Taking stock at the end of a decade can be arbitrary, but for architecture it has never been
more apt.
Construction has slowed to a trickle, design firms are laying off employees and the Big Plans
of a few years back - iconic museums! stratospheric towers! - are gathering the digital
equivalent of dust on the shelf.
Instead of gravity-defying drama, think empty lots.
It was an era when architecture became hotter and hipper than ever, yet too often was treated
as a three-dimensional marketing tool. In fact, it's the art form that shapes the world in
which we live, with long-term implications for the environment and our civic culture.
Ten trends capture this tension. I'll start with the one that matters the most.
1. Sustainability
Once a fringe movement, the quest to be environmentally friendly has been embraced by the
design profession. And with each high-profile move - such as the California Academy of
Sciences' living roof - rival architects are pushed to follow suit. There's hype in this,
to be sure. But it's the wave of the future, and it comes not a moment too soon.
2. Tall-tall towers
After the horrific destruction of the World Trade Center, architectural pundits proclaimed
the end of the skyscraper era - whereupon the high-rise craze kicked into truly high gear.
The most excessive example is the 2,683-foot Burj Dubai, which opens next month; whether
or not San Francisco gets its 1,000-foot obelisk at the Transbay Terminal will be decided
by the economy.
3. "Icon"
Speaking of our iffy-obelisk, during the 2007 competition for development rights to build
the tower, the call went out for "an iconic presence that will redefine the City's skyline."
This was right in line with a decade where every structure snazzier than a Kohl's laid claim
to icon status. Let's hope that when architectural ambitions come back, the I-word doesn't.
4. Glass
In the latest crop of towers, granite was passe - glass was the fashion statement for
architects and developers wanting to be au courant. It's a trend that already looks dated,
even with technology that allows more variations than ever, from ultra-clear to lurid blue,
both of which can be seen on our very own skyline.
5. Starchitecture
The trend entered mainstream culture after Daniel Libeskind became a celebrity by winning
the competition to design the World Trade Center's replacement. It peaked with Frank Gehry's
2005 appearance on "The Simpsons." By the end of the decade, every big city had its own hyped
building by a star architect - often with results that weren't "iconic," just odd.
6. Libraries
Whatever the reason - obsolete older facilities, civic pride or both - new libraries continue
to rise in cities large and small, often with community space attached. The Bay Area's crop
includes a snug delight in Belmont, a user-friendly centerpiece to downtown San Jose, an
expanded landmark in Berkeley and a new one in Lafayette, with more on the way.
7. Artificial urbanism
What does a city do if it lacks a downtown? Simple: build a fake one with housing or offices
atop storefronts and a multiplex at one end. Anyone who's gaped at downtown Windsor or San
Jose's Santana Row knows what I mean; an even more surreal example is the Town Center in
El Dorado Hills, off Highway 50 east of Folsom.
8. Nostalgia for modern architecture
Historic preservation became a force in America in the 1960s because people were horrified
at the destruction of cherished older buildings for proudly "modern" replacements. Now, fans
of modernism use preservation laws to ward off attacks on the very buildings erected without
regard for history. It's a strange world indeed.
9. Smart growth
As opposed to ... and now you know why the term gained favor as a rallying cry for anyone
in favor of something besides auto-dependent suburban sprawl. All sides agree it includes
dense development near mass transit, and regional planning that protects valued farmlands
and open space. Beyond that, one advocate's "smart" is an opponent's "not in my backyard."
10. Affordable housing as high design
Again and again, the sharpest new buildings in San Francisco are ones built for low-income
residents. The reason: The city is blessed with architects and nonprofit developers who not
only want to do the right thing, but do it with style and with an eye to strengthening the
larger urban fabric. This is one trend with no downside at all.
Culture of the decade
The Chronicle looks back on the decade that was:
Monday:
Theater,
classical music
Today:
Urban design,
video games
Wednesday:
Home and
garden, dance
Thursday:
Food and
restaurants
Friday:
Television, Leah Garchik, movies
Saturday:
Pop music, visual arts