PRAIRIEFORM argues that the central problem of modernist architecture is the way the buildings erase the sense of place inherent in the location where they are built.
PRAIRIEFORM uses a modernist home in Minnesota as an example:
"Our beef with the modernist landscape of gravel, concrete, and a few toped-out arbor vitaes, extends beyond pure aesthetics, however. It is rooted equally as much in modernism's insistence on erasing the sense of place within a landscape. The landscape shown above could be almost anywhere; there is simply nothing flora- or material-wise that gives any indication of where it is, other than that it clearly isn't located in the tropics, which doesn't give us much to go on."
FULL STORY: A modern approach to creating place
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
Learning From Venice, Florida
How a community planned in the 1920s has gracefully navigated change, offering a model for other places.
8 Frank Lloyd Wright Buildings Named World Heritage Sites
Eight buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright are the first works of U.S. modern architecture to be named UNESCO World heritage sites.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Poorest NYC Neighborhoods Pay Price for Delivery Boom
The rise of ‘last-mile’ e-commerce warehouses — and their attendant truck traffic and air pollution — is disproportionately impacting the most historically disadvantaged parts of the city.
Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.
California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland