Architecture of a Muted Intensity

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Part I: Preconditions Learning from Switzerland We as architects have much we can learn from Switzerland. Let us learn from its unique qualities, that as a product of the country’s diversity and historical development, have manifest themselves in a powerful yet modest architecture. As a nation, one aspect that makes Switzerland particularly interesting and exceptional is the cultural diversity within its political and geographic boundaries. The nation consists of 26 cantons (states), has four official languages, and contains a vastly diverse landscape. This makes it difficult to image a common ground for the Swiss. Although this can expectedly result in tension both locally and abroad—the Swiss are particularly protective of their diversity while also embracing the idea of being unified by it. The fact of a nation being defined by its political boundaries rather than a unified culture and language creates the dilemma of defining what exactly “Swissness” means. The multiculturalism of Switzerland has in the past drawn a number of responses, notably with the artist Ben Vautier writing “La Suisse n’existe pas!...Switzerland

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