blame the architecture schools that have discontinued the classical design education, creating a lost generation of architects incompetent in classical design.

[MRouchell]

Originally Posted by Neungz

Siam Nakarin Department store, Hat Yai City, Thailand

credit on the pictures

This is a good attempt at classical architecture, but unfortunately, the details are not correct. This is because architecture schools have discontinued teaching classical design creating a lost generation of architects that are incompetent at classical architecture.

[Leugom]

Originally Posted by MRouchell

This is a good attempt at classical architecture, but unfortunately, the details are not correct. This is because architecture schools have discontinued teaching classical design creating a lost generation of architects that are incompetent at classical architecture.

My question to all architects out there is: Is ignorance really the cause? I mean... it is not that hard to analyze and emulate proportions and details of already existing classical buildings (even more easy should be for architects who are used to studying perspective and all those compulsory arch-school subjects). I would like to think it is not so... maybe it is lack of budget? perhaps they are so affraid to go back to the past that instead of following the design rules to the letter they puposely make these kind of "interpretations"? or maybe they just have bad taste... in any case it is really sad to see

[gdlrar]

Because its more easy than reinterpretation of classical design with all ornate and exquisite decorations

[WalPaulista]

The Siam Nakarin Department store building is great except for some applied decoration that doesn´t look very integrated to the building.

Asians are doing better than countries of European descent but who despise beautiful architecture.

On the comment about the "racism lane", I don´t find it that serious. People are different and being afraid of talking about the differences is the real racism.

[Leugom]

Originally Posted by gdlrar

Because its more easy than reinterpretation of classical design with all ornate and exquisite decorations

But the decorations are already there! they are just the wrong sizes, in the wrong places. Look at the Siam Nakarin Department store. All those golden moldures, butchered corintian columns and overnumbered modillons, they are there but they don't look good. I bet any architect could design a more elgant building in classical style with half the details and better proportions than what's shown there.

Take this reconstruction (from Leipzig - Revitalization of Germanys Gründerzeit capital). Very sober design+perfect proportions (at least in the detailing) = Beautiful


stadtbild-deutschland.org

Over the top detailing+wrong proportions= tacky