In class we discussed so called "wild places", and the irony of protecting them. Protecting our wild places involves identifying them and spreading awareness and information on how to keep them wild. Often times, the romanticized talk about these pristine corners of our planet attracts visitors, who, longing to see the world in its purest form, ultimately degrade it little by little just by visiting. So what happens when people decide to build a house and stay for good? Is there a code, moral or otherwise, that everyone building should follow? How do we honor the hippies idea of a home while also allowing the wall street CEO to build to her heart's content? Lastly, what should be considered offensive or inappropriate? A rolling lawn? A house with three stories? While we call the Adirondacks wilderness, we still reside in them, which makes houses inevitable. Personally, after a strenuous hike, it wouldn't be my first choice to look out over the valley and the distant ranges to stand in awe of... a perfectly mowed lawn. Perhaps, some people disagree, and want nothing more than to see the way humans are able to conquer even wild land. I don't know the solution, I'm not even convinced that there is a way for humans to live in harmony with nature and with each other, seeing as we have already spent years expanding, glancing over conservation the first time round. We are now forced to reverse our learned habits in order to reach our goal of keeping wilderness wild.
Here's an idea:
http://www.today.com/home/see-these-mirrored-buildings-blend-their-surroundings-1D79970121
Great post. I love the idea and look of the mirror houses, though they might be hard to keep clean. Think of the Windex bills. The pictures are wonderful.
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ReplyDeleteI don't think there really is a pure and simple solution to this cohabitation problem. I think, and I hope many others would agree, that it is important to interact with nature and learn from it. However, are we not just destroying the wilderness by trying to become a part of it? The closest thing to a solution almost resembles a compromise between us and the land. We must respect the land, and conserve it as best as we can, but if we are going to inhabit it, the land is going to need to become just a little less "wild."
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