Must Read

I don't read much architectural criticism at all, but I always read every new Witold Rybczynski piece in Slate. His ability to offer informed criticism accessible to novices like me is a standard for which I strive here on this blog. Yesterday, Mr. Rybczynski posted a thought-provoking piece on the maddening dogmatism of architectural "schools" which caused me to take pause. Paraphrasing Robert A.M. Stern, dean of the Yale school of architecture, Rybczynski passes on this nugget:

Architecture students should be exposed to the widest possible range of contemporary ideas in order to find their own way. In the process, they will learn the most important lesson of architectural history: There are no right and wrong styles, only well- and poorly conceived buildings.

Well put, indeed. In an environment where artists and critics turn simple disagreements over style into armed conflicts (think of the Jazz Wars), it is important for us to remember that though the stakes may seem high, let's keep our cool.