Instagram Architecture: Aesthetic vs. Function
"Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness."
– Frank Gehry
Today's architecture is more ubiquitous than ever before. Not in textbooks or on-site visits, but on glowing screens and carefully curated feeds. Instagram has made buildings scrollable art, instant inspiration for millions globally. But with increased visibility comes a more profound question:
Are we designing for humans, or for the camera?
Welcome to the era of Instagram Architecture, in which all arches are aligned, all corners are color-coded, and the distinction between form and function narrows by the post.
The Instagram Effect on Architecture
Instagram has altered the way that we see buildings. What once required effort to see — walking through a space, observing light and texture, sensing scale — now occurs within a second with a tap and a swipe.
More and more, we’re seeing buildings that seem made for the feed. These include:
1. Colourful facades crafted for selfies
2. Cafés with minimalist furniture and statement walls
3. Staircases spiralling toward the sky in perfect symmetry
4. Installations designed for photo ops, not for use
It’s visually stunning, but is it good architecture?
What Instagram Does Right
Despite the criticism, Instagram isn’t all surface. It has opened new doors for design:
1. It democratizes architecture, making global styles accessible to everyone
2. New and small businesses and upcoming architects can display their work to many people
3. It promotes creativity and visual communication
4. It stimulates new enthusiasm for architecture, particularly among youths
It can be a digital sketchbook, portfolio, and professional tool all at once for students.
Where It Starts to Fall Apart
Visual-only design comes with some nasty compromises. The camera sees the surface, but is unable to express how space feels, sounds, or flows. When aesthetics becomes the priority, the user experience is compromised.
Issues that are common are:
1. Finish materials that photograph well but deteriorate over time
2. Spaces that are not responsive to actual use or climate conditions
3. Inhabitancy that is cold or impractical in use
4. Buildings that ignore their cultural or environmental context
We end up with beautiful spaces that aren’t made to be lived in — just looked at.
The Balance: Aesthetic Meets Purpose
The best architecture doesn't choose between looking good and working well. It does both. And some of the most photographed buildings in the world prove that.
Take, for example:
1. Tadao Ando’s Church of the Light, where light and structure speak with power
2. Luis Barragán's Casa Gilardi, a symphony of colour, quiet, and space
3. Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, combining design and nature in a seamless way
These areas look great on camera, but they are also highly functional. They take into account the individuals who move through them, the world around them, and how time will affect them.
What Architecture Students Can Learn
As a young designer or student, it's tempting to be enamoured of what is trendy. But authentic architecture isn't all about the visual — it's about the experience. Look outside the frame.
Some guiding principles:
1. Let your idea develop from context rather than trend
2. Comfort, usability, and sustainability first
3. Consider how a space matures, rather than launches
4. Utilize Instagram to share your story, rather than to document just the finish
5. Make people feel — not just look
Good design is invisible when it works. Great design is unforgettable because it works well and looks good.
Conclusion: More Than Just a Pretty Feed
Instagram is not the enemy. It's a tool — and like any tool, it relies on how you use it. You can design for likes, or you can design for life.
Design for both, and you’ll create architecture that people remember.
Because the best spaces aren’t just photogenic.
They are human.
They are timeless.
They are lived.
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