Algorithms Are Reshaping Architecture's Taste and Visibility
Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi contends that algorithms now shape architectural preferences, supplanting established publications such as Casabella, Domus, and Lotus. Social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, ArchDaily, and Dezeen emphasize visibility over thoughtful critique, resulting in buildings becoming well-known prior to assessment. The piece explores the transformation of architectural media, from illustrated books of the Renaissance to contemporary digital outlets. Casabella's legacy illustrates this transition, impacting Italian Rationalism and blending architecture with design. While the digital age opens doors for emerging studios, it often depends on statistical methods instead of critical evaluation. The article emphasizes FALA's design for social media and cautions against quick imitation, urging for criticism to distinguish between image popularity and the quality of work.
Key facts
- Algorithms now select architectural works for visibility based on attention-maximization, replacing editorial curation.
- Magazines like Casabella, Domus, and Lotus once shaped architectural taste through explicit cultural responsibility.
- Casabella under Persico and Pagano built Italian Rationalism; under Rogers it debated continuity; under Mendini it merged with design and art.
- Digital platforms allow young studios to reach international audiences without traditional gatekeepers.
- FALA designs with monochrome surfaces, arches, and pure geometries that are instantly recognizable on Instagram.
- FALA's work references Álvaro Siza, Aldo Rossi, and James Stirling, showing depth beyond surface aesthetics.
- The algorithm does not argue or interpret; it ranks images by statistical probability of holding attention.
- The article by Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi appears on Artribune in July 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi
- Edoardo Persico
- Giuseppe Pagano
- Ernesto Nathan Rogers
- Alessandro Mendini
- Julius Shulman
- Le Corbusier
- Álvaro Siza
- Aldo Rossi
- James Stirling
- Marshall McLuhan
Institutions
- Casabella
- Domus
- Lotus
- ArchDaily
- Dezeen
- FALA
- Archigram
- Superstudio
- Archizoom
- École des Beaux-Arts
- CIAM
- Artribune
Locations
- Porto
- Portugal
- Tirana
- Albania
- Ahmedabad
- India
- Milan
- Italy
- New York
- United States
- Tokyo
- Japan