Monumental architecture is a form of building intent on making a cultural statement beyond the functionality of the building itself. It is a means of interpreting the social values of a particular place as it evolves over time through its construction, [[maintenance]], or neglect. Monumental architecture can be part of a broader placemaking strategy, or it can be an isolated whim of the person or group funding its design and implementation. It can also emerge from a particular style, such as Brutalism. #### Examples - Arc d'Triomphe - Eiffel Tower - Cathedrals - Pyramids - Washington Monument Monuments express individual [[yearning]] for timelessness in architecture. They illustrate the desire for an idea to endure beyond its temporal context. As culture evolves, monuments begin to represent the [[Creative Tension]] between the structure's persistence through time and the expression of its experience through [[Types of Time|time]]. A monument's presence becomes [wabi-sabi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi), it evolves into a [[Concept of Centers|center]], becoming living space. *[Schwerbelastungskorper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwerbelastungsk%C3%B6rper)*, the "Nazi Block," is an interesting example of a folly become monumental architecture. It represents a failed [[Paradigms|paradigm]] that nevertheless informs its surroundings. #saymore %%