The Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Institute of Architects

A Rationale for the Column

by DENNIS WHELAN, FOR AIA SANTA BARBARA

As many ideas do, this column came about through a chat over beers between the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Santa Barbara Independent. Our shared vision for this venture is to delve into and dissect the role of architects and architecture in Santa Barbara: past and present and future. Santa Barbara is one of the truly unique places in this country. This column presents an opportunity to expand the conversation about this unique place that we share. Perhaps more than any other city in the U.S., Santa Barbara has retained the legacy of architects’ work and words, as there are few U.S. cities that have been influenced by, and retained the imprint of classical antiquity as has Santa Barbara.

To guide and regularize Spanish settlements in the new world, King Philip II issued the Laws of the Indies in 1573—the first comprehensive guide to codify a city planning process and embody elements of a community general plan, which set forth every facet of creating a municipality, including this familiar clause: Colonists “shall try as far as possible to have the buildings all of one type for the sake of the beauty of the town.”

Read in full: https://www.independent.com/news/2017/dec/20/santa-barbara-chapter-american-institute-architect/