To a certain degree, it's not unfounded. The spaces we exist in can have a profound impact on how we operate, what we think about, how much energy we have, etc.

To a certain degree, it's not unfounded. The spaces we exist in can have a profound impact on how we operate, what we think about, how much energy we have, etc. This is intuitive to anyone: At the extremes, compare coding in a garbage heap, in the office, and at home (even without the associated distractions [eg kids, meetings, the uh.. garbage compactor], the difference you "feel" is immediate) So then, as you would in any area, you take that intuition, and you become an expert in it, and you realize that with a sufficient number of small improvements you can enact very large ones in total. Theoretically, it should be possible to build an environment thats somehow absolutely perfect from programming in, and creating let's say a 40% boost in productivity with no significant downsides. Replicate the model repeatedly, and 40% programming productivity boost won't simply improve the programmers; the benefits will cascade, likely leading to improvements across the board. Alternatively, you have the impact of symbols, in things like a grand church.. A city will with a religious superstructure has a distinctly different feel than a city with minor churches here and there. The culture of the populace is very obviously affected, though perhaps why might not be. It might simply be the fear of god being ever-present, or perhaps the general knowledge that most in the area will naturally be tied to that particular religion, or maybe even the simple fact that its a damned impressive feat of human engineering Architecture clearly has a significant impact on us, so its not that hard to believe that, were you successful and skilled enough, you could make a very significant impact; However, I'm not of the belief that most architecture is (at least by intention), and I don't think we have much hope for it in the near-future. But the potential is always there. PS: Also note that I'm a strong believer in Christopher Alexander's perspective on living architecture (don't buy that much into pattern theory specifically, though obviously it works well for CS), and ofc Ram's Form follows Function, and those two ideas are what inform most of my opinion on how architecture should be treated