Natwerk Designs

Does "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" apply to architecture?

My dad has some serious taste problems. I'm an architecture student and I have my own taste in architecture. He's a civil engineer who designs houses and has his own. I prefer modern, futurist and art deco architecture, and I have my own idea of what looks good for me. He designs bland and simple houses - those that look "normal". The architecture equivalent of generic mainstream top 40 pop music. He says he likes his own designs. Still nothing wrong with that, because to each one his own favorites. I have this major design project for school. I designed a house whose style is futurist art deco. I put ornaments all over the blank spots of the house. I think my design looks good. He said my design is ugly and he kept insisting me to use simple stuff. I kept telling him that "normal is boring," and these are also words told to us by our professors. I told him that I find my design good-looking, my friends say it's good-looking, even my professor says it's good-looking. He tells me to REPEAT EVERYTHING AND USE SIMPLE STUFF. I think my design looks good, but my dad says it's not. I told him that it's all subjective, he says architecture style is NOT. The deadline is tomorrow, what do I do to convince him to let me use my own design?

Public Comments

1. Despite the fact that I probably would side with your dad on what looks good architecturally, you are correct in that style is subjective. You should use your own design for your school project, primarily because it's YOUR school project.
2. Your right. Each his own, show him the Schroder house, its based off the de stijl movement but looks really cool and untraditional, show him this house and he may see that "normal" isn't always the right choice! Good luck on your final. ^.^ heres a link to a picture for ya even http://www.essential-architecture.com/STYLE/STY-M07.htm
3. Ok who is TURNING IT IN? Oh yeah YOU. So if that is what they want and think looks good then turn it in. Why would you have to convince him? Truth be hold your father has a point. Do you want to be on a block with normal houses and one that is outrageous? Do you think that wouldn't affect the property values? You think it shouldn't matter because that one person wants the outrageous right? Well it isn't fair to the other people who lived there first. If you have a neighbor that is a mile away then that is fine. If you live in a city block though that is different. If you live in the Country or you are rich and have large property then build what you want. So it is a little subjective but not as much as a lot of stuff.