Comments on: Tradition 2: Rybczynski & Modernism

By: ElamBend

ElamBend — Mon, 15 Aug 2005 19:59:30 +0000

Lex,
Wow, that’s the first time I’ve seen Seeing Like a State mentioned anywhere. I myself found it about six years ago in an architectual bookstore in San Francisco. Although the book kind of peters-out in the end; it has some fantastic chapters, for the description of the early days of the Russian revolution to his, yes, eviscerating of LeCorbrusier. I still find that I am very influenced by it.

By: Richard Heddleson

Richard Heddleson — Sun, 14 Aug 2005 12:44:38 +0000

You might also be interested in Timeless Way of Building or A Pattern Language

By: Ginny

Ginny — Sat, 13 Aug 2005 17:34:22 +0000

Thanks Corbusier and am honored at a mention in your quite intereseting blog.

By: corbusier

corbusier — Sat, 13 Aug 2005 16:41:17 +0000

Brilliant post. I’ll link this to my new blog. An excellent summary of the conflicts between the Modern movement and societies’ responses to it.

Rybczynski’s name was always being mentioned during my architecture school days. Somehow I never got around to reading him, but maybe that should be my next book once I’m done reading my current Lewis Mumford epic.

I own a Corbusier chaise lounge and a Mies Barcelona ottoman. They’re actually quite comfortable and guests of mine have been quite surprised at how the ‘machine to relax in’ is such a pleasure to rest on. Still many other mid-century moderns are uncomfortable, especially the Wassily chair. I admit my guilt in seeing these stylish pieces of furniture more as pieces of artwork for the home than as a setting for family. Still there is a lot of contemporary furniture out there that is extremely comfortable and austere at the same time.

Maybe it’s me but I don’t think I can be truly comfortable without being enveloped by beauty.

By: Tyouth

Tyouth — Sat, 13 Aug 2005 14:42:29 +0000

I can’t believe it, really.

I am at my desk this morning with four or five texts on woodwork and furniture making. Specifically looking for chair-making ergonomics. I have just closed the first text and logged on Chicago Boyz just to see what’s going on.

Man, that’s service!

(BTW, building a large booth in the kitchen under a large window)

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 13 Aug 2005 14:22:45 +0000

Wow, that was breakfast for my head. Thanks, Ginny.

By: Lex

Lex — Sat, 13 Aug 2005 01:26:57 +0000

Bravo. Rybczynski is one of my favorite writers, and I think Home is his best book. His disucssion of the practical utility of the early 20th Century chairs, which were the perfection of centuries of skillful development, discarded by those in search of abstract artistic notions, is a case study in much of what ails the world. An interesting and higly critical take on Corbusier can be found in James C. Scott Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed.