[intalentive]

>the question of whether a roof is flat or pitched is to be answered solely on the basis of practicality, technology, and efficiency

No. The aesthetic dimension to architecture is critical because buildings constitute our environment and affect our psychology and how we interact with one another.

Would you rather have lunch in a beautiful piazza in northern Italy, or in a purely functional American strip mall / parking lot?

Would you rather live in a cozy cottage in the Cotswolds, or in a commie block in Petrograd?

Should a courthouse reflect the majesty and seriousness of its purpose, or should it reflect the ridiculous dadaism of a peculiar architect?

Buildings are not merely functional and they are not merely art. They are the environment that conditions the daily experience of the community, and because of their persistence and constant action on the public mind, we should take care how they form a home for civic life.