Repetition can be one of the most boring aspects of architecture, especially where one finds whole districts of the same design and the same treatment for each unit within these identical buildings. Some of the housing estates built in the UK and USA in the mid to late twentieth centuries are sad examples, the most notorious of which was Pruitt-Igoe in St Louis, which was imploded just 21 years after it was built, because it had degenerated into a slum. Its fate was attributed mainly to the bland and repetitive environment that had been created in this housing estate, lacking in interest and identity. Pruitt-Igoe before demolition Creative Commons licensed: https://www.facebook.com/STLPRS/photos/the-pruitt-igoe-housing-complex-located-along-cass-avenue-north-st-louis-consist/1287418993419959/ But repetition has not always had this reputation - in many ancient cultures around the world, it has been used as the highpoint of architectural expression, often reserved to express ...
Reflections on architecture, design, interiors and inspiring creativity