Critique of McMansions Critiqued
Monday, December 18, 2006, by jwilliams
Holy cow. After hitting our newsfeeds late Friday (via Archinect), this morning we finally managed to work our way through the dense and way-too-highbrow architectural critique of Persian Palaces (aka McMansions) by LA Times writer Greg Goldin. It basically rewrites, in a much smarter way, the same thinking that we've put pixel to screen for the last year. The oversized homes that fail to stick to one architectural style, overwhelming their neighbors, and hitting the passer by with a phalanx of columns, cornices, crown moldings, and any number of adornments that are intended to signify some level of wealth and importance, whether justified or not. Goldin finds some redemption in the mcmansion, which is admirable, as we find none. But we tend to think of mcmansions as comprising more than just a style of bad architecture. It also encompasses bad urban planning and bad streetscape design. Neighborhood and community are kicked to the curb in favor of self-aggrandizement. What you're humble editors are trying to say, is that mcmansions, Persian Palaces, whatever you call them, are the suck. Thank you.
· In defense of the Persian Palace [LA Times]
· McMansion Archives [Curbed LA]
Do Persian people really appreciate when others call their homes: Persian Palaces? seems like an insult to me. I guess they don't mind. Things that make me go - hmm...
I think the Persian Palace is a more specific type architectual vernacular than just a straight-up McMansion. While McMansions can be built "to scale" in new, huge suburban developments with big lots and cul de sacs, Persian Palaces tend to be built on small tear-down lots, where the building takes up every conceivable inch of lot space and completely overpowers the scale of the rest of the block.
And yes, if I was Persian and lived in a modestly-sized house, I too would probably take offense at the term.
For all of you that are criticizing persian palaces, I find you all to be pretentious and close minded. First of all, art is subjective... if you knew anything about art, you'd realize that people have different taste and much of it is cultural. Who said your taste is better than anyone else's? Talk about ethnocentrism! Second, we live in the US and people should be able to express themselves as they please. Just because these homes are not to your liking, does not make them "offensive" or "ridiculous." It's really sad that people can't even accept other people's tastes and preferences and feel that they can ridicule them.
Dear Anonymous, you should check out this quote in the LA Times. I think it (quite precisely) articulates why the majority of us find the Persian Palace so revolting. No one likes to see an entire neighborhood destroyed by a materialistic sub-culture trying desperately to impress each other.
"Hamid Gabbay, who is a Beverly Hills architect and sits on the city's Design Review Commission, admits as much, emphatically. He detests Persian Palaces, and here's why: "I came here on December 9, 1978, only a few months before the shah was deposed. I would have thought that the immigrants from Iran would have learned something from the experience there. But they didn't. They build these extravagant houses. They have no sense of humility, or how to live quietly. It's as if exactly the opposite of what you expected happened: They exploded with ostentation."
Hey Jon,
If there wereen't so many people that liked them... this wouldn't be an issue that was receiving so much coverage. Obviously there must be people that like these homes if they are being built. As for a materialistic subculture- it's Beverly Hills! A city known for its materialism far before Iranians had even moved in. Maybe you sould take a walk down Rodeo Drive to get a better taste of all the materialism exhibited by non-Iranians there. It's fine if you don't like the homes and don't want one for yourself... but everyone is entitled to express themselves. There have been so many articles depicting Iranians as snobs... but the only snobs here are ones like you who think their tastes should prevail over others!
I'm confused here. Why is everyone pissed of at Persians in Beverly Hills for making "ostentacious" homes? Every time I go down to Beverly Hills, everyone there is snobby and materialistic. I strongly doubt it's a Persian thing. I see 50 year old white women with their faces pulled back injected with silicon. White girls walking around as if they are all Paris Hilton. Carrying their Gucci bags. And then there's tons of old rich men in fast cars with their young girlfriends. All trying to show off. And now these Beverly Hills residents are pointing the finger at their Persian neighbors? I mean, for goodness sake, American culture is the ultimate source of capitalism and materialism.
And ya notice in the pic, they didn't even bother to underground the utilities. You'd think they could upgrade the neighborhood by doing so (they do it in Palm Springs) but no they wanna do stuff cheaply and quickly and the pic is the result-ugh!
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