> I think there’s a genuine mystery to be explained here: if people prefer traditional architecture by a large margin, how come we’ve stopped producing it? It

> I think there’s a genuine mystery to be explained here: if people prefer traditional architecture by a large margin, how come we’ve stopped producing it? It takes time—decades, perhaps centuries—to develop the techniques and traditions that produce beautiful architecture. When new materials like glass, steel, and plastic become the de facto standards in construction in a relatively short period of time, we can expect construction to be ugly or unrefined as we discover those techniques and establish those traditions.