No doubt everyone will have a particular spin on their personal understanding of authenticity (in architecture)? Certain early Modernists adopted quite a puritanical position which railed against anything which was not considered ‘honest’ - ‘Truth to Materials’ was their particular cri de coeur.

Fortunately, today we are much more tolerant and able to accept a more diverse spectrum of approaches. Our rampant plurality, however, means that core values have become uncoupled from a shared belief system. This rupture may be linked to the rise of secularism or multiculturalism but even architects need to be ‘grounded’ in such straitened times.

Essentially, authenticity is something that grows out of a place, not something which is imposed upon it. This inherent connection to place and the act of cultivation is something to be nurtured, especially by any responsible/responsive architect. Contemporary architects can still engage meaningfully with fundamental values but the mercurial nature of ethics allows us to justify almost anything. Perhaps the allure of authenticity (for architects) lies in its potential to tap into the immutable?

Defining Authenticity