Have you ever walked into a building and your jaw just dropped in awe? The pure grandeur of the space instilling a sense of wonder. You find yourself whispering under your breath, "how in the world did they do this?"
During the past Olympics, I got to vacation in Beijing, China and had the opportunity to stroll with the masses through the Forbidden City. As I ambled through the immense complex I had a number of those moments. There was just too much detail to take in. I couldn't decide if I wanted to take pictures of the sweeping views or zoom in on the gold leafed hand painted claw of the dragons that adorned every wooden beam.
The Forbidden City is a perfect example of a HIGH ROAD structure.
Reputed to have had 9,999 rooms, it was completed in 1420 after 15 years of construction. Through a series of gates the palace has a stone road running north and south where only the feet of the Emperor could walk.
Characteristics common to HIGH ROAD structures such as the Forbidden City are:
beautiful........................... it is a UN World Heritage site.
complex........................... 9,999 rooms (enough said).
carefully crafted............... 1 million workers took 15 years.
constant maintenance..... most recent renovation is taking 18 years.
In his book, How Buildings Learn, Brand remarks that HIGH ROAD buildings are structures that "become highly evolved, refinement added to refinement, the sensible parts kept, the humorous parts kept, the clever idea that didn't work thrown away, the overly ambitous... torn down, the loved view maintained... the measure of successful evolution is intricate vivacity."
That sounds really nice in a luxurious sort of way, but Brand continues.
While I will grant you that HIGH ROAD buildings were usually designed and built to service the needs of the occupants at the time, as it ages it tends to preserve/protect the past rather than adjust to newly realized needs.
Can you imagine how much work it took to install plumbing and electricity in the Forbidden City while keeping true to its ancient mystique? For a more modern example check out this project by This Old House to refit a NYC rowhouse and their unique challenges to balance the history of the place with the desire to bring it into the 21st Century.
Brand summarizes it well by pointedly stating that, "the sustained complexity of High Road buildings leads in the fullness of time to rich specialization. They cannot help becoming unique."
As I type this post I cannot help thinking about words such as Monument and Museum. Most of the examples in How Buildings Learn for High Road buildings are just that, monuments to and museums for the past - Chatsworth House, Salisbury Cathedral, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Library of Congress, and the Tor House.
In an address to the Acts 29 church planting network, Mark Driscoll talked about this same phenomenon within the church. How many churches have you entered and the walls are lined with pictures from the past and stories of glory long gone?
I distinctly remember attending an infamous business meeting at my childhood church. One member was in the minority opinion on a certain contentious issue, but he specifically told the assembled congregation that his vote should count more than others because his family name was on the cornerstone of the church. Uh... I thought there was only one cornerstone of the church? Talk about HIGH ROAD!
A few questions to reflect on. Please post your musings.
1. What examples of HIGH ROAD architecture do you see in Scripture?
2. What was the purpose of that environment in terms of people's lives and connection to God?
3. Is a HIGH ROAD environment conducive to multiplying spiritual movements?
In my next post we will explore how High Road styles are often used to create spiritual environments.
It's time to flip the switch on this one.
Until next time,
100W
During the past Olympics, I got to vacation in Beijing, China and had the opportunity to stroll with the masses through the Forbidden City. As I ambled through the immense complex I had a number of those moments. There was just too much detail to take in. I couldn't decide if I wanted to take pictures of the sweeping views or zoom in on the gold leafed hand painted claw of the dragons that adorned every wooden beam.
The Forbidden City is a perfect example of a HIGH ROAD structure.Reputed to have had 9,999 rooms, it was completed in 1420 after 15 years of construction. Through a series of gates the palace has a stone road running north and south where only the feet of the Emperor could walk.
Characteristics common to HIGH ROAD structures such as the Forbidden City are:
beautiful........................... it is a UN World Heritage site.
complex........................... 9,999 rooms (enough said).
carefully crafted............... 1 million workers took 15 years.
constant maintenance..... most recent renovation is taking 18 years.
In his book, How Buildings Learn, Brand remarks that HIGH ROAD buildings are structures that "become highly evolved, refinement added to refinement, the sensible parts kept, the humorous parts kept, the clever idea that didn't work thrown away, the overly ambitous... torn down, the loved view maintained... the measure of successful evolution is intricate vivacity."
That sounds really nice in a luxurious sort of way, but Brand continues.
There are substantial disadvantages as well to life in a High Road building. Occupants in a lean time can be crushed by trying to maintain what was built in fat times. The High Road is high-visibility, often high-style, nearly always high-cost.
While I will grant you that HIGH ROAD buildings were usually designed and built to service the needs of the occupants at the time, as it ages it tends to preserve/protect the past rather than adjust to newly realized needs.
Can you imagine how much work it took to install plumbing and electricity in the Forbidden City while keeping true to its ancient mystique? For a more modern example check out this project by This Old House to refit a NYC rowhouse and their unique challenges to balance the history of the place with the desire to bring it into the 21st Century.
Brand summarizes it well by pointedly stating that, "the sustained complexity of High Road buildings leads in the fullness of time to rich specialization. They cannot help becoming unique."
As I type this post I cannot help thinking about words such as Monument and Museum. Most of the examples in How Buildings Learn for High Road buildings are just that, monuments to and museums for the past - Chatsworth House, Salisbury Cathedral, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Library of Congress, and the Tor House.
In an address to the Acts 29 church planting network, Mark Driscoll talked about this same phenomenon within the church. How many churches have you entered and the walls are lined with pictures from the past and stories of glory long gone?
I distinctly remember attending an infamous business meeting at my childhood church. One member was in the minority opinion on a certain contentious issue, but he specifically told the assembled congregation that his vote should count more than others because his family name was on the cornerstone of the church. Uh... I thought there was only one cornerstone of the church? Talk about HIGH ROAD!
A few questions to reflect on. Please post your musings.
1. What examples of HIGH ROAD architecture do you see in Scripture?
2. What was the purpose of that environment in terms of people's lives and connection to God?
3. Is a HIGH ROAD environment conducive to multiplying spiritual movements?
In my next post we will explore how High Road styles are often used to create spiritual environments.
It's time to flip the switch on this one.
Until next time,
100W
