ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the socio-cultural context of architectural criticism and evaluation studies. It considers understanding the context for the critic, evaluator, project or building, and the society at large as a key factor that influences the outcome of these studies. The chapter attempts to demonstrate that the "two currently divergent paradigms of architectural criticism and building performance evaluations can co-exist and even complement each other", the author argue that there is a critical and dynamic context that should be considered when initiating criticisms and evaluation studies, and when attempting to understand their value to the individual, society, and profession. The political, economic, social, and cultural context of studies influences the instigation and function of these studies in intellectual, professional, and scientific aspects of society. Democratic and autonomous societies value personal opinions and user feedback more than autocratic or authoritarian societies. The value of a qualitative approach is inferior to that of a quantitative approach in less developed societies.
