Museum of Seattle clouds: Retrieving regional identity in an era of globalization

Abstract

Before the world was globalized, a regional diversity appeared naturally in the architecture of different places. Geographical separation created a deep divide between cultures and people, shaping different regional characteristics and bestowing a place with a Genius Loci (the spirit of place). However, modern technology breached these geographic barriers. Advanced prefabrication technology creates weather-proof building assemblies that can disregard the limitations of site conditions. In addition, advances in transportation systems have provided convenient global movement. As a result, the cost-efficient performance-guaranteed universal products have beaten out conventional local products. Local buildings lose the marks of where they were born. Holding on to the past is human nature. People have taken measures to preserve the unforgettable past. One obviously wrong approach to save regional identity is to resist contemporary technology. Ignoring the benefits of technical development to pursue the comfort of nostalgia is foolish and unrealistic. This thesis is looking for new opportunities to revive regional identity. By modifying banal universal designs, a designer can tailor the universal technologies to better suit each specific place.