Architecture occupies a unique place in the arts world.
Probably not; most buildings nowadays are built to be cheap, fast, and accessible.
That is what Remedy has done with their latest game:Control.
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People ignore design that ignores people, Frank Chimero said.
I cant remember a time in my life where Ididnthave this obsession.
I was always drawn to every clean line or interesting angle that framed a buildings form.
Curved walls led to big reveals, and every door always hid a mystery.
A natural love of architecture translated into a passion for movies as well.
This obsession, however, also led to some frustration.
Why were none of my other friends appreciating architecture like I was?
I wondered how so many people could play this game and not realize that the storywasthe architecture.
It struck me then that maybe the reason the architecture was still going unnoticed was that it still wasntreal.
It would take a game where the architecture is real, something that anyone could experience anytime they wanted.
We all, whether actively or passively, consider the buildings in our lives as living things.
Yet it does, and in an incredibly powerful way.
The strong sense of enclosure that you feel inControlis based on many buildings that exist right under your nose.
Everything is solid, flat, and bristling with texture.
To that end, theres something familiar about The Oldest House.
Where are you supposed to go, after all, if thick, concrete walls surround you?
There is a polarization at the heart of Brutalism simplicity and freedom versus confinement and imprisonment.
Love it or hate it, its there, and it will always be there.
Or at least, thats what the architects intended you to think and feel.
An object should be judged by whether it has a form consistent with its use, said Bruno Munari.
Admittedly, I find the style beautiful but what if you hate it?
Well, interestingly,Controlgives you an architects dream game mechanic:destruction.
Why dont they just knock it down and start over?
Everyone has said this at one point or another.
Perhaps this is how you feel about Brutalism but at least the style caught your attention, right?
Thats one reason whyControlis so brilliant.
It forces you to engage with the world around you by appreciating its beautyorsmashing it to bits.
Most architects will tell you that buildings tell a story through their construction.Controltells you its story through de-construction.
This article was written for SuperJump byChristian Waldo, an architect in the Seattle area.
SuperJump was founded by games journalist and product designer James Burns, and can be be found onTwitterandFacebook.
