WHAT IS TRADITIONAL architecture?
To most people, the term traditional architecture brings to mind images of ‘old’ or ‘historical’ buildings, in contrast to what they might regard as modern, modernist, or contemporary. Associating traditional design with the past is understandable, because until the 20th century all buildings were traditional, and today almost no traditional buildings are built. But this is a misconception.
Traditional architectural design is not about the past, or of the past. It is a particular approach or methodology, consisting of a set of guiding principles — fractal scaling, harmony of proportions, verticality over horizontality, symmetry, ornamentation, natural or ‘honest’ use of materials, colour harmony, and so on — that are demonstrated in all traditional buildings, from Ancient Greek temples to Japanese townhouses, from Gothic cathedrals to the Australian bush hut.
Traditional design is timeless, and as relevant and applicable to architecture today as it ever was. There is nothing contradictory about the idea of contemporary traditional architecture, or of a building that is designed using traditional principles but also completely modern in its materials and completely contemporary in its appearance.
Traditionalists see the principles of traditional design not as arbitrary or subjective stylistic preferences, but as objectively valuable and beneficial, because they are deeply rooted in and reflective of human neurology and psychology, and address our need for beauty and comfort in a way that modernism does not.
If you are interested in learning more about traditional design principles and other aspects of traditional design, please take a look at our blog, where these topics are explored in much greater detail. Feel free to leave a comment or get in touch!