The Architecture of Happiness discussion

I am simultaneously reading Paul Goldberger's "Why Architecture Matters" Why Architecture Mattersand Alain de Botton's "The Architecture of Happiness"(why can't a topic be associated with more than one book?? --how?). Both books appeared in a review in, I believe, Science magazine some months ago and, intrigued and an amateur student and practitioner of some simple architectural design, I ordered both books. They arrived last spring and for many weeks sat in a place for new books near my dining place at the table. I took them with me on an extended trip and only toward the end, a couple of weeks ago cracked open the Goldberger-- the pleasures of exotic fiction had demanded my reading hours (Iain Pears, Patchett, re-reading Patrick O'Brien).

After Goldberger's introduction and becoming acquainted with Vetruvius' proscriptive definition-- "commodity, firmness, delight"-- and the competing strains on architecture through the ages of utility, aesthetics and morality, I wondered where de Botton was coming from. His opening approach was more personal and psychological than the scholarly, historical Goldberger, stressing both the exquisite delight from good and great structure-scapes as well as the despair and necessary indifference coming from the far more frequent mundane, spoiled and decaying scenes in which we must more frequently dwell. dB contrasted a sordid pit in which we must live, punctuated by spires rising to dizzying heights in which we can, rarely in space and time, tarry.

My reaction-- "Ah well, so be it, not really so bad as we can modify our own pit with fresh flowers, a framed drawing or two, and vacuum the rug every week or so. And even patch the cracked plaster and replace a leaking roof tile without too much effort." But this just emphasizes his point, especially the "Ah well...".

Both dB and G emphasize that architecture pervades all aspects of our lives. Transparently so, given our necessity for shelter and the mechanisms to procure food and attend bodily function. Seems that it overlaps fashion (the architecture of clothing) somewhat, however. Perhaps it even proscribes social structure as, out of our despair, we are willing to grant a few individuals, variously selected, elected or self-elevated, the privilege of a life more wholly upon the spires and only occasionally descending to the pit. And even then in gilded carriages or ebony polished limos.

So let's see where these guys are going...