3 ms·

Not the GP, but I think that the optimizations that lead each locality to have a distinct look came from local minima and maxima (e.g. availability of building

Not the GP, but I think that the optimizations that lead each locality to have a distinct look came from local minima and maxima (e.g. availability of building materials, local construction practices, function of the building, desire to please the local population, as well as profit maximization), while the average McDonald's, as a for-instance of corporate design, comes from much more global minima and maxima. It's not that the builders of older buildings didn't consider profit, it's that they didn't have Excel-wielding MBA's optimizing a global supply chain to control every aspect of the average building's construction.

kortilla 7y ago
Right, the iconic look of the buildings in Paris is entirely a result of a regulatory loophole on building height and the Parisians “maximizing profit” in that environment.
- notahacker 7y ago
  They were built up to the maximum number of storeys and plot dimensions and extracted higher rents than the medieval streets they replaced, but the look is mostly because of the enforcement of building codes that controlled down to minutae like enforcing alignment of balconies. Which was ultimately the product of a vision which prioritised visual impressiveness over economics (the prioritising appearance over economics applies to Parisian buildings built prior to Parisian building codes too, though obviously there's a lot of survivor bias there)
- mises 7y ago
  No, it's also a result of the demand for pretty-looking stuff. Some people, for example, appreciate the aesthetics of apple products (though I'm not as much a fan) and will pay extra. Many will buy a fancier home for more than the size. Others buy cars which are outrageously expensive, less reliable, and some times (depending on the brand) less comfortable than others. These act as status symbols and are aesthetically pleasing. Those who build and sell them are maximizing profit, because they believe there to be a market for such items. In fairness to your point, there are craftsmen and artisans who insist on doing things a certain way. That said, they usually have buyers for their products. Those buildings stand today because some one wants them there, are usually quite valuable, and have been re-sold numerous times.
- cwilkes 7y ago
  Are you talking about the typical 6 story walkup? I thought that was mainly due to Napoleons head of urban renewal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges-Eug%C3%A8ne_Haussmann https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges-Eug%C3%A8ne_Haussmann So less of a loophole and more of a direct outcome
- baud147258 7y ago
  Fun story on current building height regulation in Paris: my brother was working on a renovation project, where most of the building was demolished, including most of the floors, except the four walls and the roof, since the building predates the current height restriction and is taller than the max height: if they had removed the roof, the new building would have been smaller, so they kept the roof to keep the same (above-regulation) height

kortilla 7y ago

Right, the iconic look of the buildings in Paris is entirely a result of a regulatory loophole on building height and the Parisians “maximizing profit” in that environment.

notahacker 7y ago
They were built up to the maximum number of storeys and plot dimensions and extracted higher rents than the medieval streets they replaced, but the look is mostly because of the enforcement of building codes that controlled down to minutae like enforcing alignment of balconies. Which was ultimately the product of a vision which prioritised visual impressiveness over economics (the prioritising appearance over economics applies to Parisian buildings built prior to Parisian building codes too, though obviously there's a lot of survivor bias there)
mises 7y ago
No, it's also a result of the demand for pretty-looking stuff. Some people, for example, appreciate the aesthetics of apple products (though I'm not as much a fan) and will pay extra. Many will buy a fancier home for more than the size. Others buy cars which are outrageously expensive, less reliable, and some times (depending on the brand) less comfortable than others. These act as status symbols and are aesthetically pleasing. Those who build and sell them are maximizing profit, because they believe there to be a market for such items. In fairness to your point, there are craftsmen and artisans who insist on doing things a certain way. That said, they usually have buyers for their products. Those buildings stand today because some one wants them there, are usually quite valuable, and have been re-sold numerous times.
cwilkes 7y ago
Are you talking about the typical 6 story walkup? I thought that was mainly due to Napoleons head of urban renewal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges-Eug%C3%A8ne_Haussmann https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges-Eug%C3%A8ne_Haussmann So less of a loophole and more of a direct outcome
baud147258 7y ago
Fun story on current building height regulation in Paris: my brother was working on a renovation project, where most of the building was demolished, including most of the floors, except the four walls and the roof, since the building predates the current height restriction and is taller than the max height: if they had removed the roof, the new building would have been smaller, so they kept the roof to keep the same (above-regulation) height