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 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. %%