The Sad State of Architecture in America: A 2-D, Iconic Silence

...If murmurings from the street are any indication...<a name="more"></a><br />
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It is surprising that the American Institute of Architects, as the defender of the profession of architecture in the United States, has not harassed Canon and Andre Agassi for coopting the "Image is everything!" mantra that seems to define architecture to the North American public. Ideas about what is good architecture are conveyed to the profession and the public alike almost exclusively through images of buildings (surrogates) in the architectural press. For most North Americans "good" image becomes "good" architecture. Those things we use and inhabit day after day are just buildings--not "architecture." If, as a building/architecture user, you don't understand the difference, that's OK--you can still look at pretty pictures to experience good architecture.<br />
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related: <a href="http://sustainable.state.fl.us/fdi/edesign/news/9711/famu.htm">Prize-Winning Fiasco: A Retrospective Design Review of the Florida A&M School of Architecture Building</a>