Some buildings or homes are wonderfully functional, efficient, practical, cozy, and even aesthetically pleasing, but they lack personality, style, and in the end, they feel bland or at least irrelevant, because they simply serve their purpose. Like a good washing machine or refrigerator: they do their job well, but they don’t stand out in any other way.
What I’m about to say might sound like a bit of a grandpa sermon, but hey, I’ve reached the age where stepping into that role feels somewhat natural. So I’ll allow myself the liberty and hope no one takes offense. Here it is: “They just don’t build houses like they used to!” (I swear I sprouted a dozen gray hairs just typing that.)
It’s a cliché, sure, but let’s be honest. What modern house has the charm, style, character, and personality of an old vivienda indiana? They may not be the most practical homes, or the most energy-efficient, and all those staircases can be a pain once you reach a certain age, not to mention the cost of upkeep. But these buildings capture our attention. They evoke stories, stir the desire to visit them, or even to dream of living in them. I miss that attention to aesthetics, that deliberate effort to be beautiful, regardless of the price.
Of course, stunning buildings are still being built today, but most homes tend to be consumer products: purely functional. I miss those casas de indianos, that love of beauty, even if it came from a desire to show off wealth and social status. Today they stand as remnants of a different time, a time when values leaned more toward beauty than toward efficiency and productivity. I miss that era, but at least we can still enjoy what’s left of its legacy.
