When I was in architecture school, someone made the observation that buildings tend to be fairly masculine in form. At first, I didn't know what was meant by that statement. Certainly there are some architectural forms that are more massive, stronger, or more phallic (some skyscrapers are quite obviously that way - I'm surprised no one has done a psychological treatise on the subject... there'd be tons of examples). But the person was lamenting the fact that architecture - and building in general - is typically carried out by men. The owners are men. The financiers are men. The designers are men. The engineers are men. And the guys actually building the thing are, well, guys. This is an interesting phenomenon...
So the question was - how do we address this problem? Some smart alec suggested that we might put breasts on our buildings... I'm not entirely sure how that would look...
And I'm not entirely sure that that would be a desirable form.
What is a feminine symbol, anyway? How could you take something that seems so very masculine and make it more feminine? And how would you do it in such a way that it didn't appear patronizing?
A difficult question.
Fortunately, there are things in this world that are definitely feminine. Attributes like kindness, gentleness, caring and nurturing, are all things that are justly ascribed mainly to women. It is true that there are men and women who are successful at the roles and attributes generally given to the opposite sex. But through it all, women tend to be more that way than men.
Further, women represent the greatest force for good in the world. It is the influence of good women in our lives that make us men who we can and ought to be. Men, in general, are not as refined without the influence of a loving female companion. And women, without other women, may find themselves feeling isolated and discouraged.
Women are the repository of the values and morals of our society. They teach them in precept and in deed as they move through their lives like the angels they are. Their actions touch the sublime and reach across the generations, influencing all through their perseverance, courage, faith, and love. For, if there was one word which would well define women, it is love.
Certainly there are men who love. But it is the love that these men learned from their mothers that is reflected in their lives, much as the moon reflects the light of the sun.
So the question was - how do we address this problem? Some smart alec suggested that we might put breasts on our buildings... I'm not entirely sure how that would look...
And I'm not entirely sure that that would be a desirable form.
What is a feminine symbol, anyway? How could you take something that seems so very masculine and make it more feminine? And how would you do it in such a way that it didn't appear patronizing?
A difficult question.
Fortunately, there are things in this world that are definitely feminine. Attributes like kindness, gentleness, caring and nurturing, are all things that are justly ascribed mainly to women. It is true that there are men and women who are successful at the roles and attributes generally given to the opposite sex. But through it all, women tend to be more that way than men.
Further, women represent the greatest force for good in the world. It is the influence of good women in our lives that make us men who we can and ought to be. Men, in general, are not as refined without the influence of a loving female companion. And women, without other women, may find themselves feeling isolated and discouraged.
Women are the repository of the values and morals of our society. They teach them in precept and in deed as they move through their lives like the angels they are. Their actions touch the sublime and reach across the generations, influencing all through their perseverance, courage, faith, and love. For, if there was one word which would well define women, it is love.
Certainly there are men who love. But it is the love that these men learned from their mothers that is reflected in their lives, much as the moon reflects the light of the sun.
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