alt Hacker News> And ofc the modernist rejection of any ornament; even that which is there historically, on existing architecture.
There's an ideological capture of postwar architecture departments. Talk to a dutiful architecture student and mention classical architecture, and don't be surprised if you get some eye-rolling or stock dismissals ("it's anachronistic", "it's pastiche", "it's expensive", "it's unoriginal"). People - and that includes students - tend to go along with the prejudices of their professors, both because of ignorance and because they want to "fit in".
There are some maverick departments[0], however.
> My hope is that in a future where we 3D-print buildings or construct them with robots [...] the cost difference will be marginal/nonexistend.
The cost isn't the issue. Societies much poorer than our - and we are the wealthiest we've ever been in history, materially speaking - have produced magnificent artwork and architecture. We simply have different priorities. I don't remember who it was who said this, but if you want to know what a society worships and holds in highest regard, look for the tallest building in the city.
> We simply have different priorities. I don't remember who it was who said this, but if you want to know what a society worships and holds in highest regard, look for the tallest building in the city.
I remember reading an article on HN about how people stated that they preferred traditional Western architecture styles, but what was built by architects was something very different. It was presented as revealed preferences contradicting stated preferences.[1]
But I think it is more about priorities, like you said in your first sentence. People may prefer traditional styles, but individuals have limited power/time, and there are other things to worry about, so their effort goes elsewhere, not on supporting their preferred architectural styles.
1. Edit: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49697496