Material Aging as a Design Strategy in Architecture

The article, published on ArchDaily, examines the concept of material aging in architecture through the lens of the Greek myth of Tithonus, who was granted immortality but not eternal youth, leading to endless decay. It argues that architecture often falls into a 'Tithonus Trap' by specifying materials to resist time and designing buildings as fixed images, which inevitably weather and lose their initial finish. The piece suggests that aging should be embraced as part of architectural language rather than interpreted as loss. It references the Waynflete Lower School by Simons Architects, photographed by Ryan Bent Photography, as an example of a building where material aging is considered. The article also links to a previous piece on oxidized facades, indicating a broader discussion on the aesthetics of weathering.