These empty structures also dragged down the surrounding properties. They were quirky, eye catching designs when first built, but weren't suited to adaptation due to their cartoonish forms. This meant the only value for the property was land value and the existing structure would have to be torn down in order to be useful. For the next several decades these ruins rotted in the sunlight waiting for the day they would meet the wrecking ball.

Whereas I grew up in a garden of modernist eyesores whose fifteen minutes faded fast, some of my friends grew up in traditional towns in the northeast or midwest that more closely mirrored the visions of America seen in movies and on TV. I loved the neighborly feel, sense of place, and connectedness that their hometowns offered. Yet they felt repressed in these towns decrying an overbearing orthodoxy and closed cramped spaces that didn't suit their needs. They instead loved the wide open architecture and indoor/outdoor living of my home town. A classic case of the grass being greener on the other side.

While I was intrigued by modernism and the post moderns while I was in college, I returned to more traditional forms in my practice. Perhaps witnessing the failure of so many modern designs affected my subconscious. I did have a tendency to prefer clean and simple designs over the ornate. Don't get me wrong, I quite like the dark, wood paneled parlor with the proper treatment of the wall as an order. Few spaces are more satisfying for quiet contemplation with a single malt and a fine cigar. Yet there is a part of my youth that remains which also enjoys those bright spaces and indoor/outdoor living with clean simple lines. 

I had an opportunity to work in some fairly interesting geographies so far which have provided ample opportunity to test different design directions. Some of these places were stuck in the 1950's and will soon be dealing with the same problem of useless failed structures just like we Floridians did back in the '80's. Others, not understanding the true value proposition of traditional design, have instead decided to sell nostalgia and have completely alienated an entire generation of home buyers by giving them the small cramped spaces they hated as children.

In my travels, however, I did happen to see a glimmer of hope. I've seen many Classically trained architects opening up their floor plans and eliminating muntins providing a truly beautiful modern aesthetic enhanced greatly by their deft use of proportion and refined detailing. I have also noticed many modern architects moving away from post-structuralist nightmares towards more formal plans with color and texture selections that create a warm, inviting interior.