ABSTRACT
As a rule, contemporary architects distrust the whole concept of style, even though it is through stylistic explanations that commentators, policy makers, and the general public have been taught to understand architecture. New buildings are commonly described in terms familiar from fashion reporting, with new “looks” anticipated almost seasonally, and each newly sustainable or energy-efficient building examined for signs of stylistic coherence. To really understand the connections between style and energy, we need to examine the deeper role of energy in the modern era, and the genesis of the concepts of architectural style and type.
