The institutional fugliness of Melbourne

Melbourne has successfully shaken off
Her reputation of the Old Southern Parisian Belle
For a new label that I call institutional fugliness.
With a rage to be different
In order to acquire her own character
She has thrown off the rules of symmetry,
Rejected the rules of harmony,
Abandoned the rules of elegance,
Discarded the rules of consistency,
Cast off the rules of logic,
With of course the more evanescent notion of beauty.
These are replaced by statements such as
Be modern, be stark, use lots of material,
Use clashing colours or none,
No plane surface is allowed and
Most of all shun symmetry at any cost.
Dare to make whatever statement
That takes your fancy to avoid monotony
Don’t forget it is important to have a good laugh
In order to extract the wow factor from the bystander.
And it’s true it's there, this anarchic feeling
Makes one look forward to the next block
To discover the latest architectural monstrosity!
Yes, all of this is planned with gusto as signs in Swanston Street
Proclaim loud and clear to the onlookers,
Be patient they say, it takes time to change.
 Is it a lack of money who knows?
 How else to explain the corrugated iron top floor
 Of a steel and glass tower that makes it look like a shack?
How to explain the tower block
 About which one wonders if it is finished
As one can see open structures?
What is the meaning of the huge green cloud at one of RMIT buildings?
It really does not add to its function once passed the snorting factor.
What is this will of destruction of the existing city
To be replaced by vertical ghettos of hundred of boxes
 Designed by mad fiction cartoonists?
 Despite all, Melbourne keeps serene
 And growing in this anarchic time
But the question which remains is
How many of those architects
 Live in the buildings they designed?
 Well that’s a well guarded secret!
Should it be a punishment?
©L. Bailliet 30/1/2012