ArchitectureDisaster by Design
photo by Jason Fronczek
by Matt Duke
A few weeks ago I was driving around and noticed fresh destruction.
As much as this appeals to my punk rock mentality of breaking bottles
against trees in the middle of the woods? A building that once was, is
no longer. For the life of me, I can’t remember what stood in the now
vacant lot, but that didn’t stop me from feeling defensive and making
some gripe to myself about how careless we are with our city’s history
and architecture. As I gawked at the rubble, I thought back 25 years to
send a chill down my spine, but overall, I love the mix-match. Our
structures are our scars. Sometimes they are unique and hold a solid
memory that we can boast about and other times they’re a little more
embarrassing. I’m referring to the future scar that the Milk District
residential redevelopment will leave. There was a time when we were
even deeper in the shadow of the theme parks and anything new
sounded like a good idea, but that’s not the case anymore.
“Architecture and design
shouldn’t be approached
with ‘gut instinct’ but with
knowledge and education.”
Our city is at the head of a renaissance. People are no longer just passing
through. Great ideas are no longer being saved until someone gets to
New York or LA. The creative mindset is competitive and contagious
and our citizens have started noticing the potential and talent we have
here. However, all this comes with great responsibility. In the age of
information, constant updates and fluid growth, we shouldn’t neglect
where we came from. Architecture and design shouldn’t be approached
with “gut instinct” but with knowledge and education. It’s up to us
to hold each other accountable for our actions. We can’t wait until
the fiery demolition of Orlando’s City Hall. At least with the destruction something is torn down to care. We can’t jump on the opportunity
of the former City Hall, we were able to capture the memory in what is of a new skyscraper or large development for the sake of growth and
progress. We must curate ourselves.
now some warped VHS tape starring famed bigot, Mel Gibson.
I don’t want to save it all. We haven’t always made the best choices of
incorporating design into our landscape. Some of our city’s structures
Orlando’s Art Scene, v. 1.4
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