With Las Vegas as a learning ground for understanding the implications of our cultural icons, the American icons, a wealth of information was revealed about the way design in America. The strip mall, the commercial outpost and the megalomanic disertations by Le Corbusier and Paul Rudolph are questioned as to their validity and auseterness against a culture rich in information. The message was as clear then, as it is now. Decoration is an obvious dilema that architects need to control within their bounds. The Post-Modern movement now behind us hopefully, has swung the pentulum back towards a more rational approach to designing.
Building is an act of concsious desisions which affect everyone.
All architecture by nature of it's existence is public when viewed from the outside. Venturi was not interested the internal structure that defined the layout of a building. He was more concerened with the look and feel of the building when perceived by a passer by. The fabric which is woven by towns like Las Vegas has alot to teach us. The symbols which we use to identify a place or space is as important as the place itself.