ABSTRACT
Contemporary architecture tends universally to be influenced by trends in the West (Europe and North America) and to ignore the rest of the world. Initially modern architecture brought strength, good plumbing, electric lighting, and conveniences to buildings in the third world, just as industrialization brought convenient transport and infrastructure and the promise of abundance to all. But the situation quickly turned into extreme dependence on electrical cooling, heating and lighting, higher cost and running expenses, reduced local employment, and increased deficits in housing and public buildings; it also worsened the quality of life in the city and undermined the safety and convenience of its inhabitants.
