The Clemson Architecture Center and the creative industry cluster—Time to think outside the [modernist] box?
During the past few months, there has been quite a dustup over the proposed Clemson Architectural Center planned for George Street in Charleston’s historic district.
My information about the proposed building is second-hand, but based on the sketches of the exterior design that I’ve seen, the building’s style is a poor fit with its immediate surroundings. Whether the design is “modernist” or “postmodernist,” my sense is that the building would be more of a monument to itself than a contribution to the urban fabric of George Street and the Ansonborough neighborhood.
At least one architect agrees with me regarding the preliminary design sketches. In a letter to The Post and Courier, New York architect Steven W. Semmes described the design as “an oppositional modernist architectural style in a protected historic district.” Semmes is also on the Notre Dame University faculty and is an advocate for classical design.
The need for change and growth
Now to the other side of this issue. Not the side that asks whether this particular building should be built in this location as designed, but the side that asks what our goals should be for the overall development of the Charleston peninsula and beyond.
In this regard, I agree with the broad outlines of Mayor Joe Riley’s long-standing views on the subject. For decades, he has focused on bringing the peninsula to life, envisioning his beloved city as a vibrant, growing urban center rather than (to state the extreme opposing view) an open air museum of 18th- and 19th-century architecture.
The good news is that the difficulty of making decisions about development on the peninsula comes from our shared passion to do things right (and do the right thing). Far better that we struggle with these issues out of love of our city than abandon it out of apathy and neglect.
Clemson and the creative industry cluster
But while the community focuses on the “micro” issue of this particular building in this particular location, are we overlooking a much larger opportunity by failing to appreciate the significance of Clemson’s presence here?
Last April, AngelouEconomics presented its report and recommendations for pursuing future economic growth in the Charleston region. The study, commissioned by the Charleston Regional Development Alliance, was both comprehensive in scope and specific in its recommendations. It was as much of a blueprint as we’ve ever had for regional economic development. You can find the full report online at http://www.crda.org/investors_regional.html (scroll down and click the link marked “Full Cluster / Target Industry Analysis (pdf)”).
Angelou recommended that we focus on five industry clusters. Four of those already have a presence here: biosciences, automotive, aviation and advanced security.
The fifth category is “creative industries,” with a particular focus on “community planning and urban design” and “digital design and film.” It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the Clemson Architecture Center fits in neatly with this proposed cluster. The Clemson University School of Architecture is highly regarded, and we should be going out of our way to welcome and encourage the school’s presence and programs in our community.
So here’s my question: Wouldn’t it make sense to ask whether there is an opportunity for both our community and Clemson that should play out on a much grander scale?
Suppose, for example, that the center were built at a location where it could serve as the hub of an exciting new urban district elsewhere on the peninsula or in the Charleston Neck area? This new district could be designed from the ground up to be a launching pad and home to the “creative industry” cluster recommended in the AngelouEconomics report.
Want to know more about something important Savannah has that we don’t? Take a long look at the Web site for the Savannah College of Art and Design (www.scad.edu). It’s cool, it’s important and it’s the kind of educational resource we need here if we’re going to make any headway in developing a digital design and film sector.
Imagine launching something similar here with the collaborative support of all the relevant programs of our state’s colleges and universities.
Imagine a “new city” growing before our eyes.
Imagine what we could accomplish if we applied the talents of the urban planners, architects and developers already working here to the vision of working in a location that could begin as a “clean slate,” a place where they could apply cutting edge ideas and expand the region’s “urban spine” from the peninsula toward North Charleston.
Chicago’s legendary city planner Daniel H. Burnham had this to say about creating a vision for urban development: “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing consistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty.”
As for me, I like big plans, and I like to aim high. And I suspect most of you reading this column do too. The plan to shoehorn the Clemson Architecture Center into a lot on George Street is a small plan; I’d like to see Clemson’s presence here grow as part of a much bigger vision of this region’s future.
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