Question: Why new buildings don't look "right"?

[Oski]

For those of you who love old buildings, I often wonder what is truly missing in newer buildings that imitate old styles but fail to capture the same charm. What makes buildings like the Sonic Headquarters or Uptown Market feel like they don’t quite look "right"?




vs.

[CaptDave]

A couple things immediately jump out to me; first they are not actually masonry walls, they are only veneer nearly 100% of the time. Another big thing is the names and other labels on the newer buildings look printed / painted on faux stone rather than chiseled into actual stone.

[Pete]

Generally speaking, old buildings like the ones you've shown have much more detail than modern versions.

Greater use of cast stone and more intricate brickwork. Similarly, the windows in the old Sonic building are cheap and lack detail.

[rayvaflav]

This is one of my favorite yet often overlooked buildings in OKC.

[Bill Robertson]

I'm not sure the designer's intent is direct imitation of older designs architecture. I think it's more about a modernized form of older architecture. And then there's the fact that less architectural detail is cheaper to build.

[Swake]

Generally speaking, old buildings like the ones you've shown have much more detail than modern versions.

Greater use of cast stone and more intricate brickwork. Similarly, the windows in the old Sonic building are cheap and lack detail.

Windows in modern buildings are "cheaper" as in less expensive and do lack detail, but they also are stronger, more durable, easier to maintain and more energy efficient.

modern building codes and requirements also drive looks.