The "signaling taste" aspect I thought was a matter of old money in decline and declaring the grapes sour. One aspect I see as actually driving it is who signs

The "signaling taste" aspect I thought was a matter of old money in decline and declaring the grapes sour. One aspect I see as actually driving it is who signs the check and makes the choices. Modernist memes are more influential among them. Also an aspect of ego is in play - they want their new building to stand out as unique instead of just blending in with all of the tasteful traditional architecture. In contrast re: check signng McMansions make architecture majors cry with their mixture of features sold well (initially at least, their resale value suffered from shoddy workmanship). They commonly complain about garages and what they do to visual balance. Side or detatched garages are preferred aesthetically but are also a large inconvenience.