James Stevens Curl

In this provocative presentation, James Stevens Curl delivers a scathing critique titled "The Failure of Architecture Education." Drawing on historical observations, he argues that modern architectural education has deliberately jettisoned critical study and knowledge of historical architecture, promoting a "quasi-religious fundamentalist cult of modernist architecture". Curl contends that this approach has led to a narrowness and shallowness in education, resulting in buildings that lack aesthetic gratification, quality, and human connection. He shares personal anecdotes of his own architectural education, highlighting the suppression of traditional crafts, the ridiculing of beauty, and the deliberate removal of "disapproved" books from libraries. Curl advocates for a radical reformation in architectural education, emphasizing a return to apprenticeship, guided study, and a deep understanding of historical architectural language to create buildings that truly uplift and delight the human spirit.

Recorded at third annual Beauty and Ugliness in Architecture conference in Oslo, May 2nd – 4th 2025.