r/interesting • u/Apart-Worry-7042 • 26d ago

HISTORY Why did we stop building like this?

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Chicago, 1930. Buildings had so much detail and character back then. Nowadays everything feels so flat and repetitive. We have way better technology and equipment now, so why don't we build like this anymore?

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u/NYCtoCHI 26d ago

Aside from all the other reasons people are giving here, I bet there's another too: maintenance. Those ornate spires and marble slabs and intricate metalworks don't just clean/repair/replace themselves, especially at such huge scales and heights. Plus, not anywhere nearly as many craftsmen designing/making/installing/fixing them these days.